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Chocolate Caramel Blossoms Recipe

4.6 from 67 reviews

Chocolate Caramel Blossoms are rich and tender cocoa cookies featuring a luscious Hershey Caramel Kiss center. These delightful treats combine the deep flavor of Dutch process cocoa with a hint of cinnamon and a soft caramel surprise, perfect for gifting, parties, or a cozy dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Dutch Process Baking Cocoa

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar (plus additional for coating)
  • 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 2 tbsp Milk (1%, 2%, or Fat-free)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Additional Ingredients

  • 10 oz bag of Hershey Caramel Kisses
  • Sea Salt Flakes (optional)
  • Salted Caramel Sugar (optional, for rolling)
  • Dark Cocoa Sugar (optional, for rolling)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and Dutch process baking cocoa until well combined. Set aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, usually about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Add in the large egg, milk, and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture, mixing well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
  4. Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated into a thick dough.
  5. Chill Dough: Tightly cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the dough to firm up.
  6. Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Adjust oven rack to the second position from the bottom (just above center) and preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  7. Shape Cookies: Using a spoon, scoop small portions of dough and roll into 1-inch balls.
  8. Coat and Arrange: Roll each dough ball in granulated sugar or your choice of flavored sugar. Place the balls on prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart. Optionally, sprinkle sea salt flakes on top for added flavor.
  9. Bake Initial Cookies: Bake at 375ºF for 6 to 8 minutes until the cookies are set and slightly cracked.
  10. Top with Caramel Kisses: Remove cookies from oven and immediately place one Hershey Caramel Kiss on each cookie. Gently press down on each kiss to slightly spread the cookie and create characteristic cracks. Return the cookies to the oven.
  11. Bake Again: Bake for an additional 2 minutes to soften the caramel and meld the flavors.
  12. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. Store: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container or cookie jar, adding a slice of bread to maintain softness, for up to one week.

Notes

  • For best flavor, chill the dough overnight; this enhances texture and taste.
  • Optional sugars like salted caramel sugar or dark cocoa sugar can add interesting flavor and texture to the coating.
  • Sea salt flakes on top balance the sweetness and enhance the chocolate-caramel combination.
  • Pressing the caramel kiss gently ensures the cookie cracks beautifully and the caramel softens perfectly.
  • Use parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and assist with even baking.
  • Adding a slice of bread in the storage container helps keep the cookies soft for longer.

Keywords: Chocolate Cookies, Caramel Cookies, Hershey Kiss Cookies, Chocolate Caramel Blossoms, Holiday Cookies, Easy Chocolate Dessert