Easter Blossom Cookies are a delightful fusion of classic sugar cookies and a chocolatey surprise. Rolled in pastel sanding sugar, these cookies bake to perfection, offering a slightly crisp exterior with a soft and chewy center. The final touch? A Hershey Kiss gently pressed into the middle, adding a melt in your mouth chocolate finish.
Perfect for spring gatherings, these cookies bring a pop of color and sweetness to any Easter celebration. The combination of vanilla and almond extracts elevates their flavor, while the pastel sugar coating makes them irresistibly festive. Whether enjoyed with a cup of tea or shared at a family brunch, these cookies are sure to be a holiday favorite.
Full Recipe:
Ingredients:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp milk
- Pastel sanding sugar (pink, yellow, green, blue)
- 24 Hershey Hugs & Kisses
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Pour different colored sanding sugars into separate small bowls and set them aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and mix until combined.
- Mix in the flour, baking soda, salt, and milk until a soft dough forms.
- Roll the dough into 1-tablespoon-sized balls. Coat each ball in one of the sanding sugars, ensuring full coverage.
- Place the sugar-coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are just set but still soft in the center.
- Let cookies cool for 2 minutes, then gently press a Hershey Kiss into the center of each one.
- Allow to cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes
Kcal: 130 kcal | Servings: 24 cookies
Easter Blossom Cookies: A Festive Springtime Treat
Spring is in the air, and what better way to celebrate the season than with a batch of Easter Blossom Cookies? These colorful, chewy cookies are coated in pastel sanding sugar and topped with a chocolate kiss, making them a festive and delicious addition to any Easter gathering. Whether you’re baking with family, preparing treats for an Easter egg hunt, or simply indulging your sweet tooth, these cookies bring a joyful touch to your springtime celebrations.
In this article, we’ll explore the history of blossom cookies, variations of this delightful treat, tips for achieving the perfect texture, and creative ways to customize them for different occasions.
The History of Blossom Cookies
Blossom cookies have been a beloved treat for decades, with their origins tracing back to the classic Peanut Butter Blossoms. These iconic cookies were first introduced in the 1950s when Freda Strasel Smith entered them into the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest. Instead of using traditional peanut butter cookie dough, she pressed a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each freshly baked cookie, creating a delicious combination of flavors and textures.
Since then, blossom cookies have evolved, with bakers experimenting with different dough bases, flavors, and toppings. The Easter Blossom Cookie is a cheerful twist on the original, using a vanilla-almond flavored sugar cookie rolled in pastel sanding sugar to create a vibrant, holiday-themed treat.
Why Easter Blossom Cookies Are a Must-Bake Treat
1. Visually Stunning and Festive
One of the biggest appeals of Easter Blossom Cookies is their beautiful, colorful appearance. The pastel sugar coating gives them a soft, spring-like look, making them a perfect addition to any Easter dessert table. Whether you choose pink, yellow, blue, or green sanding sugar, these cookies instantly brighten up any celebration.
2. Perfect Balance of Texture and Flavor
Easter Blossom Cookies offer the ideal combination of textures: a slightly crisp outer layer from the sugar coating, a soft and chewy center, and a rich, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate kiss on top. The flavors of vanilla and almond extract complement the sweetness without overpowering it, making them an irresistible treat for both kids and adults.
3. Easy to Make
This recipe is beginner-friendly and requires simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. The steps are straightforward, and the dough comes together quickly. Whether you’re an experienced baker or a novice in the kitchen, these cookies are easy to prepare and perfect for baking with kids.
4. Customizable for Any Occasion
While these cookies are a staple for Easter, you can easily adapt them for other holidays or special events. Swap the pastel sanding sugar for red and green to make Christmas Blossom Cookies, or use orange and black for a Halloween version. You can also experiment with different flavors of Hershey’s Kisses, such as caramel, dark chocolate, or cookies and cream.
Creative Variations of Easter Blossom Cookies
One of the best things about blossom cookies is how versatile they are. If you want to put a unique spin on your Easter Blossom Cookies, try these fun variations:
Gluten-Free Easter Blossom Cookies
To make these cookies gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum for proper binding. Almond flour or coconut flour can also be used, though they will slightly alter the texture of the cookies.
Coconut Blossom Cookies
For a tropical twist, mix shredded coconut into the dough and roll the cookies in toasted coconut flakes instead of sanding sugar. This adds a light, crispy texture and a subtle coconut flavor that pairs wonderfully with chocolate.
Chocolate Lover’s Blossom Cookies
For a richer flavor, substitute cocoa powder for a portion of the flour to create a chocolate sugar cookie base. This will give the cookies a deep chocolate flavor that complements the Hershey Kiss topping.
Nutty Blossom Cookies
If you love a bit of crunch, try adding finely chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts to the dough. You can also replace the almond extract with hazelnut or pecan extract for a different flavor profile.
Tips for Making the Perfect Easter Blossom Cookies
Although this recipe is simple, there are a few baking tips that will ensure your cookies turn out perfectly every time.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients
Allow your butter and egg to reach room temperature before mixing the dough. This helps create a smoother, more evenly mixed dough, leading to softer cookies.
Do Not Overbake
These cookies will continue to set as they cool, so it’s important to take them out of the oven when they are just set but still soft in the center. Overbaking can make them too hard and dry.
Press the Hershey Kiss Gently
After baking, let the cookies sit for a couple of minutes before pressing the Hershey Kiss into the center. This prevents the chocolate from melting too quickly while still allowing it to stick to the cookie.
Chill the Dough for a Chewier Texture
If you prefer a chewier cookie, chill the dough for about 30 minutes before rolling and baking. This also helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
Experiment with Different Sugars and Decorations
While pastel sanding sugar is traditional for Easter, you can also roll these cookies in colored sprinkles or crushed freeze-dried fruit for an extra burst of flavor and color.
How to Store and Preserve Easter Blossom Cookies
To keep these cookies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you want to enjoy them later, you can freeze them in a sealed container for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Conclusion
Easter Blossom Cookies are the perfect combination of beauty, simplicity, and deliciousness. Their vibrant pastel colors, soft texture, and chocolatey center make them a favorite among kids and adults alike. Whether you’re baking them for a holiday gathering, a school event, or just as a fun weekend project, these cookies bring joy to any occasion.
Plus, with so many variations and ways to customize them, you can enjoy different versions of blossom cookies all year round. From gluten-free alternatives to chocolate-infused dough, there’s always a way to add a new twist to this classic treat.
So, grab your mixing bowl, pick your favorite sanding sugar colors, and get ready to bake a batch of these delightful Easter Blossom Cookies. They’re sure to be a hit at your Easter celebration!