Name: Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 1 h 12 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 3/4 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats; 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled); 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs at room temperature; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses; 1 cup dried tart cherries; 26-28 chocolate kisses; 3 ounces vanilla almond bark, chopped; 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening

There's something about the cozy blend of oats, warm spices, and that sweet burst of tart cherries paired with melty chocolate that really hits the spot. This Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses Recipe brings together comforting textures and flavors that are perfect for any time you want to treat yourself or impress friends.

The image shows several round oatmeal cookies placed on a silver cooling rack over a white marbled surface. Each cookie has a rough, textured light brown base with visible oats and darker specks. On top of every cookie is a large, smooth, dark brown chocolate kiss placed in the center. White icing is drizzled in thin, irregular lines over the cookies, adding contrast and detail. The cookies are arranged in rows, filling most of the frame, and the photo has a cozy, homemade feel. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I've made lots of oatmeal cookie recipes over the years, but this Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses Recipe stands out because it’s not just about oats — it’s a little flavor journey with every bite. The cherries add a lovely tart contrast, and those chocolate kisses? They feel like a little surprise in the middle.

Perfect Texture: The combination of old-fashioned oats and warm spices gives these cookies a chewy yet slightly crispy edge that’s utterly satisfying.
Unique Cherry Twist: Dried tart cherries add a bright, tangy pop that balances the sweet chocolate and brown sugar beautifully.
Easy to Customize: From swapping chocolate kisses to adding a vanilla drizzle, you can tweak this recipe to match your mood or occasion.
Kid & Crowd Friendly: They’re a wonderful treat for bake sales, holiday parties, or just cozying up with a cup of tea or coffee.

The image shows about sixteen round oatmeal cookies arranged on a silver cooling rack over a white marbled surface. Each cookie is golden-brown with a coarse, crumbly texture and has a dark chocolate kiss placed in the center. The cookies are drizzled unevenly with thin white icing lines forming a loose zigzag pattern across each one. In the top left corner, there is a white bowl filled with dark raisins. The scene is brightly lit, with clear focus on the cookies and soft shadows underneath, giving a fresh, homemade feel. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

This cookie’s magic comes from a harmony of hearty oats, fragrant spices, and rich, buttery sweetness — each ingredient plays its own role to deliver that warm, comforting, and slightly indulgent cookie experience.

Flat lay of a small mound of old-fashioned whole rolled oats, a simple white ceramic bowl filled with all-purpose flour, a few whole cinnamon sticks alongside small white bowls each containing ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger, a small white bowl with baking soda, another small white bowl with salt, a smooth pat of unsalted butter, two whole uncracked brown eggs, a small white bowl holding packed light brown sugar, a separate small white bowl with granulated sugar, a small white bowl of amber unsulphured molasses, a few shiny dried tart cherries scattered loosely, a neat arrangement of individual chocolate kisses with their distinctive pointed shape, and a small white bowl containing chopped vanilla almond bark next to another tiny white bowl holding coconut oil, all arranged with perfect symmetry on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Old-fashioned whole rolled oats: Give chewy texture and nutty flavor; quick oats just won't have the right bite here.
All-purpose flour: The base that holds everything together, make sure to spoon and level it for best accuracy.
Baking soda: Provides just enough lift so the cookies aren't dense but still keep that chewy texture.
Ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger: Warm spices that bring out cozy, springtime vibes—don’t skip or replace these!
Unsalted butter: Softened to room temp for easy creaming; it's the richness that gives the cookies their tender crumb.
Light or dark brown sugar: Adds moisture and a subtle molasses note that pairs beautifully with oats.
Granulated sugar: Balances sweetness and adds a little crunch to edges.
Large eggs: Bind everything and add tenderness; room temperature eggs mix better.
Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor and aroma.
Unsulphured molasses: Deepens flavor with a rich, caramel-like note that complements brown sugar.
Dried tart cherries: The star surprise in every cookie—adds chewiness and tart flavor contrast.
Chocolate kisses: Melty centers that feel like a little gift when you bite in.
Vanilla almond bark (optional): For a lovely drizzle that makes these cookies extra pretty and festive.
Coconut oil or vegetable shortening (optional): Helps keep the vanilla drizzle silky smooth when melted.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

What I love about this Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses Recipe is how simple it is to make it your own. I often experiment adding different mix-ins or switching up the chocolate for a different flavor kick.

Variation: I’ve swapped the dried cherries for dried cranberries or even chopped dried apricots — all delicious and give a nice twist.
Dietary tweaks: Use dairy-free butter and vegan chocolate kisses to make these cookies suitable for a plant-based diet without losing flavor.
Spice it up: If you're feeling adventurous, a pinch of cardamom adds a lovely floral complexity that beautifully complements the cherry.
Skip the drizzle: The cookies are perfectly lovely without the vanilla almond bark drizzle if you want a more rustic, less sweet finish.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses Recipe

Step 1: Whisk together the dry ingredients

Start by mixing your oats, flour, baking soda, and all those cozy spices in a large bowl. Doing this upfront helps spread the flavors evenly and makes combining with wet ingredients smoother. I usually whisk for about a minute to break up any clumps.

Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy

This is where texture starts to come together. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment makes it easy, but a hand mixer works too. Beat the softened butter with light or dark brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until the mixture looks pale and fluffy.

Step 3: Add eggs, vanilla, and molasses

Mix in your eggs one at a time on high speed just until combined, then add the vanilla and molasses. Scrape down the bowl edges to make sure everything is fully incorporated — this little step helps avoid uneven mixing, especially with sticky dough.

Step 4: Combine wet and dry ingredients & fold in cherries

Pour the oat mixture slowly into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Last but not least, gently beat in the dried tart cherries. The dough will be thick and sticky — that’s a good sign for chewy, hearty cookies.

Step 5: Chill the dough

Pop the dough in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes. I don’t recommend chilling longer because the oats absorb moisture and can make the cookies dry. This short chill makes handling easier and helps the flavors meld together.

Step 6: Preheat oven and prep baking sheets

Set your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick mats — this prevents sticking and ensures even cooking.

Step 7: Scoop and roll the cookies

Using a two-tablespoon cookie scoop works perfectly here. The dough is sticky, so I spray my hands lightly with cooking spray mixed with a bit of flour to keep things moving smoothly. Place the balls about 2 inches apart — they’ll spread just a bit.

Step 8: Bake and let cool before adding chocolate kisses

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges start turning light brown but centers are still soft; they’ll look slightly underdone. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 8 minutes; this helps them set without overbaking. Then gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie while warm — the residual heat melts it perfectly.

Step 9: (Optional) Drizzle with vanilla almond bark

If you’re feeling fancy, melt some vanilla almond bark with a bit of coconut oil or vegetable shortening in the microwave at 50% power. Stir every 15-30 seconds until smooth, then transfer to a Ziploc bag, snip a tiny corner, and drizzle over the cooled cookies for a pretty finishing touch.

Top Tip

After baking these Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses, I discovered a few key tricks that really help the cookies turn out just right every time—especially if you want that chewy center with a lightly crisp edge.

Don’t overbake: I learned that the centers look underdone when you pull them from the oven but continue to set as they cool—resist the temptation to leave them in longer!
Spray hands with cooking spray plus flour: This combo prevents sticky dough frustration when rolling cookies, making the process smoother and quicker.
Add chocolate kisses right after baking: Pressing them into warm cookies melts the base just enough to create a soft, decadent chocolate center without making a mess.
Chill dough briefly: It helps the dough firm up for easier handling, but don’t chill too long—otherwise, your cookies can turn out dry.

How to Serve Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses Recipe

Cherry Blossom Cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I usually keep it simple with a light dusting of powdered sugar or the optional vanilla drizzle, especially when I’m giving these as gifts. Sometimes a sprinkle of finely chopped pistachios adds a subtle crunch and a pop of color that’s really lovely for springtime.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair wonderfully with a hot cup of tea, freshly brewed coffee, or even a glass of cold milk. For brunch or dessert spreads, I like to offer fresh berries on the side to contrast their warm spice and chocolate sweetness.

Creative Ways to Present

For a festive touch, I’ve arranged these cookies in a pretty stack tied with pastel ribbon or served on a cherry blossom-patterned plate during spring gatherings. Setting them up on tiered trays alongside other small sweets creates an inviting and Instagram-worthy dessert table.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy them within a week. I put parchment sheets between layers to keep them from sticking, especially with the chocolate kisses.

Freezing

If you want to freeze for longer, I recommend freezing the baked cookies without the chocolate kisses, then adding fresh kisses when you thaw and serve. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough balls—just scoop them onto a tray to freeze solid, then transfer to a bag.

Reheating

Warm frozen or stored cookies for about 10-15 seconds in the microwave to get that fresh-from-the-oven feel. This melts the chocolate slightly and refreshes the soft, chewy texture.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I substitute chocolate chips for the chocolate kisses?

Yes! You can definitely swap chocolate kisses with semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips if you prefer. Just press a few chips into the cookie centers right after baking while they're still warm for that melty chocolate surprise.

Do I have to chill the dough before baking?

Chilling the dough for 30 to 60 minutes helps manage the sticky dough and allows the flavors to blend. It also results in thicker cookies that hold their shape better. However, if you're short on time, you can bake right away but expect slightly thinner cookies.

Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats?

I don’t recommend substituting quick oats because they tend to create a different texture—more mushy and less chewy. Old-fashioned oats give the cookies their signature hearty bite and chewiness.

How long do these cookies keep fresh?

Stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature, these cookies stay fresh up to one week. Beyond that, the oats can dry out a bit. For longer storage, freezing is your best bet.

Final Thoughts

I adore this Cherry Blossom Oat Cookies with Chocolate Kisses Recipe because it brings together everything I want in a cookie — homely warmth, a little bit of unexpected tartness, and chocolate that melts just right. Whenever I make these, the house smells incredible and the smiles around the kitchen get a little wider. You’re going to love how easy and satisfying this recipe is, whether it’s a gift for a friend or a quiet solo treat. So grab your mixing bowl and give it a try — I promise it’ll become one of your go-to cookies in no time.