Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Recipe: Red Velvet Hugs Blossom Cookies

I signed up for the Crazy for Crust e-newsletter ages ago. I usually just store the emails in a folder, thinking I'll look back at them (I never do). But when I saw this featured recipe, I knew I wanted to try it. It sounded so easy, and who doesn't like red velvet?

Ingredients

  • 1 15-16 ounce box Red Velvet Cake Mix any brand
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted or softened
  • About 30 Hershey’s Kisses unwrapped (I used vanilla frosting Hershey's kisses)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats and set aside.
  2. Mix together cake mix, eggs, and butter using a hand mixer or stir it by hand. The dough will be thick.
  3. Scoop 1 tablespoon sized balls onto your cookie sheets. Chill for at least 30 minutes. If you bake them right away they’ll spread just a bit too much.
  4. Bake about 8-10 minutes until tops just start to crack. Err on the side of underdone! Immediately press a Hershey’s Kiss onto the top of each cookie. Let cool completely. 
  5. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

The batter was enough for 24 cookies. I did chill the dough for just over 30 minutes, and I baked them for only 8. But even then, it seemed like the dough had spread too thinly, and that the top had baked just a little too much for the Hershey's kiss to sink into the dough easily (it seemed like the kiss was almost just sitting on top). And while the cookies seemed too baked on top, the inside was still gooey, so a bit undercooked (although soft, which I like). Since the cookies needed to be hot in order for the kisses to fit in, the heat started to melt the chocolate, so the kisses did not keep their shape (especially when I was putting them away for storage). AND the red color of the cake WILL dye your mouth red, as if you had eaten a cherry candy or something like that. 

Are these cookies yummy? Yes. But are they a new household favorite? No.

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