Gingerbread Blossoms

Today, I’ve got the most delicious variation on a blossom cookie. These gingerbread blossoms have a beautiful soft and chewy gingerbread cookie with a Hershey hug on top. Perfect for the holidays and to add to cookie boxes.

These gingerbread blossoms are super easy to make and one of our favourites to eat during Christmas. I personally love them as they stay soft for days so they’re a great make ahead cookie as well. I love anything with ginger when it’s cold so we like to eat these all winter long.

The Hershey hug on top adds a great variation of colours, plus I just much prefer a Hershey hug to a kiss. The combination reminds of of swirl soft serve which will forever be the best kind of soft serve! Having said this, you could add any kind of kiss you want on top.

If you’d like a more Fall version of these, then try my pumpkin spice blossoms. With actual pumpkin in the cookie, plus all the Fall spices you know and love.

For some other great treats to add to a Christmas cookie platter or tin, try my cranberry oatmeal chocolate chip cookies or my chocolate turtle cookies, which are based off the traditional candy.

How to Assemble

When making these cookies, you’re going to scoop heaping tablespoons. Then roll the dough in granulated sugar.

Bake for the designated time below and while they’re baking, unwrap the Hershey hugs.

Then allow to cool for 5 minutes. This is important as you don’t want the hugs to completely melt but you don’t want the cookies to cool too much either. If you allow them to cool for too long, it’s harder to push the hug in and the cookie will crack more and not look as presentable.

What Flavour Hershey Kiss?

I used Hershey hugs as they’re my favourite, I like the flavour combo and I liked how they looked with the cookies. However, feel free to use whatever flavour you like. The one issue I have with hugs is I can only find them in Canada around Christmas so I try to stock up to use them later in the year.

Can I Make These Gluten Free?

I haven’t tried using a 1 to 1 flour with these but I see no reason they shouldn’t work. Typically Hershey hugs are gluten free as well.

If you’d like some other gluten free treats, try my double chocolate almond flour cookies or my fudgy coconut flour brownies which have the most perfect crackly brownie top.

As a side note, if making anything gluten free for someone with an allergy, ensure you thoroughly wash any equipment, jars or utensils. Any contact with flour may trigger an allergy. I like to say any baking I do in my own home is gluten friendly as I am using flour often and cannot guarantee there’s been no cross contamination.

How to Freeze and Bake No Chill Cookie Dough

If you’d like to freeze the dough for these gingerbread blossoms to save time in the future, follow these simple steps.

1. Prep the dough as instructed.
2. Roll the dough into balls.
3. Place in an airtight container or bag.
4. Label with type or flavour of dough, date, bake time and baking temperature. This makes life much easier when you pull the bag out of the freezer in a couple months and have forgotten what it is. (If you’re using a reusable bag, you can just write this information on a piece of masking tape or something similar.)
5. Store in freezer for up to 3 months.
6. When ready to bake, preheat your oven and place balls on baking sheet. 
7. Add 1-2 minutes to bake time as baking from frozen and enjoy!

How to Properly Measure Flour

So when it comes to measuring flour, the most accurate and easiest way is to use a kitchen scale. I always use a scale and could never go back to measuring in cups. It’s such a hassle and way more dishes!

If you don’t own a scale, there are a couple steps to properly measure flour as it becomes compacted just sitting in the bag or container. I highly recommend you follow these as just scooping flour out of the bag can potentially lead to at least an additional 1/4 cup of flour. This equals dry and dense baked goods which is not what anybody is going for.

1. Fluff the flour by giving it a mix with a whisk or fork.

2. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup.

3. Level the excess flour off using a butter knife. (With the back of the knife level to the top of the measuring cup, run it over top, pushing the excess flour back into it’s container.)

4. Repeat until you’ve measured the amount the recipe calls for.

Baking Tips

• For best results, ensure all your ingredients are room temperature. This allows your ingredients to incorporate into each other leading to a much better bake and texture.
• Don’t overmix the dough, just mix until everything is incorporated.
• Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before putting the hugs in so they don’t melt and lose their shape.
• Use any type of Hershey kiss you like but I like Hugs the best with this recipe.
• Unwrap the hugs while the cookies are in the oven so you don’t run out of time. If the cookies cool too much, they’ll crack a lot when pushing the kisses in.
• I create my recipes based off weights so I recommend measuring by weights if you own a scale. It’s actually so much easier and makes for much less cleanup. I wish I had baked by weight from the beginning, I could never go back now.

More Christmas Treats

Today’s song is one of my all time favourites’. Whenever it comes on now, my son always asks if it’s my favourite song haha. Here’s Dirty Old Town by The Dubliners. Happy baking!! **Disclaimer: Liv’s Little Muffins owns no rights to this song.

Don’t forget to leave a STAR REVIEW if you try my recipe! Follow me on Facebook or tag me on instagram @livslittlemuffins. Find more ideas on my Pinterest or Whisk.