Dessert pairs well with Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate and Dried Cranberries or Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookie Bars too.

I don’t buy candy often, but I love using it in baking. One day at the grocery store, I spotted Hershey’s chocolate coconut creme kisses. I love chocolate and coconut together, so I grabbed a bag and headed home to bake. I made these chocolate coconut kiss cookies. The cookies are soft, rich, and fudgy. I added coconut extract and shredded coconut to the dough to match the coconut theme. After they cooled, I pressed a coconut kiss into each one and sprinkled a little extra coconut on top. The creamy coconut center melts in your mouth. The fudgy chocolate cookie is a great match. If you like chocolate and coconut, you will love these cookies.

3 Reasons to Make These Chocolate Coconut Kiss Cookies

The dough uses plain yogurt instead of eggs, which makes these cookies extra soft and tender.
Each cookie gets a Hershey’s chocolate coconut kiss pressed into the center, so every bite has a creamy coconut surprise.
You only need one bowl and a saucepan, no mixer required, so cleanup is easy.

Key Ingredients for Chocolate Coconut Kiss Cookies

Unsweetened cocoa, Use natural cocoa powder, not Dutch-process. It gives the cookies a deep chocolate flavor. You can substitute with Dutch-process, but the cookies will be darker and slightly less tangy.
Plain yogurt, This replaces eggs and adds moisture. Use full-fat or low-fat plain yogurt, not Greek (too thick) or flavored. Sour cream works as a substitute.
Hershey’s chocolate coconut kisses, These are the star. They add a creamy coconut center that melts when you bite into the cookie.

Kitchen Tools for Making Chocolate Coconut Kiss Cookies

Baking sheets, You’ll need two to fit all the cookies.
Parchment paper or Silpats, These prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
Large saucepan, For melting the butter and mixing the dough.
Sifter, To combine the dry ingredients and remove lumps.
Cooling rack, Lets the cookies cool evenly after baking.

Tips for Perfect Chocolate Coconut Kiss Cookies

The dough might look crumbly and sandy after you stir in the cocoa and sugars. That’s exactly how it should be. When you add the flour, mix just until it’s moistened. Overmixing will make the cookies dense. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. They should look almost set around the edges but still soft in the center. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes. That gives them time to firm up so you can move them without breaking. Press the coconut kiss into the center while the cookie is still warm. If the cookie is too hot, the kiss will melt into a puddle. If it’s too cool, the kiss won’t stick. The 2-3 minute cooling window is just right.

If you can’t find the coconut creme kisses, regular chocolate kisses work well. You can also try caramel kisses or white chocolate kisses for a different flavor. For extra crunch, stir in 1/4 cup of chopped pecans or almonds with the coconut. If you want a deeper chocolate taste, use dark cocoa powder instead of natural cocoa. To make these cookies dairy-free, swap the butter for vegan butter and use a plain dairy-free yogurt. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.

How to Serve Chocolate Coconut Kiss Cookies

These cookies are perfect with a glass of cold milk. The creamy coconut center and fudgy chocolate are a great match. For a party, arrange them on a platter with other coconut desserts like coconut macaroons or chocolate coconut blondies. You can also crumble a cookie over vanilla ice cream for a quick sundae.

How to Store Chocolate Coconut Kiss Cookies

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you stack them, place a sheet of wax paper between layers to keep the kisses from sticking.

How to Freeze Chocolate Coconut Kiss Cookies

You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. You can also freeze the unbaked dough. Scoop the dough into balls, freeze on a sheet, then store in a bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.

Chocolate Coconut Kiss Cookies FAQs

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt?

Greek yogurt is thicker, so the dough may be drier. If you use it, add a tablespoon of milk to thin it out. The cookies will still be good but slightly less tender.

Can I omit the coconut extract?

Yes, you can leave it out or replace it with more vanilla. The cookies will still have coconut from the shredded coconut and the kiss, but the flavor will be milder.

Why did my cookies spread too much?

The dough might have been too warm. Make sure the butter is melted but not hot. Also, if you used a different yogurt (like low-fat), it can affect spread. Chilling the dough for 15 minutes before baking can help.

Can I use sweetened coconut?

The recipe calls for unsweetened coconut. Sweetened coconut will make the cookies sweeter and may affect texture. If you only have sweetened, reduce the sugar by 1 to 2 tablespoons.

How do I know when the cookies are done?

They should look set around the edges but still soft in the center. The tops will be slightly cracked. They will continue to bake on the hot pan after you take them out.

Recipe

Chocolate Coconut Kiss Cookies

easyVegetarian

Servings

Dessert

Course

American

Cuisine

132 kcal

Calories

Ingredients

Servings

1.25 cup all-purpose flour
0.25 tsp baking soda
0.25 tsp salt
5 tbsp unsalted butter
7 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
0.667 cup granulated sugar
0.333 cup packed brown sugar, packed

0.333 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
0.25 tsp coconut extract
0.333 cup coconut
hershey's chocolate coconut kisses
additional coconut for sprinkling on cookies, for sprinkling

Instructions

1
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF; line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or line with Silpats.
2
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars. The mixture will be course and look like sand. Add yogurt, vanilla, and coconut extract, stirring to combine.

4
4. Add flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in coconut. Drop tablespoons of dough about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.
5
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Move cookies to a cooling rack. Press a chocolate coconut kiss in the center of each cookie and sprinkle with coconut. Let cookies cool completely.
6
*Note-if you can't find coconut creme kisses, use regular chocolate kisses or another chocolate coconut candy. The cookies are also good without the kisses.

Nutrition (per serving)

132kcal

Calorie breakdown

Protein7%10 kcal

Fat29%41 kcal

Carbohydrates64%91 kcal

How this was calculated — 13 of 13 ingredients matched

all-purpose flourFlour, wheat, all-purpose, enriched, bleached1098 kcal

baking sodaLeavening agents, baking soda0 kcal

saltSalt, table0 kcal

unsalted butterButter, salted538 kcal

unsweetened cocoaCocoa, dry powder, unsweetened239 kcal

granulated sugarSugars, granulated616 kcal

packed brown sugarSugars, brown304 kcal

plain yogurtYogurt, plain, whole milk49 kcal

vanilla extractVanilla extract14 kcal

coconut extractNuts, coconut meat, raw4 kcal

coconutNuts, coconut meat, raw283 kcal

hershey's chocolate coconut kissesChocolate, dark, 60-69% cacao solids6 kcal

additional coconut for sprinkling on cookiesNuts, coconut meat, raw4 kcal

Serving size ≈ 37 g · 24 servings

Nutrition information is automatically calculated from USDA FoodData Central, so should only be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and preparation methods used.

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Keyword: Chocolate, coconut, cookies, Oven Baked, vegetarian

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