These Cherry Blossom Cookies are also called Cherry Kiss cookies and they are my families favorite Christmas cookie recipe.
If I don't make them during the Christmas baking season I am in big trouble!
They are also one of our favorite Christmas Cookie Exchange recipes.
Cherry Blossom Cookies are one of the sweetest Christmas treats you can make.
Fluffy little pillows of a almond flavored cookie filled with pieces of maraschino cherries and topped with a Kiss.
The dough is rolled in sugar before baking and when they come out of the oven piping hot you push a Hersey's Kiss into the center.
Each bite is like eating a chocolate covered cherry.
My favorite holiday cookie exchange recipe.
You may have seen me post a picture or two of these cherry blossom cookies in the past few years. It is my all-time favorite Christmas cookie exchange recipe.
I only bake it at Christmas time.
Everyone loves them that tries them.
They are a beautiful pink color from the maraschino cherry liquid that is added to the cookie dough.
How to make Cherry Blossom Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (no substitutions) softened
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry liquid
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 2¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup chopped maraschino cherries
- granulated sugar
- 48 Hershey's milk chocolate kisses
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350' F degrees.
- Beat butter in a mixing bowl on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.
- Add powdered sugar and salt; beat until combined.
- Beat in cherry liquid and almond extract until combined.
- Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer.
- Stir in the remaining flour and the cherries with a wooden spoon.
- Chill dough for at least an hour.
- Unwrap all the Hersey kisses and set aside.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls, rolling them in your hand.
- Gently flatten the balls into a disk.
- Dip in granulated sugar, covering all sides of the dough.
- Place balls 2 inches apart on a un-greased cookie sheet.
- Bake cookies 10-14 minutes just until the bottom edges are lightly golden.
- Remove each baking sheet of cookies from the oven and immediately press a Hersey kiss into the middle of the hot cookies.
- Let cool about five minutes and carefully move the cookies to a cooling rack without disturbing the soft Hersey kiss. (see notes)
- Cool completely before storing in a single layer in an airtight container.
- Makes 48 Cherry Blossom Cookies
Recipe Expert Tips
- It takes a very long time for the Hersey Kiss to harden after melting on top of the hot cookie. You can speed it up placing the cookies in refrigerator for 20 minutes or so. Be sure the Hersey kisses have hardened before storing or the kiss can be damaged.
- Chilling the dough is not unnecessary but it makes handling the soft cookie dough so much easier.
- Using a 1 inch dough scoop will help make each blossom cookie the exact same size.
- Do not over bake or the bottom will darken. Lining the cookie sheet with parchment paper will help prevent over browning.
12 Days of Christmas Cookies eBook
Grab a copy today.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
Click below to see more of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes.
Print the Cherry Blossom Cookie recipe below.
Email questions or recipe requests to flouronmyface@gmail.com. Follow me on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Cherry Blossom Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter no substitutions softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry liquid
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup maraschino cherries chopped
- ½ cup granulated sugar for rolling the cookie dough
- 48 whole Hershey's milk chocolate kisses
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350' F. Beat butter in a mixing bowl on medium high speed for 30 seconds.
- Add powdered sugar and salt; beat until combined.
- Beat in cherry liquid and almond extract until combined.
- Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the remaining flour and the cherries with a wooden spoon.
- Chill dough for at least an hour.
- Unwrap all the Hersey kisses and set aside.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls, rolling them in your hand.
- Gently flatten the balls into a disk.
- Dip in granulated sugar, covering all sides of the dough.
- Place balls 2 inches apart on a un-greased cookie sheet.
- Bake cookies 10-14 minutes just until the bottom edges are lightly browned.
- Remove each baking sheet of cookies from the oven and immediately press a Hersey kiss into the middle of the hot cookies.
- Let cool about five minutes and carefully move the cookies to a cooling rack with out disturbing the soft Hersey kiss. (see notes).
- Cool completely before storing in a single layer in an air tight container.
Recipe Expert Tips
- It takes a very long time for the Hersey Kiss to harden after melting on top of the hot cookie. You can speed it up placing the cookies in refrigerator for 20 minutes or so. Be sure the Hersey kisses have hardened before storing or the kiss can be damaged.
- Chilling the dough is not unnecessary but it makes handling the soft cookie dough so much easier.
- Using a 1 inch dough scoop will help make each blossom cookie the exact same size.
- Do not over bake or the bottom will darken. Lining the cookie sheet with parchment paper will help prevent over browning.
Christina
Superb flavor in these cookies, a new favorit! For the person who asked about high altitude, I am at 6500 feet above sea level and I baked this recipe exactly as directed but added about 2 T extra maraschino liquid because I am in high dessert (Colorado) so it's very dry. I chilled them before baking, I think that is key to keeping them from flattening too much. I used the swirled hershey's kisses and served for Valentines day, so pretty.
