Description
Delicious Valentine’s Strawberry Kiss Cookies with a sweet crust and a chocolate center, perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box strawberry cake mix
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk
- Granulated sugar, for rolling
- 22 Hershey Kisses
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large bowl, mix the vegetable oil and eggs together until smooth and thoroughly combined. This creates a uniform base for even baking.
- Step 2: Slowly mix in the strawberry cake mix and all-purpose flour until just combined. Avoid over mixing to keep cookies tender.
- Step 3: Blend in the milk to reach the desired dough consistency, adding moisture to keep the cookies soft and prevent dryness.
- Step 4: Using a #30 cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons, form cookie dough into equal-sized balls to ensure uniform baking.
- Step 5: Roll each cookie ball evenly in granulated sugar before chilling. This forms a sweet crust and adds appealing crunch after baking.
- Step 6: Cover the bowl and chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps prevent spreading and preserves cookie shape during baking.
- Step 7: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) to achieve proper baking temperature and golden edges.
- Step 8: Place one baking sheet at a time in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Watch for edges to turn golden as an indicator of doneness.
- Step 9: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press one Hershey Kiss into the center of each cookie. The residual heat slightly melts the chocolate for a soft touch.
- Step 10: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes (about 5 minutes) before transferring to a cooling rack or storage container. This helps them set with a soft, chewy texture.
Notes
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days to maintain texture and flavor.
- Refrigeration: Keep cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days to retain moisture without drying.
- Freezing: Wrap cookies individually in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- If dough is sticky and hard to handle, chill it an additional 30 minutes.
- To prevent excessive spreading, roll dough in granulated sugar and ensure it is well chilled before baking.
- For cookies browning at edges but undercooked centers, bake an extra 1-2 minutes checking often.
- Place Hershey Kisses on cookies within one minute of baking removal for optimal melting.
- If cooled cookies feel too soft, let them sit on the baking sheet for 5 more minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Serve with fresh fruit or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- A glass of almond milk pairs nicely with these cookies.
- Use cookies to make strawberry sandwich cookies with whipped cream or cream cheese filling.
- Add to dessert trays alongside gluten-free brownies or sugar-free chocolate chip cookies.
- Drizzle melted chocolate or dust with powdered sugar for extra presentation flair.
- Serve with strawberry sauce on the side for dipping.
- Substitute the strawberry cake mix with other flavored cake mixes for different cookie variations.
- For gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend replacing all-purpose flour, checking for proper binding agents.
- Use almond extract instead of vanilla extract for a different aroma, but use less due to its stronger flavor.
- Choose fresh, ripe strawberries with bright red color and sweet aroma for best flavor if added fresh (not in original but recommended for ingredient quality).
- Use unsalted butter to control saltiness if you add butter variations.
- Granulated sugar helps with even spreading and creates a crisp crust; fine sugar dissolves well into dough.
- Light brown sugar can enhance chewiness and add molasses flavor but can be substituted with granulated sugar if unavailable.
- Baking soda must be fresh to achieve light texture; baking powder can substitute if adjusting sugar quantity accordingly.
- Use pure vanilla extract for deeper sweet flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: Not provided
- Sugar: Not provided
- Sodium: Not provided
- Fat: Not provided
- Saturated Fat: Not provided
- Unsaturated Fat: Not provided
- Trans Fat: Not provided
- Carbohydrates: Not provided
- Fiber: Not provided
- Protein: Not provided
- Cholesterol: Not provided