Chocolate Chip Surprises

You know how much I love candy and cookies combined. It's the perfect match of two of my favorite things.  So when I saw a recipe on the Hershey's website, I had to try these.  Following the original recipe about a year and a half ago, I liked the cookies in theory, but was disappointed in the finished product.  The cookie itself was dry and not very flavorful.  It should have occurred to me when there were no eggs or extract in the recipe, but this was before I paid attention to such details.

I decided to try the concept again, this time adapting my basic chocolate chip cookie recipe to the baking method from the Hershey's recipe.  The result was a rousing success.  My recipe, the same one I used in my M&M Cookies, made for a cookie with a great texture and flavor, with the sweet surprise of a Hershey's Kiss inside.  I also like the idea that if you put these in a tin or on a platter, your guests won't necessarily know what to expect.  It sort of just looks like a chocolate chip ball.

Chocolate Chip Surprises

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup mini chocolate chips
60 Hershey Kisses, wrappers removed (be creative--use any of the Kisses varieties.  I'm thinking of making these using the Mint Truffle or Cherry Cordial Kisses)

Mix flour with baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

Beat butter until light and fluffy, then add sugars and beat until creamed thoroughly, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.  Mix in vanilla and eggs.  Stir in flour mixture until incorporated.  Add mini chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop a ball of dough into your hand.  Flatten the dough out a bit.

Put a Hershey Kiss in the center of the dough.

Mold the dough around the Kiss, covering completely.

Warning: I started to roll the balls in my hands, like I normally would with the Peppermint Pattie or Rolo Pillows, but then I lost track of which way was "up" for the Kiss.  I don't know if it matters, but at the time I was afraid if the tip was on the bottom , the cookie might spread differently.  After baking these though, I don't think it made a difference. 

Place on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.  Turn baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through. If using more than one sheet at a time, rotate positions in the oven for more even baking.

Cool on pans for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks to complete cooling.

Makes 5 dozen.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess