Lemon Kiss Cookies

Bite through the lemony, almond-flecked shell and there’s a whole chocolate kiss hiding inside. These cookies start with a buttery dough brightened by real lemon juice and loaded with chopped almonds, then each ball gets shaped around a chocolate kiss and baked until the edges turn golden.

Chilling the dough for at least an hour is a must. The lemon juice makes this dough softer than a standard butter cookie, and warm dough won’t hold its shape around the kiss. Cold dough wraps cleanly and seals without cracking.

The double chocolate finish puts these over the top: a dusting of powdered sugar first, then a drizzle of melted chocolate chips thinned with shortening. That thin drizzle sets up glossy and snaps when you bite in.

Kitchen Tips

• Cover the chocolate kiss completely with dough. Any exposed chocolate will melt and leak during baking.
• Use a full tablespoon of dough per cookie. Less than that and you won’t have enough to wrap around the kiss.
• Melt the chocolate chips with shortening over low heat and stir constantly. The shortening keeps the drizzle thin and glossy instead of thick and matte.
• Cool the cookies completely before drizzling. Warm cookies will melt the chocolate drizzle into a puddle.

Variations

• Use dark chocolate kisses or peanut butter kisses for a different flavor surprise.
• Swap almonds for pistachios for a green-flecked, nuttier dough.
• Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough for an even brighter citrus punch.