When I decide what to put in a Christmas cookie box, Peanut Butter Blossoms are always near the top of the list. They’re a classic holiday cookie—soft, chewy peanut butter cookies with a Hershey’s Kiss pressed into the center. They’re simple to make and always a crowd-pleaser.
About This Recipe
This post is a little late for Christmas, but the cookies were a highlight of our holiday baking. My wife and I were traveling and hosting several dinners in the weeks before the holiday, so I didn’t manage to post sooner. Still, we prepared cookie boxes for friends and family and included a variety of treats: thumbprint cookies, molasses cookies, peppermint chocolate cookies, and these peanut butter blossoms. Everyone loved the assortment—my brother ranked these as his second favorite, while the thumbprints won the top spot.
Peanut Butter Blossoms are essentially peanut butter cookie dough rolled in sugar, baked until just set, and finished with a Hershey’s Kiss. The candy is pressed onto the cookies after they come out of the oven. One important tip: freeze the cookies for about 10 minutes after you press the Kisses into the centers. Pressing warm cookies and leaving them at room temperature often causes the chocolate to melt. I learned this the hard way, so take the extra step and freeze them briefly for a clean, glossy finish.
Key Ingredients
This recipe uses straightforward pantry staples: all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, unsalted butter, packed brown sugar, granulated sugar, one large egg, creamy peanut butter, vanilla extract, and Hershey’s Kisses candies.
A note about peanut butter: I recommend using processed creamy peanut butter rather than natural varieties where the oil separates. Natural peanut butter can make the dough drier and denser if the oil and solids are not well combined, and the thicker, drier portion at the bottom of the jar can affect texture. Stick with the regular creamy kind for reliable results.
Instructions
STEP 1: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
STEP 2: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the unsalted butter, packed brown sugar, and granulated sugar on high speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is pale and creamy. If the butter stays too firm, continue creaming at higher speed for a little longer to warm it up and reach the right texture.
STEP 3: Beat in the egg, then add the vanilla extract and creamy peanut butter. Mix until combined and smooth.
STEP 4: Add the dry ingredients on low speed and mix just until a sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Cooling the dough makes it much easier to shape.
STEP 5: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape the chilled dough into 1-tablespoon balls, roll each ball in sugar, and place them on the prepared sheets, leaving about 3 inches between cookies.
STEP 6: Bake the cookies for 11–13 minutes, until the tops crack slightly and the edges are set. Remove the trays from the oven and let the cookies rest in the pan for 5 minutes so they firm up slightly.
STEP 7: Gently press an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie while they’re warm but no longer piping hot. Transfer the cookies to a plate and place them in the freezer for 10 minutes—this helps the chocolate set without melting. After freezing briefly, the cookies are ready to enjoy or pack into cookie boxes.
📋 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (155 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113 g)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (100 g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 g)
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (185 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 24 Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped
For rolling
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg, then mix in the peanut butter and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients until the dough comes together. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape the dough into 1-tablespoon balls, roll in sugar, and space on the baking sheets about 3 inches apart.
- Bake 11–13 minutes until the tops crack slightly. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes.
- Press a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie. Freeze the cookies for 10 minutes to set the chocolate.
- Store at room temperature up to one week or in the refrigerator up to two weeks.