Peanut Butter Blossoms (Hershey Kiss Cookies)
Soft peanut butter cookie, crackled sugar coating, and a chocolate kiss pressed into the center while warm: peanut butter blossoms are pure holiday nostalgia. These cookies have been a Christmas cookie exchange staple for generations, and one bite explains why. The salty-sweet peanut butter base pairs perfectly with the milk chocolate kiss melting gently on top.
This recipe makes cookies that stay soft for days, with the ideal peanut butter intensity. Rolling the dough in sugar before baking gives the signature crackled crust that shatters delicately against the tender interior.
Why This Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe Works
The ideal peanut butter blossom is soft, not crumbly. Many recipes bake up dry because they use too much flour or overbake. This version uses a higher ratio of peanut butter and brown sugar for moisture, plus an extra yolk for richness. Pressing the kiss in immediately after baking, while the cookie is hot, lets the chocolate anchor itself as the cookie cools and firms around it.
Unwrap all the kisses before you start. You will need to work fast when the cookies come out of the oven, and fumbling with foil wrappers costs precious seconds.
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Blossoms
- 1 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (190g) creamy peanut butter (not natural)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 48 chocolate kisses, unwrapped
Peanut butter choice matters. Use a standard commercial creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butters, with their separated oils, make dry, crumbly cookies. Crunchy peanut butter works if you like texture, but creamy gives the classic result.
How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment. Unwrap all the chocolate kisses and set aside. Place the 1/3 cup rolling sugar in a shallow bowl.
- Mix dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream. Beat the butter, peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients on low speed and mix just until no flour streaks remain.
- Shape and roll. Scoop 1-tablespoon portions, roll into balls, and roll each generously in the sugar. Space 2 inches apart on the sheets.
- Bake. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until puffed and the tops are crackled but the centers still look slightly soft.
- Press the kisses. Working quickly, press one chocolate kiss firmly into the center of each hot cookie. The cookie will crack around the edges; that is the signature look. Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Do not stack until the chocolate is fully set, about 1 hour.
Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Blossoms
Work fast with the kisses. Have them unwrapped and within reach. If the cookies cool too much before pressing, the kisses will not adhere.
Do not overbake. The cookies should look slightly underdone when you pull them. They set as they cool into soft, chewy perfection.
Chill the kisses. Cold chocolate holds its shape better against the hot cookie, giving you that perfect kiss silhouette instead of a melted blob.
Variations
Use dark chocolate kisses, caramel-filled kisses, or peanut butter cup minis for twists. Roll in red and green sugar for Christmas. For a double-chocolate version, replace 1/4 cup of flour with cocoa powder.
Storage
Layer in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 5 days at room temperature. The cookies stay soft; the chocolate firms back up within an hour. Freeze baked cookies for 3 months.
These peanut butter blossoms are holiday magic in cookie form. Soft, salty-sweet, and crowned with chocolate, they earn their place on every cookie tray.
Peanut Butter Blossom FAQs
Can I use natural peanut butter?
It is not recommended. Natural peanut butters have separated oils and less sugar, producing dry, crumbly cookies. Standard commercial creamy peanut butter gives the soft, tender texture this recipe is known for.
Why did my chocolate kisses not stick?
They were likely pressed in too late, after the cookies had cooled and firmed. Press the kiss into each cookie immediately when it comes out of the oven, while the center is still soft and hot.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes. Roll the dough into balls (without the sugar coating), freeze on a tray, then bag for up to 3 months. Thaw 15 minutes, roll in sugar, and bake as directed, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
How do I keep the kisses from melting into blobs?
Chill the unwrapped kisses before baking so they hold their shape against the hot cookie. Work quickly and avoid pressing them into an overly hot oven-fresh cookie if your kitchen is very warm.
