Dark Chocolate cookies with a candy cane kiss swirl topping
Y’all have been so patient about waiting for this recipe! It’s been such a busy week and weekend – phew! Thanks for waiting, y’all!
These cookies are ridiculously delicious with the combination of rich dark chocolate and the cool zing from the creamy, delicious candy cane kisses. YUM. They were devoured by my family (Nathan even gave me a high five) and the staff at the school loved them and were begging for the recipe, too!
These aren’t a quick-throw-together cookie, they require melting and chilling, but they are SO worth it.
In a saucepan place butter and dark brown sugar with a bit of water – stir frequently until the butter is melted
Add in dark chocolate chips and stir frequently until almost all the chocolate is melted; remove from heat and continue to stir until the chocolate chips are full melted, add 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste to this and stir well. Pour into your large mixing bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes – stirring it around a couple of times to help the cooling process.
While the chocolate is cooling off: Sift 3 Cups of flour. From the sifted flour carefully measure out 2 1/2 Cups of flour and add it to a large mixing bowl. To the flour, add 1 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt – sift together.
When the cooling off time is over for the chocolate mixture (sounds like it’s been in trouble, doesn’t it?) beat in one egg at a time on high speed.
Reduce speed to low and add in dry ingredients, mixing until just blended – don’t forget to scrape the sides.
Chill the dough for about an hour in the fridge
While the dough is chilling, unwrap a bag of candy cane kiss candies (having the kids help do this is fun, but beware of sneaky candy cane kiss devourers)
Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
Roll dough into 1/2″-ish balls and place on un-greased cookie sheet or parchment lined cookie sheet about 1 1/2″ to 2″ apart.
Bake about 7 minutes or until a piece of uncooked spaghetti comes out clean (depends on your oven, could be up to 9 minutes) Do NOT overbake (you might want to test cook two cookies to see the timing in your oven)
Place a candy cane kiss in the middle of each hot out of the oven cookie
After about 5 minutes, take a tooth pick and lightly swirl the kiss on the cookie, it will just melt down onto the cookie in a pretty swirl pattern
Remove these cookies from the cookie sheet, place on a baking rack and place in the fridge to chill and set the candy cane kiss swirl.
Serve straight out of the refrigerator or at room temperature – delicious either way!
Rich dark chocolate paired with Candy Cane Kiss candies, softened and swirled on top. These cookies are a heavenly little bite of Christmas.
Ingredients
- 3/4 C ( 1 1/2 Sticks) butter
- 1 1/2 C packed dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp water
- 2 1/4 C dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 C sifted all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 bag Candy Cane Kiss candies
Instructions
- Put butter, dark brown sugar and water in a large saucepan and stir over low heat until melted.
- Add dark chocolate chips and stir until most of the chocolate chips are melted, remove from heat and continue to stir until all the chocolate is melted.
- Add in 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste and mix well.
- Pour into a large mixing bowl and allow to sit and cool for about 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times to help cooling.
- Carefully measure 2 1/2 C of sifted all purpose flour into a large bowl; add in baking soda and salt - sift together
- When the chocolate is cooler, add in one egg at a time beating each on high speed until completely blended.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in dry ingredients, don't forget to scrape the sides and bottom, until blended.
- Chill the dough for about an hour - while it's chilling - unwrap the Candy Cane Kiss candies
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F
- Roll dough into 1/2" to 1" balls and place on un-greased or parchment lined baking sheet about 1 1/2" apart.
- Bake about 7 minutes (could be as long as 9 minutes - do NOT overbake)
- When the cookies come out of the oven, place a Candy Cane Kiss on top of each hot cookie in the middle and let them sit about 5 minutes.
- Using a toothpick, swirl the softened Candy Cane Kiss until you like the pattern, it will just melt down onto the cookie.
- Remove the swirl topped cookies from the baking sheet and place them on a cooling rack in the refrigerator to set the candy.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough and candies.
- Serve chilled straight out of the refrigerator or at room temperature, either way - DELICIOUS!
Also, Today I’m featured over on Love, Feast, Table’s Holiday Cookie Exchange with another family favorite recipe!
Can’t wait to see what deliciousness y’all have to link up this week!
