I have never made blossom cookies before and now I’m wondering where they’ve been all my life. I’ve seen them but never had one, so I knew what they were. Classic blossoms are peanut butter in flavor but I was making these for a school party and didn’t want any nuts or nut products.
Since many people associate orange with the holidays, I decided to add a bit of orange zest to the batter for that hint of citrus. You know the orange is there but it’s not overwhelming at all. I must say that blossom cookies are a favorite for many folks. I have never made them before but have enjoyed them on occasion.
Sometimes when you mess with a classic it’s a fail. Not this time. The orange is a win. I do want to share a tip. Before you put the first batch in the oven unwrap all of the kisses. A good task for kids, by the way. When you gently press the kiss into the cookie you want it to be warm so the kiss will melt into the cookie a bit making it stick. Unwrapping the kisses is not something you want to be doing as the cookies come out of the oven.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Sugar for rolling
- 48 milk chocolate Hershey Kisses
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, shortening and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add orange peel, vanilla and egg; blend well. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour for easier handling.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, using a scoop, roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets.
- Bake at 375 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Immediately top each cookie with a Hershey Kiss, pressing firmly so cookie gently cracks around edges. Remove fro cookie sheets to cooling racks to cool completely.
Notes
Adapted from Pillsbury Best Cookie Cookbook
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If you’ve read my cookie posts from Christmas 2016 you know I like to have a few cookies in my repertoire that start with a cake mix. While you could use a yellow or white cake mix, I’ve found chocolate is the yummiest! Especially if you use devil’s food. Last year I shared a 
Many of the cookies I post on the blog are made for events at school, gift giving or to take to a friend “just because”. My family and I certainly can’t eat all these goodies ourselves. I made these chunky cranberry double chip cookies for our school’s annual cookie extravaganza. It’s held each year in December and faculty and staff get to pick out cookies for a take home box as a way for parents to say thank for all you do. I’d say 90% of the cookies donated are homemade but some do purchase and that’s OK. It’s all about saying thanks to those who teach and care for our kids.
Peppermint is definitely associated with the Christmas holiday season. Each year I add new cookies to my holiday gift tin repertoire. In past years I’ve made 
For the peppermint I used Nielsen-Massey pure peppermint extract. Whenever I smell peppermint it reminds me of my childhood and the Christmas season. What I love about Nielsen-Massey is the pure flavor and scent of their extracts. In addition to their peppermint I also have their almond, rose water and vanilla on hand. I have always believed that if you use good ingredients you will have a better result. Nielsen-Massey is a quality product.
I’ve never met a butter cookie I didn’t like. They are delicate and melt in your mouth. There are 4 generations of bakers in my husbands family and they all have preferred butter cookies over sugar cookies. It’s what the family bakery, that has been in continuous operation for more than 100 years in Philadelphia, sells. Although this is not the bakery’s recipe these holiday sugar sprinkled butter cookies are a treat.
