Orange blossom cookies are made with tender sugar cookie dough that's filled with fresh orange zest, rolled in sugar, and topped with a Hershey's kiss. Add a batch to your next holiday cookie tray!
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Soft sugar cookies are filled with fresh orange zest, rolled in sugar, and topped with a chocolate Hershey's kiss. Chocolate and orange are a classic holiday flavor combination that you'll love.
Chilling time: Dough must be chilled for 30 minutes before baking.
Yield: 32 cookies
Similar to: Grinch Sugar Cookies and Frosted Lemon Cookies
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Orange zest - Fresh orange zest adds concentrated orange flavor that can't be accomplished with orange juice. Orange zest could be substituted with 1 teaspoon of orange extract if needed. If you'd like to make plain soft sugar cookies topped with kisses (both recipes use the same dough base), omit the orange zest entirely.
- Hershey's kisses - I used classic milk chocolate for this recipe, but dark chocolate kisses or Hershey's kisses with almonds are both great variations.
How to make orange blossom cookies
- Beat the wet ingredients together until creamed and fluffy, then add sifted dry ingredients, stirring to combine.
- After chilling, portion dough using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and roll dough balls in sugar.
- Place 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until cookies are set and the tops begin to crack.
- Immediately after baking, add a Hershey's kiss to the top of each cookie, then allow to cool completely.
Heather's Top Tip
For accurate results every time, use a kitchen scale to measure flour by weight. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method. Stir the flour (especially if it's been packed down in a bag/container), then gently spoon into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with a knife. Scooping with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup and adds up to 25% extra to the recipe, resulting in dry, bland cookies that don't spread properly.
Tips and tricks
Use a cookie scoop - For evenly sized cookies, use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop. I use my OXO medium cookie scoop for this recipe.
Add kisses just after baking - Add your Hershey's kisses while the cookies are hot and fresh from the oven. Press the kisses about halfway in and allow them to melt. This helps adhere the chocolate securely to each cookie.
Don't touch until set - Your kisses will melt completely on top of the cookies. This is normal! Don't touch or disturb them and they'll hold their shape. For faster setting, transfer cookies to the refrigerator or freezer for about 15 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Place your cookies on a sheet pan and transfer to the freezer to freeze completely solid, about an hour. This helps the chocolate firm up and makes cookies easier to stack. Transfer your frozen cookies to a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 months.
It sounds like you've measured too much flour into the dough. I always recommend using a kitchen scale for accurate results every time. Scooping with a measuring cup compacts the flour into the cup, adding up to 25% extra flour to the recipe. To fix dry dough, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix to rehydrate the dough. Cookie dough should look thick and barely sticky before refrigerating.
Any small chocolate will work, like Rolo candy or Dove chocolates. Chocolate ganache would also make a great alternative. If using ganache, make a small divot on top of each cookie with a rounded teaspoon, then fill with ganache.
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📖 Recipe
Orange Blossom Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon orange zest, about 1 large navel orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, measured properly*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, for rolling
- 32 hershey's kisses
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add room temperature butter and sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, orange zest, and vanilla extract and beat until fully incorporated and fluffy, about a minute.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture (or use a mixer on low speed) until just combined.
- Cover bowl and chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Refrigerating allows time for flavors to meld and also creates a firmer dough that's easy to roll into balls.
- Unwrap your Hershey's kisses and set them aside.
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Remove dough from refrigerator. Scoop dough using a medium cookie scoop or shape by hand into 1.5 tablespoon balls. Gently roll dough balls in granulated sugar.
- Place cookie dough balls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until tops look set and begin to crack.
- Remove from oven and immediately press a Hershey's kiss about halfway into the center of each hot cookie.
- Allow to cool until for 2 to 3 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Kisses will melt completely. Do not touch or disturb them and they'll hold their shape. To speed up the cooling process, transfer cookies to the refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- * How to measure flour properly: Use a kitchen scale to measure flour for accurate results every time. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method. Stir the flour (especially if it's been packed down in a bag/container), then gently spoon into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with a knife. Scooping with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup and adds up to 25% extra to the recipe, resulting in dry, bland cookies that don't spread properly.
- Storage: Cookies will keep for 3-5 days at room temperature or up to 3 months in the freezer. To help keep cookies fresh, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
- Storing dough: Raw cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Cookie dough balls also freeze well for up to 3 months.
- More tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cookies, based on reader comments and questions!
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!