Description
Delicious and festive Gingerbread Blossoms featuring a soft gingerbread cookie rolled in sugar, baked to perfection and topped with a melting chocolate kiss in the center for a perfect holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar (dark preferred)
- 6 Tablespoons (128g) unsulphured or dark molasses
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Rolling and Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar or coarse sparkling sugar for rolling
- 30 Hershey’s Kisses or Hugs, unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until creamy and well combined.
- Add Molasses, Egg, and Vanilla: Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and bottom as needed. The mixture may look slightly curdled, which is normal.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined to form a thick dough.
- Form Dough Balls and Roll in Sugar: Scoop the dough into balls of about 1.5 tablespoons (30g) each. Roll each ball in granulated or coarse sugar, then place on prepared baking sheets spaced at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until the edges appear set.
- Cool on Baking Sheet: Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Press Chocolate and Freeze: Transfer the cookies to a smaller tray or plate that can fit in your freezer. Press one unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss or Hug candy into the center of each cookie and place the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes to quickly set the chocolate.
- Serve and Store: Remove from freezer and serve. Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- You can make the cookie dough up to 3 days ahead and store it refrigerated. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping.
- Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked dough balls also freeze well for 3 months; bake frozen dough balls for 13 minutes (1 minute longer).
- Use coarse sugar for rolling to add extra crunch and sparkle; regular granulated sugar works fine as well.
- Regular chocolate Kisses hold their shape best, while white chocolate Hugs melt faster, so freezing quickly is important.
- To make these cookies without the chocolate center, simply bake as directed and omit pressing in candy at the end.
- You can substitute chocolate kisses with chocolate chips, white chocolate morsels, or butterscotch chips for variety.
- Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
