Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe

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Peanut Butter Blossoms are the quintessential cookie for the holidays! A deliciously soft peanut buttery cookie with a Hershey’s Kiss in the middle…perfection! While these are a classic cookie option, be sure to check out my archive of Christmas Cookie Recipes here.

 

Table of Contents

Not All Peanut Butter is Created Equal

With this Peanut Butter Blossom recipe, the cookie base is made with peanut butter, two kinds of sugar, and some other pantry ingredients. Something to note is that not all peanut butter works interchangeably in this recipe. Be sure to use Jif, Skippy or any other brand of peanut butter that is not ‘natural’. You need the sweetness in the peanut butter that all-natural kinds don’t have PLUS Jif is a more consistent product and tends to give you better results.

That’s not to say if you only have all-natural peanut butter you should go out and get some Jif. If that’s all you have, then use it. They WILL turn out, but might be a little flatter because of the nature of the natural peanut butter. (Does anyone else struggle with stirring jars of separated peanut butter?)

Ingredient Notes

These classic pantry staples come together to make soft, chewy peanut butter blossoms with just the right balance of sweet, salty, and chocolatey goodness.

• Peanut Butter – Smooth peanut butter gives these cookies their rich peanut butter flavor and soft, tender texture. Avoid natural peanut butter since it can make the dough too oily or crumbly.
• Butter – Softened butter creams easily with the sugars, creating a light cookie dough and adding plenty of buttery flavor.
• Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar sweetens the dough and is also used for rolling the cookie dough balls before baking for that signature sparkly finish.
• Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds a little extra moisture and a subtle caramel flavor that keeps the cookies soft.
• Egg – One egg helps bind everything together while giving the cookies structure and a tender crumb.
• Milk – A splash of milk adds just enough moisture to bring the dough together into the perfect consistency.
• Vanilla Extract – Vanilla rounds out the peanut butter flavor and adds a warm, homemade taste to every bite.
• All-Purpose Flour – All-purpose flour provides the structure the cookies need while still keeping them soft and chewy.
• Baking Soda – Baking soda helps the cookies rise slightly and creates their classic crackled tops.
• Hershey’s Kisses – Pressed into the center while the cookies are still warm, Hershey’s Kisses melt just enough to create the iconic chocolate center.

How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms

I’ve been on a bit of a cookie-eating binge and decided to add Peanut Butter Blossoms into the mix! Not only are these super popular with practically everyone, but they are super simple to throw together if you have a little time on your hands this holiday season. They are basically a soft peanut butter cookie with a chocolate kiss in the middle. SO GOOD. For full recipe details on how to make those delicious Hershey Kiss Cookies, see the printable recipe card down below.

Step 1: Preheat Oven + Make the Dough

Preheat the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (it keeps the cookies from sticking and makes cleanup so much easier), then set them aside.

Beat softened butter and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended. Measure and add in 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar. Stir until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; stir well. 

Stir flour, baking soda, and salt into the peanut butter mixture until just incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again briefly.

Step 2: Scoop + Roll Dough

Scoop into cookies using a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop. Roll in between your palms and then roll in sugar. Place on baking sheets.

About Chilling the Dough. My recipe doesn’t require you to chill your dough, but if you are paranoid that your cookies will spread too thin, go ahead and refrigerate. Chilling for 20 minutes is a good amount of time.

Step 3: Bake, Kiss + Cool

Bake until very lightly golden in color. Cracks are OK! As soon as you pull your cookies out of the oven, plunge a Hershey’s Kiss into the center, creating the crackly-looking cookie that these Peanut Butter Blossoms are known for.

Cool on the hot baking sheet and then remove to cooling racks.

Doubling This Recipe: Let me give you some much-needed advice, double this recipe. Seriously, these Peanut Butter Blossoms will go quickly! The more, the merrier, right?

Tools You’ll Need

You only need a few basic baking tools to make these peanut butter blossoms. Having them ready before you start makes the process quick and easy.

