These soft, chewy Strawberry Kiss Cookies are the perfect 4-ingredient treat that tastes like a bite of strawberry cheesecake. I use a specific mix of cream cheese and strawberry flavor to create a tender, pillowy texture that stays soft for days. You get that gourmet bakery style without the hassle of measuring flour or rolling out dough.
Why This Recipe Beats the Rest
Most recipes rely solely on oil, which can make the cookies greasy or flat. By incorporating softened cream cheese into the batter, these Strawberry Kiss Cookies achieve a dense, fudgy consistency similar to a brownie. The tanginess of the cream cheese perfectly balances the sweet strawberry flavor, ensuring every bite is rich rather than sugary.
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Ingredients for These Cookies
Strawberry Cake Mix The base of the recipe provides the vibrant pink color and distinct strawberry flavor without needing artificial dyes. I recommend using a standard 15.25-ounce box for the most consistent texture.
Cream Cheese Block-style cream cheese adds fat and structure, creating that signature pillowy bite. It must be softened to room temperature to blend smoothly with the dry mix.
Butter Unsalted butter brings a rich flavor that oil simply cannot replicate. Melting the butter ensures it incorporates fully for a glossy, smooth dough.
Egg A single large egg binds the ingredients together. It provides just enough lift to keep the cookies from becoming too dense while maintaining that chewy center.
Hershey’s Kisses Classic milk chocolate or the special "Cupid's Choice" strawberry crème variety works beautifully here. Unwrap them before you start baking so they are ready to press immediately.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
How to Make Strawberry Kiss Cookies
Prepare the Dough Base
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the softened cream cheese and melted butter in a large bowl until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps. This initial creaming step ensures your Strawberry Kiss Cookies have a uniform texture throughout.
Combine and Scoop
Add the egg and strawberry cake mix to the bowl, mixing on low speed just until the dry streaks disappear. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky, which is exactly what you want for a chewier cookie. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough into 1-tablespoon balls, placing them two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake Until Set
Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops look matte rather than glossy. Do not overbake these, as they will continue to firm up as they cool. Pulling them out while the centers still look slightly underdone is the secret to soft Strawberry Kiss Cookies.
Top and Cool
Immediately press a Hershey's Kiss into the center of each hot cookie. The residual heat will melt the bottom of the chocolate just enough to adhere it without losing its shape. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack after 5 minutes to cool completely before serving with a cold glass of milk.
Top Tip
Chill the dough if it is too sticky. If your kitchen is warm, popping the dough in the fridge for 20 minutes makes rolling these Strawberry Kiss Cookies much easier and prevents spreading.
Unwrap chocolates beforehand. You have a very short window to press the kisses into the cookies while they are hot. unwrapping them while the cookies bake ensures you don't miss that crucial moment.
Use a cookie scoop for uniformity. Evenly sized dough balls bake at the same rate. This prevents some Strawberry Kiss Cookies from burning while others remain raw in the middle.
Do not overmix the batter. Stop mixing as soon as you see the flour disappear. Overworking the gluten in the cake mix will result in tough, rubbery cookies instead of tender ones.
Variations and Swaps
Homemade Strawberry Cookies
If you prefer baking from scratch, substitute the cake mix for a standard sugar cookie dough and add ½ cup of pulverized freeze-dried strawberries. This gives a natural flavor and color to your Strawberry Kiss Cookies.
Chocolate Drizzled Blossoms
For extra decadence, drizzle melted white chocolate over the cooled cookies. This adds a nice visual contrast and a creamy vanilla note.
Lemon Strawberry Twist
Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter. The citrus brightens the strawberry flavor and cuts through the sweetness of the chocolate.
Storage Instructions
Room Temperature
Store cooled Strawberry Kiss Cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Place a sheet of wax paper between layers to keep them from sticking together or damaging the chocolate tips.
Freezer Storage
You can freeze the baked cookies without the kisses for up to 3 months. Thaw them on the counter and press a fresh kiss into the center after warming the cookie slightly in the microwave for 5 seconds.
What to Pair With This Recipe
Cold Milk or Coffee
The creamy richness of these cookies pairs classically with cold dairy or a hot dark roast coffee. The bitterness of the coffee balances the sweet strawberry profile.
Vanilla Ice Cream
Sandwich a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream between two cookies for an indulgent dessert sandwich. The textures of the frozen treat and the soft cookie are incredible together.
Fresh Berries
Serve a platter of these Strawberry Kiss Cookies alongside fresh strawberries and raspberries. The fresh fruit provides a tart contrast to the sweet, cake-like cookies.
My Experience With These Cookies
I first started making these for Valentine's Day parties because I needed something festive that didn't require hours of decorating. After testing standard oil-based recipes, I found they often came out too flat and oily. Swapping the vegetable oil for melted butter and adding cream cheese changed everything. The result was a substantial, bakery-style cookie that felt luxurious despite taking only minutes to prep.
In my early attempts, I made the mistake of baking them until they looked fully done in the oven. They turned into hard, crunchy pucks once they cooled. I learned that pulling them out when they still look slightly underbaked is the key. Now, these Strawberry Kiss Cookies are a staple in my kitchen whenever I need a quick, impressive dessert that looks as good as it tastes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different flavor of cake mix?
Yes, this recipe works with almost any standard 15oz cake mix. Lemon, chocolate, or red velvet are excellent alternatives if you want to switch up the flavor profile of your Strawberry Kiss Cookies.
Why did my Hershey's Kisses melt completely?
If the cookies are too hot or you place them in a warm area, the chocolate will lose its shape. Press the kiss gently as soon as they come out of the oven, then move the pan to a cool spot immediately so the chocolate sets.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days before baking. You may need to let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes to make it scoopable.
Do I need to grease the baking sheet?
I always recommend parchment paper over greasing. It prevents the bottoms from browning too quickly and makes cleanup effortless for these Strawberry Kiss Cookies.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you enjoyed these sweet treats, you will love my Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe for a cozy breakfast option. For a savory dinner before dessert, try the Easy Creamy Italian Sausage Rigatoni Recipe, which is just as simple to prepare. And for another finger-food dessert perfect for parties, check out my Air Fryer Churro Bites Recipe alongside these Strawberry Kiss Cookies.
Easy Strawberry Kiss Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat softened cream cheese and melted butter in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add the egg and cake mix, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Scoop dough into 1-tablespoon balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges are set but centers look slightly soft.
- Remove from oven and immediately press a Hershey's Kiss into the center of each cookie.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Nutrition
Notes
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Pairing
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