Coconut Chocolate Kiss Cookies
These Coconut Chocolate Kiss Cookies are a fun twist on the classic sugar cookie! Toasted coconut + melty chocolate combine for a tasty sweet treat!
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Ah, the Hershey’s Kiss. Is any piece of chocolate more recognizable than a Hershey’s Kiss (at least in the States)? Despite its’ popularity, a Hershey’s Kiss is typically not my first choice in chocolate candy. I personally prefer nuts (peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc.) in my chocolate, so I’ll go to Baci, Snickers, Peanut M&Ms or Almond Hershey’s Kisses before I unwrap a plain Kiss. Almond Hershey’s Kisses? A bag of those is definitely not safe around me!
Hershey’s Kisses first appeared in 1907, but did you know that they weren’t made at all during WWII? Aluminum foil was in short supply during the war, thus putting a halt to the foil-wrapped Kisses. Interestingly enough, the aluminum foil shortage also led to the popularization of Saran Wrap as a substitute for wrapping food. Bikinis were also invented during this time as a way to save on material. #NowYouKnow
Instead of producing Kisses during WWII, Hershey’s machinery was used to temper chocolate for military ration bars. These bars could withstand the desert heat, and the taste was (by design) only slightly better than eating a boiled potato. The goal was to make these bars nutritious options in the event of an emergency. The military didn’t want the bars to be too tasty as they feared soldiers might just eat all of the bars instead of saving them for emergency situations. The thought of a piece of chocolate tasting like a plain boiled potato doesn’t sound very interesting to me!
Coconut Chocolate Kiss Cookies
Coconut Chocolate Kiss CookiesFast forward to modern times and regular Hershey’s Kisses. Every year for Christmas my Dad sends us a huge box of Hershey’s Kisses. That thing must weigh 5 pounds, and it usually takes us the better part of several months to get through them all. Opening the pantry in late February to still see red, green and silver Hershey’s Kisses is kinda odd. But, hey, if I eat all of the green ones, then I can pretend they’re Valentine’s Day themed Kisses! This year I decided to have a plan for those extra Kisses. I’m making Coconut Chocolate Kiss Cookies!
Growing up, my Mom used to make sugar cookies that she’d roll in shredded coconut before baking. I’ve always enjoyed the coconut + chocolate combination, so I decided to make those cookies…but shove a Hershey Kiss into ’em as they came out of the oven. Win! These Coconut Chocolate Kiss Cookies are delicious. The coconut gets lightly toasted in the oven, and the Kisses get just slightly melty (that’s a technical term right there) when you stick them into the hot cookies. The Kisses do harden back up as the cookies cool, but I personally like digging into these cookies while those Kisses are still warm.
When life gives you too many Kisses, make Coconut Chocolate Kiss Cookies! These cookies would be a fun addition to holiday cookie trays…if they last that long. Happy baking, my friends!
Did you make a batch of these Coconut Chocolate Kiss Cookies at home? Leave a comment. Or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog)!
Looking for more fun holiday cookie ideas? Check out these other favorite recipes, too:
Gingerbread Button Cookies
Chocolate-Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies
Kitchen Sink Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gluten Free Vanilla Pecan Snowball Cookies
Frosted Maple Sugar Cookies
Coconut Chocolate Kiss Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 18 Hershey’s Kisses
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (~3-4 minutes on medium speed).
- Add egg and vanilla; stir until just combined.
- Add flour, baking soda and salt; stir until just combined.
- Place shredded coconut in a shallow bowl. Fill a separate small bowl with a bit of water.
- Roll dough into 1” balls and then dip each ball into the bowl of water. Next, roll each ball in the shredded coconut. (Note: The water helps the shredded coconut stick to the cookie dough.)
- Place dough balls on parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until light coconut is lightly toasted.
- Remove from oven and press Hershey’s Kisses into center of each cookie.
- Let cookies cool completely.
Hershey’s Kiss isn’t my first choice either (Chocolate without nuts is just wasted calories, in my book!), but I must admit it’s a great ingredient when it comes to baking. Also, they have some cool seasonal flavours (Like candy cane), and they’re good too.
