You just can't beat the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate! Share these easy Peanut Butter Blossoms on Christmas cookie trays, serve them with a glass of milk for an after-school snack, or whip up a batch when you need a quick crowd-pleasing dessert. The soft and chewy peanut butter cookies are topped with rich, chocolatey Hershey's Kisses for the ultimate festive treat.
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
A throwback to childhood, Peanut Butter Blossoms are soft and chewy peanut butter cookies rolled in sugar and topped with Hershey's Kisses. They're easy to prepare and popular with both kids and adults -- making them a classic Christmas cookie for generations.
In fact, the original peanut butter blossom cookie recipe dates back to the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest in 1957! The delicious salty-and-sweet treats have been a favorite American dessert ever since -- especially during the holiday season.
Ingredients for Peanut Blossom Cookies
- Sugars: both granulated sugar and brown sugar add sweetness, the brown sugar helps to keep the cookies soft and chewy.
- Butter: use salted butter in this recipe for extra flavor and to highlight the sweet-and-salty contrast in the peanut butter cookies.
- Egg: acts as a binder.
- Peanut butter: we prefer Jif brand smooth and creamy peanut butter.
- Vanilla extract and salt: more flavor!
- All-purpose flour: the base of these soft and chewy peanut butter cookies.
- Baking soda: a leavening agent to help the cookies rise.
- Hershey's Kisses chocolate candies: the blossom part of the peanut butter cookies (and perhaps the most delicious addition)!
How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms
This Peanut Butter Blossom cookie recipe never goes out of style, so whip up a batch to share with your family or pack up a box as a gift for your friends during the holiday season. They’re one of those popular treats that both kids and adults adore!
Step 1: Make Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
Cream together the sugars and butter, then add the egg, peanut butter and vanilla. Gradually mix in the sifted dry ingredients, just until combined.
Can the dough for Peanut Butter Blossom cookies be chilled before baking?
You don’t need to chill the dough — which is one reason that these peanut blossoms are so quick and easy! The amount of flour in the recipe prevents the cookies from spreading too thin in the oven. If your kitchen is particularly warm; however, or if your dough is sitting out for a long time, I recommend chilling the dough in the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. It can't hurt, and this step will ensure the thickest, chewiest cookies possible!
Step 2: Roll in Sugar
Use a cookie scoop to shape the dough into round balls. Roll the dough balls in granulated sugar to coat on all sides.
Step 3: Bake
Arrange the cookies about 2 inches apart on greased or lined baking sheets.
Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 9-10 minutes, or until the tops begin to slightly crack. They should still be soft. Tip: unwrap the Kisses while the cookies are in the oven!
Step 4: Add Hershey's Kisses
Pull the cookies out of the oven and place the baking sheets on wire racks. Let the cookies cool for a couple of minutes, and then gently press a Hershey's Kiss into the center of each warm cookie.
The chocolates will get soft from the heat of the cookie, but they will firm up again as the cookies cool completely. Once cool, pack up the treats to enjoy later, or pour yourself a tall glass of milk and dig in!
Storage Tips for Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for about 3-4 days. Tip: To keep them nice and soft, place a piece of white sandwich bread in the container with the cookies.
To Freeze
You can freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag for up to 3 months. Alternatively, freeze the cookie dough before baking. Simply place the sugar-coated dough balls on a parchment-lined pan and freeze until solid. Once frozen, remove from the pan and transfer the dough balls to a Ziploc freezer bag. Store the dough in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Bake Frozen Peanut Butter Blossoms
Place the frozen, pre-scooped sugar-coated dough balls onto a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for 2-3 minutes longer than the original recipe recommends (in this case, about 11-12 minutes).
Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- Chewy Peanut Butter Blossoms: pull the cookies out of the oven when they still look soft (and slightly under-baked in the center). They will firm up as they cool, but will remain nice and chewy on the inside.
- While it's not mandatory when you're in a rush, I find that chilling the dough for about 30 minutes yields the thickest, chewiest peanut butter cookies.
- Use a processed peanut butter (like Jif) rather than all-natural peanut butter. The processed nut butters do not separate, which yields a better quality cookie.
Recipe Variations - Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Different Flavors: Instead of the classic milk chocolate Hershey's Kisses, try other flavors like Hot Cocoa Kisses, Special Dark Kisses, or Hershey's Hugs (which include white chocolate).
- 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Blossoms: For a shortcut treat, use store-bought peanut butter cookie dough (like this Pillsbury Peanut Butter Cookie Dough). Shape it into balls, roll in sugar, bake and top with chocolate kisses.
- Christmas Peanut Butter Blossoms: Instead of rolling the cookie dough in granulated sugar, roll the dough balls in festive red and green sugar or even holiday-themed sprinkles.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
- Snickerdoodles
- Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Old-Fashioned Williamsburg Gingerbread Cookies
- Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar, plus extra for coating
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 24 Hershey’s kisses (or more or less, depending on how many cookies you make)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two baking sheets or line with parchment or silicone mats.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter. Add egg, peanut butter and vanilla extract. Beat well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk (or sift) together flour, salt and baking soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix just until combined. Optional, but recommended: cover and chill dough for up to 30 minutes for really thick, chewy cookies.
- Place about ½ cup of additional granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Using a cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons), roll dough into balls and coat in sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
- Bake in the 375 degree F oven for 9-10 minutes, or until the tops begin to crack a little bit. The cookies will still be soft. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place on wire racks to cool. Let the cookies cool for 2-3 minutes, then place a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Cool on the baking sheets for about 3-5 more minutes, and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- Chewy Peanut Butter Blossoms: pull the cookies out of the oven when they still look soft (and slightly under-baked in the center). They will firm up as they cool, but will remain nice and chewy on the inside.
- While it's not mandatory when you're in a rush, I find that chilling the dough for about 30 minutes yields the thickest, chewiest peanut butter cookies.
- Use a processed peanut butter (like Jif) rather than all-natural peanut butter. The processed nut butters do not separate, which yields a better quality cookie.
Delish indeed! We call these Kissy cookies, same recipe as yours. Thank you for providing all that extra information on the ingredients, etc. It surely will help many bakers feel confident.
Thanks, Olivia! I love that name -- I should adopt it! 🙂