Bright, soft, and chewy strawberry blossom cookies made from scratch with homemade strawberry syrup and topped with strawberry ice cream Hershey’s Kisses. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, bake sales, or anytime you want a pop of pink!

Hot Pink Strawberry Kiss Cookies (Strawberry Blossom–Style)

These Hot Pink Strawberry Kiss Cookies are the strawberry-loving cousin of classic peanut butter blossoms – same soft sugar-cookie base, same iconic kiss-on-top, but made with real strawberry flavor and a strawberry ice cream Hershey’s Kiss that melts perfectly on top.

Maybe it was the obsessive number of times I watched Grease as a little girl and dreamed of growing up to be a Pink Lady like Rizzo, but somewhere along the way “Think Pink” became my permanent personality trait. That probably explains why these hot pink cookies make me absurdly happy every single time I bake them. 💕

Bright pink, lightly crisp on the edges, soft in the center, and deeply nostalgic, these are your pink blossom cookies for bake sales, Valentine’s Day, or any occasion that deserves a little edible drama.

And the best part is since they are made with homemade strawberry syrup, these are true homemade strawberry cookies from scratch – no artificial flavors, no shortcuts, just bold strawberry flavor wrapped in a classic cookie format.

Before we dive in, if you love nostalgic treats like my Pink Strawberry Crinkle Cookies, Bakery-Style Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, Pink Sugar Cookies, or Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies, this recipe fits perfectly into that old-school-but-better lane.

What Are Strawberry Kiss Cookies?

Strawberry kiss cookies, also called strawberry blossom cookies, are a peanut butter blossom variation made with strawberry sugar cookie dough instead of peanut butter and topped with a strawberry ice cream Hershey’s Kiss after baking.

They follow the classic blossom method – bake first, kiss second – which keeps the cookie soft and lets the kiss set perfectly without melting into a mess.

Why You’ll Love These Strawberry Blossom Cookies

• Just like peanut butter blossoms, but brighter, fruitier, and totally festive
• Soft strawberry sugar cookies with Hershey’s Kisses on top
• Real strawberry flavor from homemade strawberry syrup
• Gorgeous hot pink color that’s perfect for bake sales or parties
• Easy dough that bakes thick, soft, and chewy every time

How to Make Homemade Strawberry Syrup

• Syrup Ingredients: 1½ cups fresh or frozen chopped strawberries and ½ cup granulated sugar

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine strawberries and sugar. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries break down and the mixture thickens. Continue to cook until your syrup reduces by half and coats the back of a spoon.

• Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing gently to extract as much syrup as possible and discard seeds/pulp. Cool completely before using in the cookie dough.

• Optional: reserve extra syrup for pancakes, milk, desserts, or drizzling over cookies for added sparkle.

Cookie Ingredients (Recipe Card)

• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ Teaspoon salt
• 2 Teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons homemade strawberry syrup
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• Hot pink food coloring
• 1½ cups hot pink sanding sugar
• 24 strawberry ice cream Hershey’s Kisses

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 Teaspoon baking soda, 1 Teaspoon cream of tartar, ½ Teaspoon salt, and 2 Teaspoons cornstarch until evenly combined.

In a large bowl, cream 1 cup softened butter with 1½ cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in 1 large egg, 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 Tablespoons homemade strawberry syrup, 1 Tablespoon milk, and as much hot pink food coloring as you like (I use about a teaspoon) until the dough is evenly tinted.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until fully combined. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to ensure the cookies hold their shape and bake thick.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 1½ Tablespoon balls, slightly smaller than a golf ball, and roll each ball generously in 1½ cups hot pink sanding sugar until fully and evenly coated. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Two-pan trick: Life-saver. While one batch is cooling, the other is baking. No downtime, more cookies.

Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still appear slightly soft. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 3–4 minutes before pressing a strawberry ice cream Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each warm cookie.

Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.. or … because white chocolate in the strawberry kisses is softer than dark chocolate, I like to pop my cookies in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes so the kisses firm up again and stay bakery-perfect.

