Description
These Christmas Peppermint Red Velvet Blossoms are festive, soft, and chewy cookies perfect for holiday celebrations. Infused with rich cocoa and vibrant red food coloring, each cookie is topped with a peppermint candy kiss and sprinkled with crushed candy canes for a delightful minty crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
For the cookies:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp red food coloring (gel preferred for vibrant color)
- 1 tbsp buttermilk
- 18-20 peppermint candy kisses (unwrapped)
- Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
- Add the red velvet magic: With the mixer on low, add the red food coloring and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, and mix until you achieve a vibrant red color. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until the dough comes together. The dough will be soft but slightly sticky.
- Chill the dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling helps the cookies maintain their shape while baking.
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape and bake the cookies: Roll the chilled dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Lightly flatten each ball with the palm of your hand. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies have set around the edges but are still soft in the center.
- Top with peppermint kisses: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, gently press a peppermint kiss into the center of each one. Immediately sprinkle crushed peppermint candies around the base of the kiss while the cookies are still warm so that the pieces stick to the surface.
- Cool completely: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The peppermint kisses will soften from the heat of the cookies but will firm up as they cool.
Notes
- For vibrant color, use gel-based red food coloring to avoid thinning the dough.
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and helps retain the cookie shape.
- Use parchment paper to avoid sticking and facilitate easy removal.
- Press the peppermint kisses gently to avoid breaking the cookies.
- Store in an airtight container to keep cookies fresh and peppermint kisses firm.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
