Secret Kiss Cookies are soft, cake-like morsels with rich chocolaty flavor. Baking in a mini muffin pan gives these treats their distinctive round shape, perfect for hiding a candy kiss inside.
Why you'll love this recipe
Unlike some recipes that you bake once a year for a particular holiday or season, Secret Kiss cookies are an incredibly versatile year round treat. Their festive sprinkles brighten holidays, gatherings, gifts, and care packages.
The bonbon-like shape is formed by baking in mini muffin pans. The result is a soft cookie with the airy texture of a little cake.
There are so many ways to customize these.
- Add sprinkles for holidays or team colors.
- Use kisses with holiday flavors.
- Get fancy with kisses that are layered or swirled.
- Color the kisses pink or blue for a gender reveal party surprise.
- Skip the sprinkles and pipe zigzags of chocolate on top.
Ingredients
Instead of buying packaged candy, I recommend using homemade chocolate kisses, giving you control over ethical cocoa sourcing, allergens, color, and flavor.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat melted butter and sugar until combined. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate the dough overnight.
- When dough is chilled and ready to bake, scoop 1 tablespoon sized dough balls. Tear the ball in half and insert a chocolate kiss. Mold the dough into a ball covering the kiss inside.
- Place one dough ball in each mini muffin cup and bake at 350° F for 10-12 minutes. They are done when the top looks evenly dry.
- Don’t worry about any wrinkles or cracks. They will be covered with the chocolate coating. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate and dip the cookies directly into the bowl. Place on a tray lined with wax paper.
- Add sprinkles immediately after dipping. After completing 6 cookies, place the tray in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to set the chocolate.
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Tips
- Chill overnight for easiest handling of this sticky dough.
- For more mocha flavor, double the espresso powder in the recipe.
- Do not try to bake these on a baking sheet. The dough won’t hold its shape and will flatten.
- Using homemade kisses allows for unlimited variations in flavors and colors to match holidays and special events.
- Colorful sprinkles make these treats ideal for snacking or gifting for New Years, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Christmas, Hanukkah, and gender reveal parties.
- Do not use melted chocolate chips for coating the cookies unless they will be eaten the same day. The chocolate will “bloom”, appearing white and spotty after a day or two.
- For dipping, use only melting chocolate (compound coating) or tempered chocolate for a topping that remains smooth and shiny.
- Packaging or serving these treats in mini cupcake papers makes a pretty presentation that looks like candy bonbons.
Frequently asked questions
When stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they stay wonderfully soft and chewy for at least 10 days.
Yes, they can be frozen for up to one month.
Place completely cooled, undecorated cookies in an airtight plastic storage container or freezer weight zip lock bag.
Bring to room temperature before decorating.
Related recipes
Chocolate Chunk Brownies are soft and chewy brownies you will want to bake all year!
Thumbprint Cookies can be decorated with sprinkles and filling to match any occasion.
Chocolate Pretzel Cookies are made with an ultra chocolaty dough in a fun shape.
Chocolate Covered Chocolate Mint Cookies will remind you of Girl Scout cookies, but better!
These Chocolate Cookies get extra crunch when you mix in cocoa nibs or chocolate chips.
Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies are a graham cookie, topped with a marshmallow and completely coated in chocolate. Great for gifting!
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Secret Kiss Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa I use Whole Foods 365 brand fairly traded baking cocoa
- 4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt
- 7 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 48 chocolate kisses
- 3-4 cups melting chocolate discs
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- In a small bowl, microwave butter until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until combined, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla.
- Reduce the speed of mixer and slowly add dry ingredients until just combined.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap, then chill dough in the refrigerator overnight.
- When ready to bake, heat oven to 350˚F. Lightly coat the cups of a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough. Tear the ball in half and insert an unwrapped kiss at the center of the cookie dough. Put the dough ball halves back together and roll into a ball covering the chocolate kiss inside.
- Place one dough ball in each mini muffin cup and bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the top looks evenly dry. Don’t worry about any wrinkles or cracks. They will be covered with the chocolate coating.
- Cool cookies in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring the cookies onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate coating discs in a small bowl in the microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir, then return to the microwave for 10-20 second intervals at 50% power just until completely melted.
- Dip the cookie directly into the bowl of melted chocolate. Place the cookies on a tray lined with wax paper or parchment paper and sprinkle each cookie immediately after coating. After completing 6 cookies, place the tray in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to set the chocolate.
- The cookies will remain soft and cakey stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
Notes
- For easiest handling of this sticky dough, overnight chilling is recommended.
- For more mocha flavor, double the espresso powder in the recipe.
- Do not try to bake these cookies on a cookie tray. The dough won’t hold its shape and will flatten.
- Homemade chocolate kisses allows for unlimited variations in flavors and colors to match holidays and special events.
- Colorful sprinkles make this secret kiss cookies recipe ideal for snacking or gifting for New Years, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Christmas, Hanukkah, and gender reveal parties.
