Peanut Butter Blossoms … a very popular cookie recipe and I’m here to tell you, it’s popular for good reason.
These cookies are scrumptious. What’s not to love about peanut butter and chocolate? One of my brothers (I have three) was in Virginia traveling on business yesterday. Brother David lives in Atlanta but gets up this way at least twice a year or so. This is David’s favorite Christmas cookie so knowing he would be here to eat them, I baked up these Peanut Butter Blossoms and had milk ready for his arrival.
Trust me when I tell you, never, ever make these when you’re hungry. First, there’s something about that smell of warm peanut butter cookies and a soft, creamy, milk chocolate kiss that make these irresistible. I’m starting to drool so I better get on with it!
The ingredients are simple, you’ll need salt, baking powder, flour, brown sugar, butter, shortening, peanut butter, vanilla and an egg. You’ll also need chocolate kisses too!
Be prepared by unwrapping the kisses ahead of time. Once these cookies are baked, you have to put the chocolate kiss on the warm cookies right from the oven. Unwrap about 4 dozen kisses. That sounds sweet 🙂
Once removed from the oven immediately top each cookie with a Milk Chocolate Kiss, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around the edge. This is the exact moment trouble begins (the kind of trouble I get into with warm peanut butter cookies and melty milk chocolate sitting in front of me.)
Cool on wire racks until set. When the kisses get glossy and soft, and the cookies cool slightly – immediately grab the milk and enjoy!
Finally, be sure to share with your loved ones, and a brother if you have one, and your neighbors if you like them!
There’s one with a little curl that was calling my name.
Don’t forget to PIN these to your favorite baking board!
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A personal favorite of mine! Who can go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate. It hardly feels like Christmas until I see a plate of these delicious cookies!
Author: Tricia
Recipe type: Cookie, Dessert
Serves: 56 cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup solid shortening (such as Crisco)
- ½ cup peanut butter (like Jiff or Peter Pan)
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 (12-ounce) package milk chocolate kisses, most unwrapped (SEE NOTES BELOW)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour salt and baking powder.
- In large bowl mixing bowl combine the butter, shortening and peanut butter and beat until smooth. Pour in the brown sugar and mix until smooth.
- Now add the egg and vanilla and blend until the yolk disappears. Gently add the flour mixture and blend on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend another 30 seconds.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in granulated sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheet at least 1-inch apart.
- Bake 9 to 12 minutes until light golden brown.
- Remove from oven; immediately top each cookie with a milk chocolate candy kiss, pressing down firmly so the cookie lightly cracks around edge.
- Allow the cookies to sit on the pan or parchment for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Wait until the chocolate kisses have hardened before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
Photos and recipe updated 8/23/2016
I have not tested this recipe using all butter. Please let me know if you do and how it turns out - thanks
Depending on the size you roll your cookies, this recipe will make anywhere between 56 and 68 cookies. You may not need the entire package of milk chocolate kisses so to be safe, do not unwrap all the kisses at one time. A 12-ounce package of Hershey's Kisses holds approximately 65 kisses.
I have not tested this recipe using all butter. Please let me know if you do and how it turns out - thanks
Depending on the size you roll your cookies, this recipe will make anywhere between 56 and 68 cookies. You may not need the entire package of milk chocolate kisses so to be safe, do not unwrap all the kisses at one time. A 12-ounce package of Hershey's Kisses holds approximately 65 kisses.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Merry Christmas ~ Tricia
I accidentally bought salted butter 🙁 would I completely leave out the salt if I use it in this recipe?
Yes you can Cristi – that will work! Thanks for the great question and happy holidays 🙂
I tried the original recipe first and found that the cookies were so dry that when I placed a Hershey Kiss in the middle the entire cookie fell apart. Upon tasting the batter after adding the Crisco I noticed that the Crisco takes away from the peanut butter flavor of the dough and it does after the bake as well. I did a little research and found that dry cookies need a little more moisture in them. So I decided to make the cookie with all unsalted butter since the water content is higher than Crisco. In my research I noticed that people mentioned all butter cookies will spread and flatten while cookies with Crisco maintain their shape since Crisco has a higher melting point. I decided to add 1/2 a teaspoon extra of baking powder to maintain the shape of the peanut butter blossom. I also put 1/2 a cup of flour in extra because the dough was extremely wet. So in conclusion, I replaced Crisco with Unsalted Butter in equal proportion, added a 1/2 teaspoon extra of baking powder and a 1/2 cup extra of flour. The results were delicious because the butter really enhances the flavor of the peanut butter. Think of a peanut butter short bread cookie with chocolate in the middle!
Hi Allie – thanks for the feedback. However, I must say that I’ve been making these cookies for about 30 years and have never had the problem you described. Thanks for the experimentation and for giving us your solution. I LOVE these cookies, and my family would probably disown me if I changed the recipe now. They turn out perfect every time for me. Have a wonderful holiday season and thanks for trying our recipe!
Christmas gift
I used all unsalted butter! Came out perfect.
Yeah! I LOVE these cookies – and since the peanut butter usually has salt in it already, I always think it’s a good idea to use less 🙂 So happy they turned out great for you~ Thanks for letting us know and happy holidays!
I make these every year. I like to dip the tops of the cookies in red and green sugar before baking. Just makes them a bit more festive.
Thanks for the great idea – I bet they are pretty. These Peanut Butter Blossoms are my favorite! Thanks for commenting and for stopping by!
This wasn't the recipe I got from your Mom, mine has you cream sugars (1 cup each of brown & white) with 1 cup crisco. Then add 2 eggs, 1 cup peanut butter and 2 tsp. vanilla. When a dough forms, you gradually mix in 3.5 cups flour, 2 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp salt (which have been mixed together). You have to alternate mixing in the flour mixture with 2 Tbs. milk, beginning and
I made the recipe on the back of the Sweetened Condensed Milk can – Magic Bars- for Steve to take to his work thing. He said that they were great. You may want to try them sometime. I used 1/2 chocolate chips and 1/2 peanut butter chips. I doubled the recipe and baked in a 1/2 sheet pan. I don't eat chocolate or nuts – so I try to make lots of things with those ingredients so I don't