Thumbprint Kiss Cookies

Thumbprint kiss cookies are the lazy cousin of the classic peanut butter blossom, and honestly, sometimes lazy wins. A peanut butter cookie mix does the heavy work, you roll the dough in sugar for that signature crackly coat, and a chocolate Kiss goes in the center the moment they come out of the oven.

The sugar coating is what separates these from a flat cookie scoop. It crisps up into a sparkly shell as the dough bakes, giving you that bakery-style finish without the fuss.

Unwrap the chocolate Kisses ahead of time. The cookies cool fast, and chasing foil wrappers with hot cookies waiting on the rack is a recipe for frustration.

Pro Tips

• Roll the dough into smooth, even balls. Cracked or uneven balls bake lopsided and the Kiss won’t sit straight.
• Press the Kiss in the moment cookies come out of the oven, not before baking. Pressing first melts the chocolate into a puddle. Pressing after gives you a glossy intact Kiss that softens just enough to stick.
• Let cookies cool fully on the rack before stacking. The chocolate stays soft for a surprisingly long time and will smear if rushed.
• Use a small cookie scoop (about a tablespoon) for uniform size and even baking.

Variations

• Swap the milk chocolate Kisses for dark chocolate, caramel-filled, or hugs (striped white and milk).
• Roll the dough balls in colored sugar for holiday versions: red and green for Christmas, pastels for Easter.
• Use a sugar cookie or chocolate cookie mix as the base for a different flavor pairing with the Kiss.