Powder Puff Chocolate Kiss Cookies — These chocolate Kiss cookies are like a cheater’s version of Russian teacakes. But enhanced with a chocolate Kiss. And you only need 3 ingredients to make them!
Easy Chocolate Kiss Cookies
Growing up, it was an annual holiday baking tradition that my mom and grandma would bake Russian tea cakes. They loved them, but of all the holiday treats they’d bake, tea cakes were the last thing I’d reach for. In a sea of sprinkles, fudge, barks, and homemade caramels, they just couldn’t compete. Too boring.
So I decided to re-vamp tea cakes and made powder puffs, which turned out to be the easiest cookies ever. I sliced a sheet of store-bought pie crust into two-inch squares and placed a chocolate Kiss in the center of each square before sealing the edges, patting into a mound, and baking.
After baking, I dredged the puffs through confectioners’ sugar, which I still call powdered sugar in my head. Cookbook editors say the proper term is confectioners’ sugar, but you can’t have powder puffs without powdered sugar.
The contrast of the flaky, buttery pie crust with the dense, smooth chocolate interior is wonderful. The puffs are pretty small and it’s easy to pop quite a few. Whoops. Melt in your mouth, not in your hand.
What’s in Powder Puff Chocolate Kiss Cookies?
To make these pie crust cookies, you’ll need:
- Store-bought pie crust
- Chocolate Kisses
- Confectioner’s sugar
Really, that’s it! This is easy holiday baking at its finest.
How to Make Chocolate Kiss Cookies
Place the pie crust onto a floured surface and cut into two-inch squares. Because the crust is likely a circle, a couple sections may be a bit skimpy. If that happens, take crust from two skimpy sections and smoosh it together to make a section big enough to contain a Kiss. This is not an exact science, it’s okay if not all sections are exactly the same size.
Place one Kiss in the middle of each square, then pinch the dough around it to seal it in. Bake the chocolate Kiss cookies for roughly 15 minutes.
Let the Kiss cookies cool for another 1o to 15 minutes until cool enough to dredge in sugar.
Can I Use Homemade Pie Crust?
Yes, if you want to make your own pie crust, be my guest. I don’t. If you’re an avid pie crust make and find yourself with scraps, here’s a way to use them.
Can I Make This Gluten-Free?
If you have a store-bought gluten-free pie crust that you’ve used before and trust, go ahead and try it in this recipe!
Tips for Making Chocolate Kiss Cookies
A fun twist on these pie crust cookies would be to use mini Reese’s or Rolos instead of chocolate Kisses. You’d prep the powder puff cookies the exact same way, just with a different filling.
Be sure to tightly seal the Kiss inside the pie dough. I sealed the cookies at the top and then flattened it out a bit with my hand so it wouldn’t be obvious after the cookies had baked.
Lastly, start checking the chocolate Kiss cookies at the 13-minute mark. You don’t want to overbake these, as the bottoms burn easily.
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Chocolate Kiss Powder Puff Cookies
Ingredients
- one sheet pie crust that makes a 9-inch pie, thawed (I used Trader Joe’s; homemade may be substituted)
- about 15 chocolate kisses, Mini Peanut Butter Cups or Rolos may be substituted
- about 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, for dredging
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- Place pie crust on a lightly floured surface and using a pizza wheel, slice into approximately 16 sections, about 2-inch squares. Because the crust is likely a circle, if you make 4 rows of 4, a couple sections may be a bit skimpy so take crust from two skimpy sections and smoosh it together to make a section big enough to contain a Kiss. This is not an exact science, it’s okay if not all sections are exactly the same size.
- Place one chocolate kiss in the center of each section.
- Using your fingertips, seal the dough at the top to fully contain the kiss. Pat smooth with your palms and flatten slightly into a mound. Place mound on prepared baking sheet; repeat with remaining crust sections and kisses until gone.
