Strawberry Kiss Cookies Recipe Easy and Irresistible

Picture this: a soft, buttery cookie with a delicate strawberry flavor, crowned with a chocolate kiss that melts just enough to make you pause before taking that second bite. Strawberry Kiss Cookies are exactly thatsimple, sweet, and ridiculously hard to stop eating.

I spent a whole spring testing thumbprint variations back in 2019, trying to nail that balance between fruity and rich without turning everything bright pink or overly sweet. The trick? Real freeze-dried strawberries folded into the dough, not extractit gives you flavor that actually tastes like fruit. After ten years of blogging and more cookie experiments than I can count, these landed in my top five for a reason.

Print

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

These treats are perfect for anyone who wants a bakery-style cookie without the fuss. You’re starting with a strawberry cake mix as your base, which means the flavor is already built inno hunting down freeze-dried berries or fancy extracts. The cream cheese keeps everything soft and tender, while that chocolate kiss on top gives you the sweet-salty contrast that makes these impossible to eat just one of.

• Ridiculously simple: Five main ingredients, one bowl, and you’re done mixing in under five minutes.
• Soft and chewy: The cream cheese does the heavy lifting here, keeping the texture pillowy even a day or two later.
• Kid-approved: Rolling the dough into balls and pressing in the kisses? That’s the kind of job little hands love.
• Pretty without trying: A dusting of powdered sugar or pink sugar makes these look like you spent all afternoon decorating.

What You’ll Need

The ingredient list is short and forgiving. Most of these are pantry staples you probably already have tucked away, which is exactly why this recipe works for last-minute baking or when you need something sweet without a grocery run.

Ingredient	What It Does	Swap Ideas
Strawberry cake mix	Provides flavor, structure, and a hint of color	Vanilla or lemon cake mix for a different twist
Butter (melted)	Adds richness and helps bind the dough	Coconut oil works in a pinch
Egg	Holds everything together	Flax egg for egg-free version
Cream cheese (softened)	Creates that soft, tender crumb	Full-fat onlylight versions make the dough too sticky
Chocolate kisses	The crowning glory	Rolo candies or caramel-filled chocolates for variety
Powdered sugar or pink sugar	Optional coating for a bakery look	Skip it entirely if you prefer a less sweet finish

Pro Tip: Make sure your butter is melted but not hot, and your cream cheese is truly soft. If either is too warm, the dough will be greasy and won’t hold its shape.

How to Make Them

The process is straightforward, but that one-hour chill time is non-negotiable. I’ve tried rushing it, and the cookies spread into flat puddles instead of staying thick and tender. Trust the fridge hereit’s doing the work so you don’t have to babysit the oven.

Mix your strawberry cake mix, melted butter, and egg until you have a smooth, thick batter. Fold in the softened cream cheese until everything is fully blended and the dough looks cohesive. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hourthis firms up the dough so it’s easy to scoop and roll.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough, roll them in powdered sugar or pink sugar if you’re using it, and space them about two inches apart on the sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutesedges should be set, but centers will still look a little soft. Let them rest for a minute or two on the pan, then gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Transfer to a wire rack and let them cool completely before stacking or storing.

Note: Those kisses will look like they’re sinking too far into the dough at first. That’s normal. They’ll settle as the cookies cool, and you’ll get that classic crackled look around the edges.

How to Serve and Store

These are best enjoyed within the first three days, when the cookie is still soft and the chocolate kiss has that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture. Pair them with cold milk, hot coffee, or stack them on a plate for an easy dessert spread.

Storage Method	Duration	Tips
Room temperature (airtight container)	Up to 3 days	Layer parchment between cookies to prevent sticking
Refrigerator	Up to 5 days	Let come to room temp before serving for best texture
Freezer (baked cookies)	Up to 2 months	Freeze without sugar coating; add it after thawing
Freezer (dough only)	Up to 3 months	Scoop and freeze on a tray, then transfer to a bag

Serving Idea: Arrange these on a tiered stand with fresh strawberries tucked between layers for a simple but impressive presentation at showers or potlucks.

Tips and Tweaks

If your dough feels too sticky after mixing, pop it back in the fridge for another 15 minutes before scooping. Warmer kitchens can soften the dough faster than you’d expect, and a little extra chill time solves that without any fuss.

• Don’t skip the chill: Room-temperature dough spreads too thin and loses that soft, pillowy texture.
• Use a cookie scoop: Uniform size means even baking and no burnt edges while others stay raw.
• Press gently: The kiss should nestle into the cookie, not smash it flat. A light press is all you need.
• Swap the candy: Try peanut butter cups, caramel squares, or even a dollop of strawberry jam for a twist on the classic.

If you’re making these for a crowd, double the batch and freeze half the dough. That way, you can bake a fresh batch whenever the craving hits without starting from scratch.

For more Cozy recipes, follow me on Pinterest!

How I Finally Perfected These Strawberry Kiss Cookies

These Strawberry Kiss Cookies took me longer than I’d like to admit to get right. My first batch spread too thin, the second was too cakey, and it wasn’t until the third try that I nailed the texturecrisp edges with a tender center that lets that strawberry kiss shine through perfectly.

FAQs ( Strawberry Kiss Cookies )

You’ll love how these Strawberry Kiss Cookies turn outsoft, fruity, and crowned with melted chocolate that stays just messy enough to feel indulgent. They bake up in under ten minutes and hold their shape beautifully, which means they’re as pretty as they are delicious. The strawberry flavor is real and bright, not artificial, and that creamy texture from the cream cheese keeps them tender for days.

If you want to switch things up, try swapping the chocolate kisses for caramel-filled candies or white chocolate dropsboth work beautifully with the strawberry base. You can also freeze the dough in scooped balls and bake them straight from the freezer, adding just a minute or two to the bake time. A trick I picked up from years of recipe testing: let the cookies cool completely before stacking them, or the kisses will smudge and stick to everything.

I’d love to see how yours turn outtag me if you make them or share a story about who you baked them for. Did you grow up rolling cookie dough with your mom or grandma? There’s something about pressing that kiss into the center that feels nostalgic no matter how old you are. Save this recipe for your next gathering, or just keep a batch tucked away for the days when you need something sweet and homemade.