Arlene Mobley
Christina
Thanks for the high altitude info! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. This is our favorite cookie recipe!
Danette
Is this made with salted butter or unsalted butter? Thanks!
Arlene Mobley
Danette
Unsalted butter.
Jennifer Forrest
Hi,
What would you change or add when baking these cookies in high altitude? I made them before in Florida and have since moved to Colorado and the cookies came out flat. Thanks!
Arlene Mobley
Jennifer
I'm sorry but I have no experience with high altitude baking. I did a quick search and found this high altitude baking guide from King Arthur Flour. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/high-altitude-baking.html It sounds like you will need to do some experiments to find the right adjustments for this recipe.
carol yemola
These sound wonderful. Hope the baker of the Cherry Blossom Cookies by Flour on my Face wins!!!
Denise@bebetsy.com
I just made these! yours are so much prettier and perfect but mine do taste fantastic. Thanks you!
Flour On My Face
Denise
Practice makes perfect and the way they taste is all that matters. I'm glad you like them!
Carla
Love these cookies! I make a similar version with the Cherry Cordial kisses. You should give them a try! Although I love them with the plain ones too.
Stephanie Zielinski
I love, love, love these cookies! Can't wait to bake them 🙂
Terra
Okay, you totally have my attention! I am not a huge chocolate lover, BUT I am a huge cherry lover.....so this recipe ROCKS!!! Those cherry blossoms look so delicious, Hugs, Terra
Flour On My Face
Thank you Terra. Did you see the Sweet Cherry Almond Cookie Bar recipe I just posted? OMG! that's all I can say......
Susan
What a great twist on blossom cookies. They are so pretty!
Audrey's Mamma
How beautiful! And they sound so yummy!
Katie
My husband would absolutely be all over these!!!! They look great.
Laura | Small Wallet, Big Appetite
These look so tasty and so pretty. I am sure these would make some great gifts
Sarah
My grandpa would have loved this, he loved this kind of candy
Anne @ Webicurean
Chocolate and cherry is one of the BEST combinations! Although these cookies look so good without the kiss on top--I'm really tempted to try them plain!
Flour On My Face
Anne
I have seen them with out the Hersey kiss and they are probably very good but I have always made them with the kiss on top and my kids would probably riot if I made it any other way.
Donna
OOh! I love the color on these! So pretty with the pink.
Flour On My Face
Thank you Donna!
Lyn @LovelyPantry
These little blossoms are beautiful! You capture them so well. How can one resist?
Sheila Fretz (@CookUnderwriter)
These look so yummy and tasty I will have to try.
diabeticFoodie
I make a variation of the "kiss cookies" for my stepdaughter every year - they are her favorite. Love the idea of adding cherries - chocolate with cherry is one of my favorite combos.
Flour On My Face
I also make the Peanut Butter Blossom cookies and they are a big fav with the family also.
Dara
Love these! So colorful and delicious. Great cookies
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
Wow, these are pretty cookies! And a very unique flavour for a holiday cookie table since cherry isn't something that's baked with a lot around Christmas. That definitely needs to change, starting with these!
Tara
How pretty are those, never had a cookie like that!!
Flour On My Face
Tara
Then you really must try them.
Renee
How did you know I had some cherries in the fridge I needed to use? I can't think of a better way than to make these beautiful cookies.
Bea
Oh, they are so beautiful and yummy looking!
Flour On My Face
Bea
Thank you for the kind words! Happy baking!
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen
They came out perfect! The flavors are wonderful!
Conni Smith
What adorable cookies!!
Jennie @themessybakerblog
These look insanely good. I love everything about them. They're officially on "the list."
Flour On My Face
Jennie
You won't be sorry that is for sure they are one of the best cookies ever!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
So pretty! The PB version is my all time favorite holiday cookie, I am sure I would love these too!
Flour On My Face
Erin
I make those also and they are another favorite.
Liz
Wow, such gorgeous cookies! Plus they look festive and yummy 🙂 Happy Sunday Supper!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips
What a beautiful update to the traditional Peanut Butter Blossoms!
Shannon
Omg, Chocolate and Cherry. That is heaven for me. Yum!
Jen @JuanitasCocina
What a beautiful cookie! I'm making a version of these today! YUM!
Hezzi-D
These are so pretty! I love cherries in everything and cannot wait to try these. I bet they taste like chocolate covered cherries!
Family Foodie
Absolutely gorgeous and your photography makes me want to take a bite right out of the screen!
Flour On My Face
Thank you so much Isabel and thank you for hosting another great #SundaySupper