Ingredients
1 1/3 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
about 50 Hershey’s “Raspberry Hugs” Kisses*, unwrapped (one bag will suffice)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F. Line two cookie sheets with silpat or parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, eggs and then the vanilla on medium-high speed for about a minute. Add cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the flour. Your dough should be at ball-rolling consistency at this point. If it’s not, let it chill in the refrigerator for a while to firm up a little. Once easily handled, roll dough into 1-inch balls.
Place balls 2 inches apart on your lined cookie sheets, and, using your thumb or the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm.
Remove from the oven and immediately press a raspberry hug kiss into each cookie’s center. Do not touch the kisses from here on out until the cookies are completely cooled as they will turn into puddles. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
*Hershey’s “Raspberry Hugs” are limited edition Kisses available around Valentine’s Day