Link up a recipe post from your own blog – not someone else’s
Link back here in your recipe post
Visit at least 3 other participants – you won’t regret it!
Happy Monday, y’all!
Mmmm. Those look delicious!
Nancy @Real Food Allergy Free´s most recent brilliance ..Super Simple Potato Soup
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Fabulous!
An Island Mom´s most recent brilliance ..Who’s Dissing Elf On The Shelf?
They look delicious! I made some very similar ones yesterday, substituting sugar cookies for the chocolate cookies. They were a hit.
Natalie @ Cooking for My Kids´s most recent brilliance ..To Everything There is a Season – Recipe: Christmas Truffles
Ok, my daughter walked up while I was linking our muffin recipe and said, “Oh! Mom! We have to make those!!” So where did you learn the trick with the candy cane kisses?
Lisa @ Happy in Dole Valley´s most recent brilliance ..Muffin Monday – Chocolate Gingerbread Muffins
Thanks, Lisa!
I kind of accidentally poked one of the kisses on my Candy Cane Kiss Butter Cookies and it slumped over… I thought how pretty it would be all swirly on a different kind of cookie.
I ADORE chocolate and peppermint, thus — the creation of these cookies
Thanks! Putting candy cane kisses on my shopping list.
Lisa @ Happy in Dole Valley´s most recent brilliance ..Muffin Monday – Chocolate Gingerbread Muffins
The cookies look amazing, I would have never guessed that you melted a candy cane kiss for the swirl! Love this idea.
Paula´s most recent brilliance ..The Littlest Caroler
Thanks, Paula! That makes me happy
Holy moly! I pinned this recipe earlier today and had no idea it was YOURS! It’s sure makin’ the rounds all over Pinterest! So excited: I have to make 6 dozen cookies for church next week and these? Are gonna be the ones.
Kirsten´s most recent brilliance ..November’s Gifts
LOL – aww thanks, Kirsten!
Oh my goodness! Those look divine!
Melissa | Cajun Sugar Pie´s most recent brilliance ..Butterscotch Toffee Bars
Thanks, Melissa!
Oh how yum! Those look gorgeous and ummm tastier than the mint sugar cookies with the mint kisses someone brought to my cookie exchange this weekend. I think these are officially on my list!
Michelle´s most recent brilliance ..Tasty Tuesday – Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins
Michelle, I can’t wait to hear what you think about them! The dark chocolate and the candy cane flavor are a great balance. SO yummy!
I would love for you to link your recipe to the HHC Holiday Cookie swap.
Cindy´s most recent brilliance ..Grocery Store Deal Round-Up
I just baked similar cookies with the candy cane kisses! Need to post them still:) We are on the same page!
Maria´s most recent brilliance ..Rosanna Pedestal and Christmas Mug Giveaway
Can’t wait to see yours, Maria!
Great minds 
YUM! These look so good and perfect for the holidays. My son who loves dark chocolate and mint would love these!
Lynn´s most recent brilliance ..Caramel Apple Cider
well aren’t these little gems very festive and fun… perfect for the holidays!
I don’t have vanilla bean paste. Can you substitute vanilla flavoring and if so how much?
I am so excited to bake these cookies…unfortunately, I am unable to find vanilla bean paste; no one has heard of it, and many stores I have checked in the Omaha, NE area don’t carry it. Can I substitute the paste with something different? Thank you!
I made these and they turned out DELICIOUS! but my problem is that firstly, the batter was kind of liquid and almost looked like a thick frosting. After 3hrs. in the fridge it was easier to handle and roll into balls, but when baked, the cookies flattened and they look like pancakes! What did I do wrong? And what can I do to fix it?
These are some of the best cookies have i have ever made!! Thank you for posting!!
Thanks for linking up at our Virtual Cookie Exchange – These look delicious!
Melissa @ Stockpiling Moms´s most recent brilliance ..Joe’s New Balance Outlet Holiday Sale
I made these yesterday and they are going to be a new Christmas favorite in my house! They are so good. I used a small ice cream scoop to make the balls and it was very quick, no rolling… I had never heard of vanilla bean paste and found it at Williams Sonoma – looking forward to working with it. Thanks for posting another winner!
Jennifer´s most recent brilliance ..Santa and the Weasels