• Baking Sheet – A sturdy baking sheet helps the cookies bake evenly and gives the bottoms a light golden finish.
• Hand Mixer – Makes it easy to cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugar until light and fluffy for the best cookie texture.
• Mixing Bowls – A set of mixing bowls keeps the wet and dry ingredients organized and makes prep less messy.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons – Accurate measuring cups and spoons help keep the dough consistent, so every batch turns out the same.
• Cookie Scoop – A cookie scoop creates evenly sized dough balls, which helps all the cookies bake at the same rate.

Tips for Success

These simple tips will help you bake soft, chewy peanut butter blossoms every time.

• Measure the flour correctly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping straight from the bag. Too much flour can make the cookies dry.
• Use softened butter. It should be soft enough to press with your finger, but not melted. This helps the dough cream properly for a lighter texture.
• Don’t overmix the dough. Once the dry ingredients are added, mix just until everything is combined to keep the cookies tender.
• Keep the dough balls the same size. Using a cookie scoop helps every cookie bake evenly and finish at the same time.
• Don’t overbake. The cookies should look set around the edges while the centers still look slightly soft. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
• Press the chocolate kiss in right away. Add it as soon as the cookies come out of the oven so it settles into the cookie without cracking it.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. Give them a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack so they don’t fall apart while they’re still soft.
• Unwrap the chocolate kisses before baking. Having them ready makes it much easier to press one into each warm cookie while working quickly.

What to Serve With Peanut Butter Blossoms

These classic cookies fit right into any dessert spread. Pair them with a few homemade favorites for parties, cookie exchanges, or holiday gatherings.

• Chocolate Chip Cookies for a classic cookie assortment everyone will love.
• Snickerdoodles to add a soft cinnamon sugar option to the tray.
• Double Chocolate M&M Cookies for rich chocolate flavor that pairs well with peanut butter.
• Butterfinger Brownies to mix cookies and dessert bars on one platter.
• Rice Krispie Treats for a simple, chewy treat that’s always popular.
• Classic No Bake Cookies for another peanut butter favorite with a different texture.
• Crockpot Hot Chocolate for a cozy drink that’s perfect with warm, freshly baked cookies.

Storing Peanut Butter Blossoms

Store cooled Peanut Butter Blossoms in a single layer or stack them by placing a sheet of wax paper in between layers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They should stay pretty fresh and soft!

Make-Ahead Instructions:

To make these Peanut Butter Blossoms ahead of time, simply freeze the dough. This can be done after rolling in sugar and can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To bake, no need to thaw these cookies before baking; just add a minute or two to the baking time.

FAQs

Variations

It’s easy to switch up these peanut butter blossoms with a few simple changes.

• Use a different chocolate candy. Swap the classic chocolate kiss for caramel-filled, dark chocolate, or cookies and cream candies.
• Roll in festive sugar. Use red and green sanding sugar for Christmas, pastel colors for Easter, or orange and black for Halloween.
• Try crunchy peanut butter. It adds little bits of peanuts for extra texture in every bite.
• Dip the cookies in chocolate. Once cooled, dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and let it set for an extra-rich treat.
• Add mini chocolate chips. Stir a handful into the dough for even more chocolate in every bite.
• Make them extra festive. Top the warm chocolate kiss with colorful sprinkles before it sets.
• Use peanut butter cups. Mini peanut butter cups make a fun substitute for chocolate kisses if you want even more peanut butter flavor.
• Drizzle with melted chocolate. A quick drizzle of milk, dark, or white chocolate adds a simple bakery-style finish.

More Peanut Butter Recipes to Try:

• Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
• Scotcharoos
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
• Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies
• Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies
• Peanut Butter Caramel Cookies
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
• Reese’s Pieces Cookies

There you have it! These Peanut Butter Blossoms are soft, chewy, and always a crowd favorite. Be sure to save, print, or bookmark this recipe so it’s ready whenever a cookie craving hits. Happy baking, friends!

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.