When I was a teenager one of my friends at the time made the classic peanut butter blossom cookies and shared them with us. I don't remember how many of these cookies I ate but being a fan of peanut butter and chocolate I remember they were really good. This experience inspired me years later to create a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe as well as this one which is a variation on the “Russian Tea Cake” recipe from my 1992 edition of “Mrs. Fields Cookie Book”.
This recipe makes about two dozen cookies and because the Hershey Kiss is inverted or placed pointed side down into the cookie dough it's an easy cookie to transport.
I've only used the original milk chocolate Hershey Kiss in this recipe and recommend using any Hershey kiss which is solid throughout like the original.
Shortbread Kiss Cookies (makes two dozen/24 cookies)
1 cup (two sticks) butter at room temperature
½ cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour, all-purpose recommended
Place oven rack on middle run setting.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees farenheit.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until blended. Add vanilla extract. Mix. Add flour. Mix until thorough combined.
Shape tablespoon's worth of dough into a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Place on non-stick cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
Remove foil wrapper from Hershey Kisses. Place kiss pointed side down into center of each ball.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool cookies on wire rack. Serve.
If transporting cookies, make sure they are thoroughly cooled and place wax paper between each layer of cookies to keep them from sticking.
