Easy Chocolate Covered Oreo
October 13, 2025
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Hershey’s Kisses are the iconic foil-wrapped milk chocolate drops used as topping, filling, or melted base for chocolate-covered desserts. The flat-bottom, tapered-top shape works perfectly as a cookie-top garnish (peanut butter blossoms) or melted as a chocolate coating for dipped treats. A reader favorite built on it is Easy Chocolate Covered Oreo where the kisses are melted into the chocolate coating that gives this dipped oreo treat its glossy, candy-shop finish.
Hershey’s Kisses and standard milk chocolate chips are interchangeable for melting applications. The Kisses come in foil-wrapped pieces (roughly 4.5 grams each) versus chips that are loose, but the chocolate composition is similar. For dipping and coating applications, unwrapping a bag of Kisses takes longer than scooping chips into a bowl, which is why most production-style recipes use chips.
For melted chocolate coatings, the technique is to melt the chocolate slowly in a double boiler or microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds. Microwaving on full power scorches the chocolate; slow heating produces smooth, glossy coating that sets to a clean finish. Adding 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (used in Cottage Cheese Banana Bread and Chicken Francese) or 1 tablespoon coconut oil (seen in Gluten Free Granola Clusters and Homemade Mounds Bar) per cup of chocolate produces a thinner coating that dips and sets more cleanly.
For decorative finishing, leaving the foil wrappers on the Kisses for non-melted applications (like a centerpiece on a cookie platter) preserves the iconic visual that’s part of the appeal. The brand recognition and the visual of the foil are what distinguish Kiss-topped desserts from generic chocolate-decorated cookies.
For peanut butter blossom cookies, the technique is to bake peanut butter (such as in Peanut Butter Protein Balls and Viral High Protein Cottage Cheese Breakfast Jars) cookies for 8-10 minutes until just set, immediately press an unwrapped Kiss into the center of each cookie while still hot, then let cool completely. The residual heat melts the Kiss just enough to adhere but not enough to lose its tapered shape. This works with any soft cookie base. Pairing Kisses with granulated sugar as in The Best Cinnamon Rolls and Lemon Raspberry Muffins rolled cookies produces the classic peanut butter blossom appearance.
For storage, unopened Kiss bags keep 1 year at room temperature. Once opened, transfer to an airtight container; the chocolate develops bloom (white surface dusting) if exposed to humidity or temperature swings. Bloomed chocolate is still safe to eat and works fine for melted applications but looks unattractive on decorative cookies. Refrigerator storage prevents bloom but requires letting chocolate come to room temperature before using to avoid condensation.
Hershey’s Kisses are made from milk chocolate, which typically includes sugar, milk, cocoa butter, chocolate, and emulsifiers. These ingredients are blended and shaped into the classic small chocolate pieces. The smooth milk chocolate flavor makes them popular for baking and snacking.
Hershey’s Kisses are commonly used in cookies, brownies, dessert bars, and holiday treats. They are often placed on top of sugar cookies or peanut butter cookies to create a chocolate center. You can also melt them for drizzles or mix them into dessert recipes.
Hershey’s Kisses can be enjoyed as an occasional treat because they contain sugar and chocolate. Like most sweets, they are best consumed in moderation. Small portions can satisfy a sweet craving without adding too many calories when balanced with a healthy diet.
You can make cookies, brownie bites, chocolate desserts, and holiday treats using Hershey’s Kisses. They are often used as a topping for baked cookies or melted into dessert mixtures. Their shape and size make them convenient for decorating and baking recipes.
For more chocolate-coating and dessert-topping options, see our chocolate chip and dark chocolate chip recipes.