Optional: drizzle any leftover strawberry syrup over the cooled cookies or add sprinkles for extra sparkle.

BIG DEAL SUCCESS TIPS

• Chill the dough at least 1 hour — prevents spreading and gives the perfect thick, chewy center
• Unwrap kisses before pressing onto warm cookies — ensures a clean, professional look

Tips & Tricks for Perfect Strawberry Kiss Cookies

• Dough must be chilled to hold shape and maintain thick, soft centers
• Syrup must be completely cooled before adding to the dough
• Let baked cookies sit 3–4 minutes on the pan before pressing in the kiss
• Move cookies to a cooling rack, then refrigerate 20–30 minutes if using strawberry or white chocolate kisses so they firm up and don’t melt
• Slightly underbake – edges set, centers soft
• Roll twice in sanding sugar for extra sparkle and festive flair
• Two-pan trick: Life-saver. While one batch is cooling, the other is baking. No downtime, more cookies.

Storage, Freezing & Make-Ahead

• Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days
• Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months
• Freeze dough balls (before sanding sugar) for up to 3 months; thaw slightly, roll, and bake

FAQ: Strawberry Sugar Cookies with Hershey’s Kisses

Final Thoughts

These strawberry blossom cookies are proof that classics don’t need reinventing – just reimagining. Same technique, better flavor, and a whole lot more pink. If peanut butter blossoms had a strawberry era, this would be it.

xoxo
Heather 💕

Hot Pink Strawberry Kiss Cookies

Print

Pin

Rate

Bright, soft, and chewy strawberry blossom cookies made from scratch with homemade strawberry syrup and topped with strawberry ice cream Hershey’s Kisses. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, bake sales, or anytime you want a pop of pink!

Heather

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Chill Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Serving Size 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ Teaspoon salt
• 2 Teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup butter softened
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons homemade strawberry syrup
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• Hot pink food coloring
• ½ cups hot pink sanding sugar
• 24 strawberry ice cream Hershey’s Kisses

Strawberry Syrup

• 1½ cups fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

Strawberry Syrup

• Syrup Ingredients: 1½ cups fresh or frozen chopped strawberries and ½ cup granulated sugar
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine strawberries and sugar. Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries break down and the mixture thickens. Continue to cook until your syrup reduces by half and coats the back of a spoon
• Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing gently to extract as much syrup as possible and discard the seeds/pulp. Cool completely before using in the cookie dough.

Strawberry Kiss Cookies

• In a medium bowl, whisk together 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 Teaspoon baking soda, 1 Teaspoon cream of tartar, ½ Teaspoon salt, and 2 Teaspoons cornstarch until evenly combined.
• In a large bowl, cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1½ cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in 1 large egg, 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 Tablespoons homemade strawberry syrup, 1 Tablespoon milk, and hot pink food coloring until the dough is evenly tinted.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until fully combined. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to ensure the cookies hold their shape and bake thick.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 1½ Tablespoon balls, slightly smaller than a golf ball, and roll each ball generously in 1½ cups hot pink sanding sugar. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still appear slightly soft. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 3–4 minutes before pressing a strawberry ice cream Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each warm cookie. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Because white chocolate in the strawberry kisses is softer than dark chocolate, I like to pop my cookies in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes so the kisses firm up again and stay bakery-perfect.

Notes

Tips for perfect Kiss Cookies

• Dough must be chilled to hold shape and maintain thick, soft centers
• Syrup must be completely cooled before adding to the dough
• Let baked cookies sit 3–4 minutes on the pan before pressing in the kiss
• Move cookies to a cooling rack, then refrigerate 20–30 minutes if using strawberry or white chocolate kisses so they firm up and don’t melt
• Slightly underbake – edges set, centers soft
• Roll twice in sanding sugar for extra sparkle and festive flair
• Two-pan trick: Life-saver. While one batch is cooling, the other is baking. No downtime, more cookies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 158mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 248IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Be sure to share with me on Instagram, Pinterest, or Youtube!

Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe