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Gingerbread Blossoms Recipe

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4 from 3 reviews

Gingerbread Blossoms are classic holiday cookies featuring a spiced gingerbread dough rolled in sugar and topped with a melting Hershey’s Kiss. Soft, chewy, and bursting with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, these festive treats are perfect for holiday gatherings and cookie exchanges.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar (dark preferred)
  • 6 Tablespoons (128g) unsulfured or dark molasses (preferably Grandma’s brand; do not use blackstrap)
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Rolling and Topping

  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar or coarse sparkling sugar
  • 30 Hershey’s Kisses or Hugs, unwrapped

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and set aside.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. This blend of warm spices forms the signature flavor of the gingerbread cookies.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until creamy and well combined, about 3 minutes. Proper creaming helps achieve a tender cookie texture.
  4. Add Molasses, Egg, and Vanilla: Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat the mixture until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the bowl as needed. The mixture may appear slightly curdled, which is normal.
  5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry spice-flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
  6. Form and Sugar the Dough Balls: Scoop and roll the dough into balls weighing about 1.5 tablespoons (30g) each. Roll each ball in granulated or coarse sparkling sugar to coat evenly. Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
  7. Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until the edges appear set but the centers are still soft. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies chewy.
  8. Cool and Add Chocolate: Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a smaller tray or plate that will fit in your freezer. Press a Hershey’s Kiss candy into the center of each cookie while they are still warm.
  9. Set the Chocolate: Place the tray of cookies with candies into the freezer for 10 minutes to quickly set the chocolate and help the candy keep its shape.
  10. Serve and Store: Remove the cookies from the freezer and serve once the chocolate is set. Store leftover cookies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 1 week, maintaining their freshness and softness.

Notes

  • Ensure butter is fully softened to room temperature before creaming for the best texture.
  • Do not use blackstrap molasses, as it has a much stronger, bitter flavor compared to unsulphured or Grandma’s brand.
  • Handling the cookies gently when pressing the chocolate in while warm helps create a nice indentation without breaking the cookie.
  • Freezing the cookies briefly with the chocolate helps set the candies quickly and prevent melting.
  • These cookies keep well for up to a week stored airtight at room temperature, making them ideal for holiday gifting.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/gingerbread-blossoms-recipe/