These homemade peanut butter blossoms are soft, tender cookies rolled in sugar and finished with a chocolate Kiss. They come together easily, have a rich peanut butter flavor that pairs perfectly with milk chocolate, and make a beautiful addition to any cookie tray—holiday season or any time of year.
A Note from Fiona
Why you’ll love these Peanut Butter Blossoms!
Peanut butter blossoms are a classic and easy cookie to make. The dough is quick to mix, the cookies stay soft and peanut-buttery, and the Hershey’s Kiss on top adds a nostalgic finishing touch. They’re perfect for holiday cookie trays or exchanges, but just as enjoyable any time you crave a simple, comforting cookie.
Ingredients Needed
- All-purpose flour — measure carefully; too much flour will make the cookies dry. There’s not a lot of flour here because peanut butter helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Baking soda — gives the cookies a slight rise so they aren’t dense.
- Salt — if you use salted butter, reduce the salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
- Unsalted butter — softened to room temperature but not melting.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar — the recipe uses both: brown sugar for depth of flavor and granulated sugar for sweetness and for rolling the dough balls.
- Vanilla extract
- Large egg — room temperature for best results.
- Hershey’s Kisses — about 30 kisses (a 10-ounce bag is sufficient).
Method – with Photos & Tips
If you prefer thicker cookies, chill the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours before baking.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. If the butter is firm, beat it alone for about 1 minute first, then add the sugars and peanut butter.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the peanut butter mixture and mix until the egg is fully incorporated.
- Beat the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 1 hour for thicker cookies, or up to 48 hours if you prefer to prepare ahead.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
- Portion the dough into balls of about 1 tablespoon each. Roll the balls in the remaining granulated sugar and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 8–11 minutes, or until the tops look just set.
- Remove from the oven and gently press an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie. To keep the Kiss from losing its shape, freeze the unwrapped chocolates ahead of time and place the tray briefly in the freezer after topping—5–10 minutes works well.
Recipe Tip
Freeze unwrapped Hershey’s Kisses in a freezer bag before baking. After pressing a frozen Kiss onto each warm cookie, immediately return the cookie sheet to the freezer for 5–10 minutes to help the chocolate keep its classic shape.
Storage
Once baked and cooled, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To freeze, place cooled cookies in a sealed container for up to 2 months and thaw in the refrigerator for best texture.
More Christmas Cookies to Love
- Whipped Shortbread Cookies
- Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread
- Peppermint Sugar Cookies
- Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Equipment
- Cookie sheets
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (167 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 g), softened
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (105 g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 g) for rolling
- 30 Hershey’s Kisses
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and peanut butter until smooth.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 48 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets.
- Form ~1 tablespoon dough balls, roll in 1/3 cup sugar, and place 2 inches apart on sheets.
- Bake in the center of the oven 8–11 minutes, until tops are set.
- Press a frozen, unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss into each warm cookie, then freeze the tray for 5–10 minutes to help the chocolate hold its shape.
Notes
- Freeze unwrapped Hershey’s Kisses before using to prevent them from melting and losing shape.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days or in the fridge up to 1 week. Freeze up to 2 months.
- Nutrition information is an estimate per cookie assuming 30 uniform cookies.