Chocolate-Orange Blossoms

I use the Hershey mini kisses to make these cookies about the size of a quarter, but here is the recipe (from Pillsbury) using the regular kisses. To make the mini cookies, make the balls of dough about the size of a grape and bake them for about 8 minutes.


Chocolate-Orange Blossoms

½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup cocoa
½ cup shortening
½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1-2 Tbsp. grated orange rind (you could substitute 1 or 1-1/2 tsp. orange extract)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1-3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
additional sugar
48 Hershey kisses, unwrapped

Combine sugars, cocoa, shortening, and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add orange rind, vanilla, and eggs, blending well. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate one hour for easier handling.

Shape dough into 1” balls; roll in sugar. Place 2” apart on ungreased cookie sheets; bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set. Immediately top each cookie with a chocolate kiss, pressing down firmly (cookies may crack around edges). Remove from baking sheets to cool completely.

Makes 4 dozen cookies (if you use the mini Hershey kisses and make the balls of dough about the size of a grape, you’ll get about 175 cookies).