Short answer: Hershey’s Kisses don’t fully melt in direct desert sun, even at 108°F — unless they’re sealed in the wrapper. Unwrapped, they soften, glisten, and smell amazing, but mostly hold their shape.

That slightly unsettling fact popped up in a Desert Sun article about Palm Desert’s famously expensive El Paseo benches. Buried in the piece was an offhand observation from city staff that raised a much more important question:

“During the selection process, Schwartz even took a sample of the bench material, dumped all kinds of food and drink on it, and let it bake in the sun for two weeks before public works crews hosed it off… She also learned other things, such as ‘Hershey’s Kisses don’t melt in the sun. It’s kind of creepy.’”

Kind of creepy indeed. So rather than spend taxpayer money verifying this claim, we decided to do the responsible thing and conduct a highly scientific desert experiment ourselves.

Do Hershey’s Kisses Melt in the Sun?

Yes and no. The answer depends entirely on whether the chocolate is wrapped.

• Unwrapped: Softens, glistens, smells like heaven, but largely holds its shape
• Wrapped: Fully melts into a chocolate puddle

To see why, we put it to the test under actual Coachella Valley conditions.

The Experiment Setup

First stop was the 99 Cent Only Store, which did not carry Hershey’s Kisses. This forced a second stop and the complete destruction of the Cactus Hugs discretionary budget for July.

Three Hershey’s Kisses were deployed using the following highly controlled methodology:

1. One completely out of the wrapper
2. One unwrapped, but sitting on top of the wrapper
3. One left fully wrapped

The chocolates were placed on a stone surface in direct sunlight. The starting temperature was 99°F according to a phone app, which is not scientific, but it was hot enough to make unwrapping uncomfortable.

2 Hours Later

The temperature climbed to 106°F. The two exposed Kisses developed a noticeable shine — what experts refer to as “the danger zone.”

All three chocolates still held their original shape.

4 Hours Later

At 108°F, the smell of chocolate became aggressively present. The Kisses, however, remained visually unchanged.

6 Hours Later

The temperature held steady at 108°F. The exposed Kisses still looked intact. The wrapped Kiss, however, had clearly lost the battle.

Meanwhile, the unwrapped chocolate had softened significantly but resisted total collapse.

Why This Happens

Chocolate melts based on more than just air temperature. Factors include:

• Heat retention: Wrappers trap heat, accelerating melting
• Airflow: Exposed chocolate sheds heat more effectively
• Composition: Cocoa solids and sugar structure help maintain form

In short, the wrapper turns the Kiss into a tiny chocolate greenhouse.

Conclusion

Hershey’s Kisses do melt in extreme heat — but not the way you expect. Wrapped, they melt completely. Unwrapped, they soften, glisten, and smell incredible while stubbornly holding their shape.

Also, we now own a large bag of Hershey’s Kisses we absolutely did not need.

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If you have suggestions for future editions of “Will It Melt,” feel free to reach out. Taxpayer funding not required.

All images by Kristen Kelly.