Chocolate Gingerbread Hugs

Indulge in the holiday magic with these irresistible Chocolate Gingerbread Hugs—soft, spiced cookies infused with warming ginger, cinnamon, and molasses, then elevated by a touch of rich cocoa. Each cookie is rolled in sweet granulated sugar for a sparkle and kissed with a melting chocolate center for the perfect combination of festive flavors. Ready in under 35 minutes, these treats strike the perfect balance between chewy and chocolatey, making them an ideal dessert for holiday gatherings or gift-giving. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also simple to make, using pantry staples and a no-fuss baking technique. Make your season brighter with these crowd-pleasing Chocolate Gingerbread Hugs!

Nutriscore Rating: 38/100

Prep Time:25 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:35 mins

Servings: 24

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup unsalted butter
• 0.75 cup brown sugar
• 0.25 cup molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• 24 chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Step 3

Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat on low speed until fully combined.

Step 4

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.

Step 5

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing.

Step 6

Scoop tablespoons of dough and roll them into balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat completely.

Step 7

Place the sugared dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.

Step 8

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are slightly soft.

Step 9

Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie while they are still warm. The cookies may crack slightly around the edges—this is normal.

Step 10

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 11

Serve and enjoy your Chocolate Gingerbread Hugs! Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1644.6g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	7883.8

Total Fat 376.1g	0%
Saturated Fat 226.8g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 430.0mg	0%
Sodium 2835.3mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 1089.5g	0%
Dietary Fiber 54.0g	0%
Total Sugars 794.1g
Protein 115.7g	0%

Vitamin D 41IU	0%
Calcium 1872.2mg	0%
Iron 52.9mg	0%
Potassium 5471.9mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 41.3%

Protein: 5.6%

Carbs: 53.1%