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Pretty in pink and packed with flavor, these cherry blossom cookies are as charming as they are delicious! With a soft, buttery texture and a hint of cherry sweetness, they’re topped with a rich Hershey’s Kiss for the perfect bite. The maraschino cherry juice gives them their signature rosy hue, making them a stunning choice for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or just because you deserve a little treat. Whether you’re baking for a party, a bake sale, or a cozy night in, these cookies are sure to steal the show. Fall in love—one sweet, chocolaty bite at a time!
Not only are they a great addition to your Christmas cookie tray, but the combination of chocolate and cherry also makes them a perfect Valentine’s Day treat.
If you’re a fan of these, also try Valentine Strawberry Cream Rice Krispies, Gluten Free Sugar Cookies, and Lofthouse Cookies.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Fabulously festive: These cute pink cookies are the perfect treat for any festive occasion especially Christmas and Valentine’s Day!
Surprisingly easy: Despite their elegant appearance, these cookies are incredibly simple to make. There’s no complicated rolling, cutting, or decorating required which makes them a great option for both beginner and experienced bakers.
Beautifully delicious: The combination of almond, cherry, and vanilla extracts gives these cherry kiss cookies a delicious, unique flavor. Plus, who can resist the classic combination of chocolate and cherry in the form of a Hershey’s Kiss on top?
Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookie Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Maraschino cherries: These will be chopped up and added to the cookie dough to give a pop of sweetness.
Cherry, almond, or vanilla extract: Any of these extracts can be used to give the cookies a hint of their flavor.
Granulated sugar: The cookies will be rolled in sugar before baking to give them a melt-in-your-mouth sweetness.
Hershey’s kisses: A kiss will be placed on top of each baked cookie as a cute and delicious finishing touch.
All-purpose flour: This will provide the structure for the cookie dough.
How to Make Cherry Blossom Cookies
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Start the cookie dough: Beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together, then mix in the cherry juice and your chosen extract.
Finish the dough: Mix in the flour, then gently stir in the chopped cherries.
Shape the cookies: Use a cookie scoop to form balls of dough, roll them in granulated sugar, and then chill the dough for at least 20 minutes.
Bake the cookies: Place the chilled dough balls on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven.
Add the finishing touch: Press a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each warm cookie, then allow it to cool.
Substitutions and Variations
Different extracts: Feel free to experiment with different extracts instead of almond extract. You could try a unique cherry-flavored extract or even a different fruit extract for a fun twist.
Other Hershey’s kisses: If you can find cherry-flavored Hershey’s kisses, that would boost the delicious cherry taste even more, else the regular kind work fine. Cherry kisses are seasonal, so snap them up when you find them. Dark chocolate kisses would be a great option, too.
Size: You can also make cherry blossom chocolate cookies larger if you prefer, just remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Gluten-free: For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free alternative and make sure your Hershey’s Kisses are also gluten-free.
Serving Suggestions
Beverages: Try having it with some green tea. The bitterness of the tea can balance the sweetness of the cookies. Some cherry blossom tea would do great too since it would emphasize the cherry flavors in the cookies. I also love it with some plain ol’ coffee!
Ice cream: A scoop of vanilla ice cream would also work beautifully with some warm cookies, especially the Hershey’s Kisses on top.
Condiments: For a unique touch, consider serving with a dollop of whipped cream or a homemade cherry compote.
Other desserts: I love enjoying my cookies with other delicious desserts. if you love the combination of cherries and chocolate or cherry flavor, you should also try making chocolate cherry brownies or other cherry recipes too.
How to Store Cherry Kiss Cookies
Store: Keep your cherry blossom cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Freeze: These cookies freeze well. Just make sure to place them in a freezer bag and seal them tightly to prevent freezer burn. They can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy them, allow the cookies to thaw at room temperature.
Top Tips
Customize it: Feel free to experiment with different extracts and flavors to make this recipe your own. Almond, vanilla, cherry, and also other extracts would also work great. That’s one of my favorite things about this cookie recipe!
Don’t skip the chilling: Chilling the dough before rolling and baking is crucial. It helps the cookies hold their shape and guarantees a nice, even texture. Plus, it makes the dough easier to handle.
Get creative with decorations: The Hershey’s Kiss on top of each cookie is not only delicious but also makes for a cute decoration. Consider using a different type of chocolate or a sprinkle of edible glitter for a personalized touch.
Cherry Kiss Cookie FAQs
Yes, you can if you like. If you do go for fresh cherries instead, you might find you need to add some extra cherry extract to get the same rich flavor, as well as a little more sugar perhaps. Just taste the dough before baking and see what you think.
Yes! You can substitute another kind of fruit for the cherries, such as strawberries for example, and then add strawberry extract. If you’re making this kind of tweak, just taste as you go to achieve a good flavor balance.
If your dough is not coming together, you can add a tiny bit of cherry juice or even water, a few drops at a time, mixing well after each addition. This will help hydrate the dough and bind it together without making it too sticky.
Cherry Blossom Cookies Recipe
Easy Cherry Blossom Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Scoop 1-Tablespoon
Ingredients
- 1 Cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 Cup powdered sugar
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon maraschino cherry juice liquid
- ¼ Teaspoon almond extract, or vanilla or cherry
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- 1 Cup maraschino cherries, chopped
- ¼ Cup granulated sugar, for rolling
- 24 Hershey Kisses
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the cherry juice and extract of choice and continue mixing until smooth.
- Add 2 cups of flour and the salt and mix on low until fully incorporated. Once the two cups are added, slowly add a couple of tablespoons at a time until the dough resembles a play-dough consistency and can be handled without sticking to hands.
- Carefully stir in the chopped cherries, just until combined.
- Use a tablespoon-size cookie dough scoop to form small cookie dough balls and roll the balls in granulated sugar until coated.
- Chill the dough balls for at least 20 minutes before baking.
- While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place cookies evenly apart on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until baked through.
- Remove from the oven and place a Hershey kiss in the center of each cookie.
- Allow to cool before serving.
Notes
Don’t skip the chilling: Chilling the dough before rolling and baking is crucial. It helps the cookies hold their shape and guarantees a nice, even texture. Plus, it makes the dough easier to handle.
Get creative with decorations: The Hershey’s Kiss on top of each cookie is not only delicious but also makes for a cute decoration. Consider using a different type of chocolate or a sprinkle of edible glitter for a personalized touch.
Nutrition
Cherry blossom cookies are a family favorite at Christmas. Once you know how to make cherry kiss cookies, you will want to make at least one batch this holiday season. This is a wonderful chocolate and cherry blossom cookie recipe for spring or perfect for a cookie exchange. Cookies make the perfect gift and everyone is going to love these homemade cherry kiss cookies!
Other Recipes to Try
- These Strawberry Mousse Tartlets are a must-try.
- Make a platter of desserts that look great together with Raspberry Truffles too.
- These Chocolate Strawberry Birds are also a hit with the kids!
- Do you also want some breakfast options? Try these Holiday Pancake Nachos!
- You’ll also love how simple these impressive 3D Gingerbread Tree Cookies are.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I made these for my Christmas gathering. What a hit they were. Will always make them from now on. Thanks a bunch for the recipe
Mine and my daughter’s favorite. Love these cookies
Oh, me too!
The ingredients list 1/4 teaspoon salt but the directions don’t indicate when to add the salt when mixing all the other ingredients.
Oops! Just add it when you add the flour. Hope they’re delicious!