And these cookies? Perfection! Coconut makes everything better, and I love the chewy interior it creates in cookies.
I’m with ya, Ben! Chocolate without nuts is just ok…unless we’re talking about some really fancy Belgian chocolate or something. They seasonal Kiss flavors are fun. (However, did you know that if you put candy cane Kisses in with any other kind of Kisses, then all of them will taste like peppermint? It’s true.) I much prefer these cookies, though! The coconut + chocolate is a delicious combo!
My question is HOW does one make chocolate taste no better than a boiled potato? That’s some serious doctoring because even bad chocolate still tastes pretty good to me! I actually adore Hershey’s Kisses for some reason, and I’ve always been a fan of peanut butter blossoms–but I love this coconut version! I’ll have to add these to my Christmas baking list!
You know, that’s an excellent question, Kelsie. I’m thinking they just put very little sugar. Either that, or they mixed the chocolate with mashed potatoes. 🙂 Peanut butter blossoms have always been a favorite around here, too….I can polish off a batch in no time flat! This chocolate-coconut version didn’t last much longer though. Haha!
Mmmmmmm I’ve had regular cookies with a Hershey’s kiss (great info by the way) but never a coconut cookie. What a great idea! Should I also mention that I ate too many of those kisses back when I was maybe 10 and got really sick? Probably not, but now you know. I don’t think I can bring myself to buy the kisses still…. sorry. Maybe some other Chocolate tidbit?
Haha! I totally understand how you could’ve eaten too many Kisses back when you were 10. They were perfect treats! 🙂 I’m thinking you could take yummy chocolate bars and chop ’em up for your version of this recipe. Thanks, Mimi!
Great cookies! I love the combination of chocolate and coconut. Thanks for all the interesting historical information, too.
And know you know more than you ever wanted to know about the Hershey Kiss. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Jeff!
I guess if you had a stash of kisses during the war you could have sold them and made a fortune! Love the combo of coconut and chocolate.
Hah! I like the way you think, Kathy. It’s kinda like the bootlegging during Prohibition…except with Kisses! 🙂 Also, the chocolate + coconut combo here is might tasty. Thanks so much, my friend!
David, a great and informative post you have for today. You know those WWII emergency ration chocolate bars were why my late father never ever eat chocolate.
OK, Hershey kiss’ is another thing we don’t see over here is. We don’t even have a knock-off chocolate kiss. But, we do have some fine chocolate that I can use in this tasty-sounding cookie recipe.
However, we do have Dumle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumle), have you ever tried one? You can find them on Amazon there. I love baking with them as well as eating them.
Hah! Given the description of those chocolate bars totally explains why your father wouldn’t eat chocolate. After the way, it was like “Here, have a chocolate bar.” *shudder* 🙂 I don’t think that was an intended side effect of those ration bars, though!
So even thought you don’t have Kisses, I’m still way jealous of your chocolate selection over there. To be fair, I haven’t traveled to your part of the world yet, but I know Europe has the best chocolate ever. I think you can find a substitute for the Kisses here without much trouble! Also, I’m not familiar with Dumle. I’ll have to look for those – or just order them on Amazon. (Seriously…what does Amazon NOT have?)
Chocolate that tastes only just a little better than a boiled potato?? Um, I’ll pass 😉 This cookies, though, definitely wouldn’t last until the holidays! I love chocolate and coconut together so these are pretty much made for me! So, I guess I should expect some in the mail real soon :)?? Delish, my friend!
Haha…tell me about it! I dunno, though. Hershey’s keeps coming out with new Kiss flavors each year. Maybe ‘boiled potatoes’ will be one of them! 🙂
These cookies, though. They are delicious! I love the chocolate + coconut combo, and I’d mail you some if I didn’t eat this entire batch already. (I won’t tell you how quickly the batch disappeared. It’s a little embarrassing. Haha!)
I can’t imagine those military emergency bars even had chocolate in them if they tasted like a boiled potato. Yuck! But these cookies look fantastic! Hershey’s isn’t exactly my favorite either, unless it’s that awesome Gold Bar! But the kisses are perfect for these coconut cookies. That’s a Hershey’s that would be a top choice! Nice recipe!
