Description
Peanut Butter Blossoms are classic soft peanut butter cookies crowned with a luscious Hershey’s Kiss at the center, combining the rich flavors of peanut butter and chocolate in every bite. Perfect for holidays, parties, or any sweet craving, these cookies balance a tender, chewy texture with a delightful chocolate finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup peanut butter (not natural)
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For Rolling
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Topping
- 40 Hershey’s Kisses (about half an 11-ounce package)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking peanut butter cookies perfectly.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer to cream together the softened butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This creates a smooth base for the dough.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and salt.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet peanut butter mixture, stirring until just combined to avoid overmixing and maintain cookie tenderness.
- Shape Cookies: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the ½ cup granulated sugar to coat completely, which gives a sweet, crackly exterior after baking.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the sugar-coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet to allow spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are set but centers still look slightly soft. Cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Add Hershey’s Kisses: Immediately upon removing from the oven, press one Hershey’s Kiss gently into the center of each cookie. The warmth softens the cookie to create a perfect bond.
- Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storage.
Notes
- Do not use natural peanut butter as it can affect cookie texture and spread.
- Rolling the dough balls in sugar adds a delightful, lightly crunchy exterior.
- Insert the Hershey’s Kiss while cookies are warm to allow them to mold around the chocolate.
- Ensure the baking soda is fresh for proper leavening.
- For a softer cookie, slightly underbake and allow residual heat to finish cooking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
