Peanut butter blossoms (or as I’m still used to calling them, Kiss Cookies) are my husband’s favorite cookie, so I’ve done quite a bit of tinkering with this recipe over the years! This version remains the tried-and-true favorite. These peanut butter blossoms are flavorful, chewy and crinkly, with a perfect cookie-to-chocolate ratio. I’ve always considered these a Christmas cookie, but I don’t think they need to be relegated to the holiday season–the peanut butter & chocolate combo knows no season! That said, they are practically an essential part of holiday cookie trays.
Tips & FAQ for this Peanut Butter Blossom recipe
-Something I’ve discovered: for an even better & more chewy peanut butter cookie, chill this cookie dough in the fridge for a couple hours or so before scooping it into balls and baking.
-if you want, you can replace the regular milk chocolate kisses with peanut butter cups, another flavor of Hershey kiss- whatever your heart desires. I only caution you to be careful with the filled kisses (like the mint filled or cherry filled ones) because those tend to just melt into puddles in the middle of your cookies.
Can I replace the peanut butter with something else, like sunflower seed butter?
These cookies do not perform well with natural peanut butter-the kind that separates and needs to be stirred. For that reason, I do not recommend using other natural nut butters in this recipe either, they just won’t have the right texture. However, if you want to try using a more “conventional” sunflower seed butter like Sun Butter that doesn’t separate to try to make these cookies peanut allergy friendly- I see no reason that wouldn’t work fine.
How should I store peanut butter kiss cookies?
These maintain their delicious texture for a few days while stored in a sealed container at room temperature, or you can freeze them for a few months. My husband really likes these straight from the freezer.
Tools & Equipment for Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Kitchen scale: not strictly necessary, but recommended. When I’ve tinkered with the recipe I do it in grams, so some of the cup measurements will look slightly unusual.
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Small spring loaded cookie scoop
- Baking sheets
- Cooling rack
- Medium mixing bowl
- Small bowl
- Spatula
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Blossoms
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder: yes, both! the combo gives the cookies a lovely puffy lift.
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Creamy peanut butter: the normal kind, like Skippy or Jif. I’m all for natural peanut butter, but not here: the oil separation could potentially affect the texture of your cookies.
- Eggs, one whole and one yolk, at cool room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Hershey’s kisses: the classic variety, or experiment with something else! I have noticed that some of the filled kinds can melt into a puddle on your cookie- you’ve been warned!
The Process
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Line some baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.
Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar (minus the extra for rolling!) and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
Add the peanut butter and beat well again, until very fluffy.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well combined.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients mixture and mix until well combined.
Place the extra sugar for rolling into a small bowl, and unwrap kisses, if not already done.
Using a tablespoon or a small spring loaded cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls. Roll balls through the sugar and place on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake 9-11 minutes. Cookies will be lightly browned and puffy. Immediately after removing from the oven, press a kiss into the center of each cookie. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
As you can imagine, these need to be totally cool before they can be stored. They keep well, though-they’ll be good in a sealed cookie jar or another airtight container for a few days, or they freeze very well in a single layer.
Enjoy!
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients
- 2 cups 254 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1.5 sticks 170g, 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, at cool room temp
- 3/8 cup 75 g granulated sugar +1/3 cup extra for rolling
- 3/5 cup 125 g lightly packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup 203 g creamy peanut butter
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 40 unwrapped Hershey kisses
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Prep baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or silicone liners and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the peanut butter and beat well until very fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture until fully combined.
- Place 1/3 cup granulated sugar for rolling in a small bowl.
- Using a tablespoon or a small spring-loaded cookie scoop, scoop the dough and use your clean hands to roll into balls. Roll the dough through the sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake 9-11 minutes, until puffy and lightly golden brown.
- Once removed from the oven, press an unwrapped kiss candy into the center of each cookie. Leave on the pan for 3-5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
- Enjoy! Allow to cool completely before storing or the kisses will mush! Once cool, these can be transferred to a cookie jar and will keep well at room temp for 3 days, or they freeze well in a single layer.
Pin for later:
What do you think–are peanut butter blossoms strictly a Christmas cookie, or do you make them for other occasions?
What Should I Make Next?
For another classic go-to dessert recipe, try these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it went in the comments! If you share on Instagram, please tag me at @sisuhomemaker. And I always love to hear from you- send questions, comments, concerns, etc to carol@sisuhomemaker.com!
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