Yeah, those military ration bars sound terrible. But you know what? I bet if you found one today (like in an Army-Navy store or something), it would probably still be edible. Well, edible is used loosely here…but you know what i mean!
So I love a good kiss cookie, and the chocolate + coconut combo here is quite fun. I have to say this batch didn’t last long in our house. It’s time to make another one! 🙂 Thanks, Laura!
oh that’s funny – you and I have both made something with coconut and chocolate! such a sad story about the alfoil and the chocolates:-) tee hee. mum used to make coconutty macaroons when we were kids. i don’t think i like coconut as much as i used to…
Clearly we were both channeling the chocolate-coconut vibes, Sherry! I mean it is a tasty combination. 🙂 I didn’t like coconut too much growing up, but I like it now. These cookies, though? Fantastic! Great for the holidays if you ask me…especially when I’m trying to figure out how to use 5 pounds of Kisses!
David, my parents always send the little book of Lifesavers at Christmas time. I need to put in a request for the five pound bag of Hershey’s Kisses! Love the chocolate and coconut combination in these cookies. And the Hershey’s Kisses in the middle make them so irresistible! It was certainly fun reading about Hershey’s and the ration bars. I had no idea about the taste!
Oh man, I love those Lifesavers books! I used to get one in my stocking every year. Truth: I saw them in the store last year, and I totally got one. Then it took me until about May to eat them all. 🙂 These cookies, though? They most certainly didn’t last 5 months. More like 5 minutes. Haha! Thanks, Kelly!
Interesting history about the Hershey’s Kisses. I am with you I would rather have nuts with my chocolate than just plain chocolate. I love the combination of chocolate and coconut. These cookies not only look delicious they are a pretty cookie. They would be great for the holidays. David, I want to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!
Chocolate + coconut really is a tasty combination. I’ve always loved Kiss cookies, so it just made sense to make a chocolate-coconut version of this classic. 🙂 They didn’t last very long around here! Thanks, Dawn!
I’d never heard that about the aluminum shortage and no ‘kisses’…not sure about the bikini trivia, lol!
These cookies are so fun, David! I’m a sucker for any cookies that involve coconut and the chocolate kiss on top makes them even more irresistible!
To be fair, the bikini trivia didn’t have to do with lack of fabric or anything. It just happened to occur about the same time as the aluminum shortage. 🙂
Like you, I’ve never met a cookie I didn’t like (well, not too many at least) and these cookies are a favorite now. The chocolate + coconut is a fun combo for sure. Thanks, Marissa!!
First, I love chocolate kisses and these cookies look amazing. And second, such great trivia — I always learn something cool here. Happy Thanksgiving, David! 🙂 ~Valentina
Haha…thanks so much, Valentina! I love the chocolate + coconut combo in these cookies. Perfect for holiday cookie trays! 🙂
Like you David, I prefer nuts in my chocolate too. I’m not sure if you get a Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut Bar over there but that’s my favourite! I love these cookies with the toasted coconut and melted kisses. They seem pretty easy to make too!
You know, I’m not sure if I’ve seen those Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut Bars over here or not. I definitely know what they look like, but I just can’t remember if I’m seen them here or on vacation somewhere. I’ll have to keep an eye out for sure! In the meantime, though, these cookies are mighty tasty. Great way to use extra Hershey’s Kisses. Haha!
I had no idea that Hershey did that during the war. Cool! Now, I love the look of the cookies, although knowing me I’d just end up with the coconut cookies without the chocolate as I would have eaten them before using them!
Haha! Well, the coconut cookies are still quite hot when it’s time to put the Kisses on top. I’m thinking you might burn yourself if you go straight in. Then again, there’s only one way to find out, right?? 🙂
fantastic recipe 10 out of 10 would recommend anyone. This is going down in my cook book!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Hannah – it’s one of our favorites, too! Happy baking!
Yummy!!!!
Thanks so much, Shireen!! 🙂