Triple Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies

"Why can't Hershey Kisses come unwrapped?" my son said, slightly irritated. 

The last two days we've begun our holiday baking extravaganza! We are only on day two, the second continuous day where Eli's been tasked with unwrapping those familiar drops of chocolate morsels. Because they are wrapped in tiny squares of shiny foils which take some work to remove, I make sure to add one or two extra Kisses to his work pile knowing we won't need them. He's young enough not to know my deliberate intentions of rewarding him with a fair chocolate wage for his time and labor. It makes me happy to see him so surprised that I miscounted the number of chocolate pieces we need, then here the light bulb goes off when he realizes the naked chocolates cannot go back into their bag: "Uh, mom? Since we already unwrapped these can I have them?"

Of course he can, because that's a moms prerogative: to secretly set her son up for chocolate success. One day in the near future when he figures it out, it will become our special thing we do when we bake holiday cookies together. May that day not come too soon. Today I have a special twist on a familiar holiday favorite. Eli and I made Triple Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies to share with his teachers and Kitchen Explorer readers. They are made with unsweetened cocoa, semi-chocolate chips, and Kiss chocolates; fun to make, give, and enjoy. And if you have little helpers baking with you this weekend, don't forget to miscount some chocolate for your bakers. That memory you create will be more meaningful for you than them. These years can go by fast, so enjoy every minute.