Pistachio pudding kiss cookies combine classic pistachio flavor with a sweet chocolate Kiss for a festive treat that’s both delicious and beautiful.

These pistachio kiss cookies offer a flavorful sweet dessert that’s perfect for holiday sharing and gifting.

a few pistachio kiss cookies on a wire rack. Some are rolled in chopped pistachios. All have a chocolate Hershey Kiss embedded in the soft and chewy cookie.

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I love pistachio desserts and their mildly sweet, buttery, and nutty taste that makes them irresistible.

These pistachio kiss cookies are a favorite around here, and are a fantastic go-to choice when you’re building your holiday cookie tray this year!

They strike the perfect balance of sweetness without going overboard, which is so refreshing during a season when sweets are in abundance.

They’re not only delicious but also look stunning on a Christmas cookie platter.

That pop of green from the pistachio pudding, combined with a classic Hershey Kiss, really makes them stand out among other treats.

Whether you’re setting up a holiday buffet or packing up cookie tins for handmade gifts, these Christmas pistachio cookies are guaranteed to be a hit.

More Pistachio Cookies You’ll Love:

overhead view of a white plate serving five pistachio blossom cookies.

Customizing Pistachio Pudding Kiss Cookies

Pistachio blossom cookies bring a bit of nostalgia to holiday baking.

They’re similar to the classic peanut butter blossom cookies, but the pistachio flavor gives them a unique spin that feels a bit more sophisticated.

Every time I whip up a batch of these, I get compliments not only on how pretty they are but also on their perfect blend of flavors.

What’s more, you can bump these cookies to a whole new level with a few simple tweaks.

Classic milk chocolate Hersey kisses are a traditional choice (and my personal favorite), but you can experiment with a different flavored kiss.

Around Christmas time, I like to make some with the Sugar Cookie flavored Hershey Kisses, because they’re white with red and green flecks in them, as you can see below.

overhead view of pistachio kiss cookies on a wire rack. The cookies are made with Hershey's Sugar Cookie Kisses for Christmas.

You can also get creative with how you prepare the dough.

While rolling the cookies in chopped pistachios adds a nice crunch and extra pistachio flavor, you could also try rolling them in colored sanding sugar to give them a glittery, festive finish.

Green and red sugar would make these Christmas pistachio cookies stand out even more on a holiday tray!

For a more subtle look, skip the pistachio rolling altogether and go for a smooth cookie base with just the kiss on top.

You can even switch out the almond extract for vanilla or add a touch of orange zest to give the cookies a citrusy twist.

Whether you stick to the original or mix things up, these pistachio blossom cookies are super versatile and can be customized to suit your tastes or holiday theme.

More Pistachio Desserts for the Holidays:

close-up detail view of pistachio kiss cookies made with pistachio pudding mix, Hershey Kisses and chopped pistachios.

How to Make Pistachio Cookies with Hersey Kisses

It’s really easy to make this sweet treat.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Unsalted Butter
Powdered Sugar
Egg
Almond Extract
Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix
All-Purpose Flour
Salt
Baking Soda
Chopped Salted and Shelled Pistachios
Hershey Kiss Candies

overhead view of a wire rack containing pistachio kiss cookies, with different varieties of Hershey Kisses.

How to Make It:

(Full printable recipe card is available below)

Combine the wet ingredients. First, you’ll beat together butter and powdered sugar until smooth.

Add egg and almond extract and mix to incorporate.

two photos; one shows butter and powdered sugar beaten together in a mixing bowl; the other shows egg and almond extract added to the mixture.

Combine the dry ingredients. Next, you’ll whisk together pistachio pudding mix, flour, salt, and baking soda.

Next, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a soft dough forms.

two photos; one shows dry ingredients in a mixing bowl; the other shows cookie dough after dry ingredients are added to wet ingredients.

Shape and bake. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out rounds of dough, rolling into balls.

If desired, roll dough balls into chopped pistachio pieces, pressing the pieces into the dough. Then, place balls on a cookie sheet, leaving a couple of inches in between them.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until tops are cracking slightly and edges are very lightly golden-brown.

two photos; one shows balls of pistachio cookie dough on a lined baking sheet; the other shows the cookies after baking.

Add the kisses. Last, you’ll remove the cookies from oven and place an unwrapped Kiss candy in the center, pressing it down into the cookie while it’s still warm.

two photos; one shows packages of Hershey's Kisses in milk chocolate and Hershey Kisses in Sugar Cookie flavor. The other photo shows fingers pressing a chocolate kiss into the freshly baked pistachio cookie.

Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Then serve and enjoy!

close-up view of homemade pistachio pudding kiss cookies on a wire rack.

Notes and Adaptations:

Rolling these cookies in chopped pistachios is optional. I like the crunch it provides, but some members of my family prefer them without. You could always do half and half!
You can also roll the cookies in sanding sugar for a sparkly look!
Part of the fun is changing up the type of Hershey Kisses you can use. The standard milk chocolate is my favorite, but my kids loved the fun holiday look of the sugar cookie Kisses. Feel free to try other flavors as well!
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Recommended Equipment:

Yield: Approx. 24 cookies

Pistachio Kiss Cookies

Name: Pistachio Kiss Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 2/3 cup powdered sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon almond extract; 3.4-oz instant pistachio pudding mix; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 1/2 cups chopped salted and shelled pistachios (optional for rolling); 24 Hershey Kiss candies

Pistachio pudding kiss cookies are a lovely and delicious option that's full of pistachio flavor and topped with your favorite Hershey Kiss candies!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
3.4-oz instant pistachio pudding mix
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups chopped salted and shelled pistachios (optional for rolling)
24 Hershey Kiss candies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer), beat together butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
Add egg and almond extract and mix to incorporate.
In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together pistachio pudding mix, flour, salt, and baking soda.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out rounds of dough, rolling into balls. If desired, roll dough balls into chopped pistachio pieces, pressing the pieces into the dough.
Place balls on a cookie sheet, leaving a couple of inches in between them. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until tops are cracking slightly and edges are very lightly golden-brown.
Remove from oven and place an unwrapped Kiss candy in the center, pressing it down into the cookie. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Rolling these cookies in chopped pistachios is optional. I like the crunch it provides, but some members of my family prefer them without. You could always do half and half!
You could also roll the cookie dough in sanding sugar for a sparkly and festive look.
Part of the fun is changing up the type of Hershey Kisses you can use. The standard milk chocolate is my favorite, but my kids loved the fun holiday look of the sugar cookie Kisses. Feel free to try other flavors as well!
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

2 Comments

Joanne says:

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Instructions don’t include when to add the nuts? I added mine at the end and made sure they were mixed into the dough evenly. I made 34 cookies because I don’t like a lot of cookie around my kisses. The taste is very good. Used milk chocolate kisses.

1. Chrysti Benner says:
  
  at
  
  Hi Joanne! I don’t actually add the nuts to the cookie dough–I roll the dough balls in the nuts. But mixing them in is fine, too. So glad you enjoyed the cookies! 🙂

Easy Pistachio Kiss Cookies

Pistachio pudding kiss cookies combine classic pistachio flavor with a sweet chocolate Kiss for a festive treat that’s both delicious and beautiful.

Customizing Pistachio Pudding Kiss Cookies