Peanut Blossoms (from Scratch)
These cookies are amazing! In fact, we’re pretty sure that the only people who don’t love peanut butter blossoms are people who haven’t tried peanut butter blossoms. This sweet recipe has been a go-to for home bakers everywhere since it debuted at the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest. (In a hurry? Try our three-ingredient Quick Peanut Blossoms for an even quicker cookie.) Recipe courtesy of Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest 09, 1957, Freda Smith, Gibsonburg, Ohio. https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/peanut-blossoms/b5de97ec-9e31-4303-8cb7-9484b5e4e86b and 1959 Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Offs, page 402.
Servings 48 Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup shortening
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 unbeaten egg
- Sugar
- 48 Hershey's® Kisses® Brand milk chocolates unwrapped
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, shortening, peanut butter, milk, vanilla and egg; mix with electric mixer on low speed until stiff dough forms.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with 1 milk chocolate candy, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour or until chocolate is set.
- Expert Tips
- The combo of shortening with the peanut butter ensures that the cookies stay chewy.
- Chocolate kisses are the most traditional and favorite candy for blossom cookies, but you can press in mini peanut butter cups, caramel-filled chocolate candies, or large candy-coated chocolates for some variety. Just know that the warm cookies may crack a little more when you press in the chocolate candies.
- Try rolling dough balls in coarse sparkling sugar instead of granulated sugar for a special look. Coarse sparkling sugar adds extra sparkle to holiday cookies and can be found in the cake decorating section of most grocery stores.
- Flat cookie sheets made of shiny aluminium with a smooth surface produce the best results because they reflect heat, letting cookies bake evenly and brown properly. Rimmed baking sheets are excellent for many things, but not for cookie making.
- To Freeze: cool cookies completely, about 1 hour or until chocolate is set. Place cookies in airtight container in single layer between parchment or waxed paper; cover. Freeze up to 2 months. To thaw, let stand, uncovered at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
