This Is the Most Delicious Peanut Butter Cookie of All Time
Not to give you too big a peek behind the recipe developer curtain, but when it came time for December I wasn’t too eager to work on peanut butter blossoms. Don’t get me wrong — I think they’re delicious (and my fiancé all but begged me to do it). But there was just one problem: This is my future mother-in-law’s signature holiday cookie. So yeah, I did not want to go anywhere near that.
However, my fiancé is also the sweetest guy who cleans nearly all of my dishes (and our whole apartment, for that matter) without complaint, so how could I say no? Reader, I should have said no! But I didn’t. Instead, I made some really good peanut butter blossoms. The classic cookie recipe is fairly simple, so it truly comes down to the perfect ratio of flour, peanut butter (we have our list of PB faves), and sugar to deliver the ideal tender, chewy peanut butter cookie texture.
Then, you roll that perfect peanut butter cookie dough in sugar, bake until they are just barely cooked, and pull them out of the oven where you press an individual Hershey’s kiss — or, in my FMIL’s (future mother-in-law) case, a mini Reese’s cup — directly in the center, like a little crown on a plush pillow.
While you’re reading this, we’re actually on our way to Texas to see family for the holidays. When we get there, we’ll undoubtedly receive our yearly tub of peanut butter blossoms to bring home to New York. So I won’t be baking anymore of these this year, but you should! And it’s nice to know I can make a delicious peanut butter blossom in the off season.
Why You’ll Love It
The perfect texture. This peanut butter cookie is perfectly tender and chewy — it’s impossible to eat just one!
Just 10 ingredients. These classic cookies have a short, simple ingredient list. Its dialed-in ratio sets them apart from the pack.
Key Ingredients in Peanut Butter Blossoms
Peanut butter: I like to use JIF or Skippy for baking, but any no-stir peanut butter will work! I find that JIF has a stronger, more robust peanut butter flavor versus the more mild flavor of Skippy, which will translate to a more or less peanutty-flavored cookie.
Hershey’s kisses: Peel the chocolate while the cookies are baking. Once they come out, you’ll need to work quickly adding the candy while the cookies are still fresh from the oven.
Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works best here.
Sugar: A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar lends the right amount of sweetness and rich molasses flavor.
Butter: While I personally often bend the rules and use salted butter in my baking, this is not the time to go rogue. Peanut butter is already plenty salty, so stick with the unsalted butter and add a measured amount of kosher salt.
How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms
Make the cookie dough. Beat room-temperature butter, creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and kosher salt in a stand mixer until well-combined and slightly lighter in color. Beat in a large egg and vanilla extract, then add all-purpose flour and baking soda and mix until just combined.
Form the cookies. Scoop and roll the dough into 32 (1-tablespoon) balls and roll in granulated sugar. Spread them evenly across 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake and finish the cookies. Bake the cookies for 5 minutes, then rotate the cookie sheets in the oven and bake until the cookies are puffed, cracked, and just starting to brown on the bottoms, 3 to 5 minutes more. Err on the side of underbaking — the cookies will continue cooking as they cool. Remove from the oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Helpful Swaps
Hershey’s makes plenty of kiss flavors, from classic dark chocolate to seasonal flavors like Christmas cookie — use any you’d like in tandem with a peanut butter cookie!
Do like my future mother-in-law and swap Hershey’s kisses for mini Reese’s peanut butter cups or try a similarly sized piece of your favorite chocolatey candy bar.
Roll the cookie dough in coarser turbinado sugar for a crunchier exterior.
Swap peanut butter for almond butter or cashew butter.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
The sugar-coated dough balls can be frozen solid, then stored in a freezer zip-top bag for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, let the dough balls sit at room temperature while the oven is heating. Bake according to instructions, adding 1 to 3 minutes more to the first round of baking time.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
More Peanut Butter Treats to Try
Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe
The best thing to happen to a chocolate kiss.
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
Makes 32 cookies
Ingredients
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup creamy (no-stir) peanut butter
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
32 chocolate kiss candies, unwrapped
Instructions
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Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 375ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda together in a medium bowl.
Beat 1 stick room-temperature unsalted butter, 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt together with the paddle attachment in a stand mixer on medium speed until well-combined and slightly lighter in color, scraping down the sides as needed, about 2 minutes.
Beat in 1 room-temperature large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until just combined. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined.
Place the remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar on a plate. Scoop and roll the dough into 32 (1-tablespoon) portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Roll each ball in the sugar to coat. Place on the baking sheets at least 1 inch apart, 16 per sheet. (If the dough is too sticky to roll, refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.)
Bake for 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets between racks and from front to back. Bake until the cookies look puffy and cracked, and the bottoms are just starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes more. Immediately press an unwrapped chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The sugar-coated dough balls can be frozen solid, then stored in a freezer zip-top bag for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, let the dough balls sit at room temperature while the oven is heating. Bake according to instructions, adding 1 to 3 minutes more to the first round of baking time.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Forever Cookies
Meet the cookies that'll forever change your holiday baking. From the beloved recipes our families have made for decades to clever twists on classics, these are the keepers we turn to year after year.
