Hershey’s Hugs Gingerbread Cookies
These Hershey’s Hugs Gingerbread Cookies are made with warm spices, molasses, brown sugar, and a sweet Hershey’s Hug pressed into the center of each cookie. They’re soft gingerbread cookies for Christmas parties.
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You can make them for holiday parties, Christmas cookie exchanges, family gatherings, or as homemade gifts for neighbors and friends.
And if you love Christmas cookies to bake, try these Christmas Tree Cookies and Christmas Wreath Sugar Cookies.
How to Make Hershey’s Hugs Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer to beat the softened butter and brown sugar for about 1 minute.
3. Add the wet ingredients. Mix in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until everything is combined.
4. Combine the mixtures. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until mostly incorporated. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Chill the dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven. When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Shape the cookies. Use a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop to portion the dough, then roll each portion into a ball. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake the cookies. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are set.
9. Add the Hershey’s Hugs. While the cookies bake, unwrap the candies. Remove the cookies from the oven and gently press one Hershey’s Hug into the center of each cookie.
10. Cool and serve. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet or a cooling rack before serving. This gives the cookies time to set around the candy.
Serve & Enjoy!
Important Recipe Notes
- Chill the dough for 1 hour: This helps firm up the dough, making it easier to roll into balls and helping the cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Do not overbake: Bake for 8–10 minutes, just until the cookies are set. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Add the Hershey’s Hugs while warm: Press one candy into the center of each cookie immediately after removing them from the oven so it stays in place.
- Let the cookies cool completely: The candies may soften from the heat, so allow the cookies to cool before storing or stacking them.
Hershey’s Hugs Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 30 Hershey’s Hugs candies
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer to beat the softened butter and brown sugar for about 1 minute.
- Add the wet ingredients. Mix in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until everything is combined.
- Combine the mixtures. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until mostly incorporated. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Chill the dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven. When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape the cookies. Use a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop to portion the dough, then roll each portion into a ball. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are set.
- Add the Hershey’s Hugs. While the cookies bake, unwrap the candies. Remove the cookies from the oven and gently press one Hershey’s Hug into the center of each cookie.
- Cool and serve. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet or a cooling rack before serving. This gives the cookies time to set around the candy.