- Do not use melted chocolate chips for coating the cookies unless they will be eaten the same day. The chocolate will “bloom”, appearing white and spotty after a day or two.
- For dipping, use only melting chocolate (compound chocolate) or tempered chocolate for a topping that remains smooth and shiny.
- Packaging or plating these cookies in mini cupcake papers makes a pretty presentation that looks like candy bonbons.
- In a plastic food storage container, Place cookies in layers separated by wax paper, in a plastic storage container.
- Balled up wax paper can be placed between the top cookies and the lid to ensure no movement within the container during shipping.
- Wrap the entire container in plastic wrap or place in a freezer weight ziplock bag.
Nutrition
SaveFirst Published: January 30, 2015. Last Updated: March 8, 2021. Updated for additional information and improved photographs.
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Erlene
Yum! These look so delicious! It's great that these keep for 10 days, but I doubt they would last that long at our house 🙂 Thanks for sharing your recipe on MM. Pinned.
Susan
Thank you so much for joining the "Happiness is Homemade Link Party". Ok, you just set me off my diet. Great recipe and I love the sprinkles on the too. I have Pinned to my Pinterest. Susan @craftingafamily.com
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
What a perfect Valentine treat! I'd be honored if you shared it at our link party, What's for Dinner!
http://www.lazygastronome.com/whats-dinner-sunday-link-135/
The Monday Box
Thanks, Helen! Done. 🙂
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
So glad you shared these at the party - hope to see you at tomorrow's party with more treats!
Joyce @ My Stay At Home Adventures
Oh My! These look amazing and now I want to give this recipe a try. I'm sure when I make this recipe it won't look as pretty. Pinning this!
The Monday Box
Thank you, Joyce! I promise they are easy to make and I am sure yours will look every bit as pretty. Sprinkles are the secret to pretty. 🙂
Karly
So cute! Thanks for linkin' up with What's Cooking Wednesday!
Amy
These cookies are so cute and fun. It is interesting all of the methods of cooking that you used until you found just the right one. Thank you for sharing on Happiness is Homemade link party.
Sammi Ricke
These are just too cute! They are making me crave sweets and it's not even lunch time! Ha! I think these would be a great project for my kids and I to make together 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Sammi! Kids always love playing with food especially if it involves chocolate! I think kids would have a great time hiding the kisses and rolling up the dough balls! 🙂
April J Harris
What cute cookies - and I love the chocolate inside. I would like either milk or dark chocolate - these look like such a treat. Pinned! Thank you for sharing with us at Hearth and Soul.
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
Wow these look and sound amazing! Perfect for Valentines day x #TicklemyTastebudsTuesday
The Monday Box
Thanks, Kirsty! They are a fun Valentine's Day indulgence. 🙂
Roseann Hampton
These look yummy! Pinning
The Monday Box
Thanks, Roseann!
Ronda Eagle
Thank you for stopping in and linking up with us this week on #TheWeekendSocial. We love your ideas and hope to see you again this weekend on KitchenDreaming.com. We have pinned, stumbled & added your link into yummly.
The Monday Box
Thank you for hosting and all of the media work, Ronda! Also, thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
Wow - this are just gorgeous and perfect for the upcoming holiday of lovers! Chocolate sings to me 🙂 The kiss inside is such a bonus! Great post, wonderful photos!
themondaybox
Thank you, Tricia! Oh, I am so glad someone else hears chocolate, however, I am jealous. Chocolate chips speak to me all the time, but I have never heard them sing! 😉 I definitely consider Valentine's Day= chocolate day!
Monica
These are so sweet. I love how they look and the surprise inside as well as the textural contrasts all in one bite. You could call it anything you want and I'd be all over them.
themondaybox
Thanks, Monica! The textural contrasts are my favorite part of this cookie! I bit into way too many of these just to feel the bite through the chocolate coating, into the chewy cookie, sinking into the chocolate kiss center. Ummm....good thing there aren't any left!
shannon
how adorable! and i agree: things in romance languages always sound way better, more exotic, and so on. why say "hazelnut ball cookies" when you could say "baci di dama," right?
themondaybox
That is exactly why I had to be so careful in Italy. Baci di dama would be terribly intriguing to me if they were offered, but rather dangerous considering my nut allergy! I practiced the phrase, "I am allergic to nuts," in Italian, over and over before we went. I had to temper temptation with caution! 🙂
Liz W.
Wendy, these look fantastic! This is exactly what I want to be eating right now... and it's 5am. I am definitely making these. I'll let you know how they turn out!
themondaybox
Thanks, Liz! Sorry to give you 5 am cookie cravings, but these Kiss Cookies ARE quite good with a morning cup of coffee! The funny thing about these cookies is that if you try them before you coat them in chocolate, you will probably be underwhelmed. However, a quick dip in melted chocolate makes a world of chocolaty difference to the whole flavor profile! I hope you do get to try them and will let me know what you think!