- Bake for about 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is just set and done; puffs firm up as they cool. The tops will appear fairly pale while the undersides will be more golden; don’t overbake or the undersides could burn. Watch puffs closely starting at about 13 minutes since all ovens and ingredients vary.
- Allow puffs to cool on baking tray for about 15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle before dredging each puff liberally in confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Puffs will keep airtight for up to 1 week at room temp or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I pinned this recipe yesterday because it looked yummy!! I made them tonight with the littles, everyone loved them. Thank you for an easy and simple treat!!!
Thanks for pinning and making the very next day! Glad they’re a hit with everyone! ‘the littles’ <-- love that :)
I just tried them, and while I haven’t tasted them yet, they’re not very puffy or smooth. Is there a trick to sealing them up and making them an even mound like you described? Or maybe my dough was bad, it might have been in the freezer for longer then it should.
Well if your dough was bad/expired/old that’s one issue. The second issue is the smoothness…just seal them up and keep patting them around in your hands to make them smooth.
Oops my comment got cut off… As I was saying yours are prettier! :-) but I did eat one directly out of the oven without the powdered sugar..omg yum!!! So if your thinking about making these.. Make them!!! Thanks for the recipe!! :-)
Thanks for trying the recipe Erin and so glad you’re happy and are enjoying these!
i just made these..I couldn’t get the tops smooth… So they are not AS pretty as yours.
how creative!!! I would be never have thought to use pie crust to make cookies–they look divine!
I’m totally with you on Russian teacakes, Averie! There are always so many better cookies out there to reach for, but this version…oh my! This is genius! I don’t think these would last very long around here. Pinning immediately!
Thanks for pinning! And glad you can relate :)
These look so delicious and sound too easy. That photo is just to die for, Averie. :) Never had them before and think I’ll give the pie crust technique a try. Thanks!
I love this idea! We grew up making what we called “the white cookies” which seems very similar to the Russian tea cake cookies. It’s just butter, flour, and a bit of sugar ( I think) topped with powdered sugar. I hate to admit this, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized confectioner’s sugar and powdered sugar were the same thing. It’ll always be powdered sugar in my mind. Anyways…I made them a few years ago for the holidays and all the kids stayed away from them :( Oh well, more for me. I’m going to have to try this version as well!! I think adding the mini peanut butter cups sounds like a perfect idea!!
I pinned these. How much easier can a cookie get? And they look so tasty. I think I will add this to my Christmas cookie list.
I love the combination of textures. The puffy powdery cookie and the chocolate surprise. Plus they look beautiful. Will definitely save this recipe!
Really exquisite, Averie!
Oh my gosh! Powder puff/snowball/Mexican wedding/Russian tea cake cookies are my FAVORITE EVER! We call them Snowballs at home and they’re by far my favorite Christmas cookie. I cannot believe you made these with THREE ingredients (!!!) including the Hershey’s kiss. You, my friend, are a mad dessert scientist.
Powder puff/snowball/Mexican wedding/Russian tea cake cookies <--- that is the name I SHOULD have given them! All those things in one!!
BRILLANT!!!! I can’t even imagine how you come up with these great ideas. Russian teacakes were an annual tradition at our house as well and quite frankly they are how I got my husband to propose…he loves them…these look exactly like them but the recipe is so original..I can’t wait to make them and try them out on him.
Wow, someone how loves Russian tea cakes enough to propose after a batch…well, I don’t know if my little cookies will hold a candle to yours since they clearly were outstanding :) But if you do try these, LMK what he thinks! I come up with this stuff when I see random frozen pie crust in my freezer that I know I’ll never make pie with and an exploding pantry of candy…from LAST Halloween :)
Those cookies look AMAZING! xo
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I almost always avoided those cookies at the holidays too. My grandma would make super soft sugar cookies and peanut butter cookies and buckeyes, and nothing could compete with those… But if you stick chocolate in anything, I’m bound to make a beeline for it! Can I come over for Christmas cookies this year? ;) Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
Love that chocolate kiss in the center, so pretty!