Peanut Butter Blossoms: Easy Christmas Cookie Recipe

I made these peanut butter blossoms at 11pm in my pajamas because I found a bag of Hershey Kisses hiding in the back of the pantry and the idea of turning on the oven was genuinely offensive to me. But then I remembered that these are basically the only cookie that justifies the oven.

I also remembered that I once tried a peanut butter blossom recipe without peanut butter (don’t ask) and they were so dry my dog turned his nose up at them. My grandsons have since informed me that these are better than chocolate chip, which is a bold claim, but I respect it. So here is the easy peanut butter cookie recipe with Hershey kisses that actually works. Here is exactly how I do it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• One bowl, no chilling: Go from craving to cookie in about 30 minutes.
• Kid-approved: The chocolate center makes the cookies feel special.
• Budget-friendly: Basic pantry staples and a bag of Hershey Kisses create the cookies.
• Cookie swap ready: The cookies disappear first at a holiday gathering.
• Soft texture: Slightly underdone centers create a tender cookie.

Tools You’ll Need

Nothing fancy, I promise.

• Cookie scoop: Portion uniform dough balls for even baking. Two spoons work as well.
• Stand mixer or hand mixer: Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugars. You can mix by hand too.
• Baking sheet: Use a light-colored sheet to prevent over-browning.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar – For rolling the dough, gives a nice crunch.
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar – Adds moisture and chew.
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter – Do not use natural peanut butter unless you want dry cookies.
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened – Salted butter works, just reduce added salt.
• 1 large egg – Room temperature is best for even mixing.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Real vanilla makes a difference.
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour – Spoon and level, don’t pack it.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda – Fresh baking soda is key.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt – Balances the sweetness.
• 36 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped – Yes, you have to unwrap them all. It’s a labor of love.

How To Make Peanut Butter Blossoms

Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This recipe is straightforward, but a few small details make a big difference.

1. Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. If it looks a little lumpy, that’s fine.
2. Add the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Overmixing will make them tough, so stop as soon as the flour disappears.
3. Shape the dough: Roll the dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and roll each ball in granulated sugar. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. If the dough is sticky, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes.
4. Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops are slightly cracked. They will look a little underdone in the center – that’s perfect. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes.
5. Add the Kisses: Immediately press a Hershey Kiss into the center of each cookie. Do not wait, or the cookie will crack. Let them cool completely on a wire rack. The chocolate will set as they cool.

Perfect Pairings

These go perfectly with a cold glass of milk, but you already knew that.

• A cold glass of milk balances the peanut butter flavor.
• Hot cocoa with extra marshmallows doubles the chocolate.
• A game day platter gives the cookies a place beside other crowd-pleasing snacks.
• A Christmas cookie tray gains a festive look from red and green sprinkles.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

These peanut butter blossoms combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup butter, 1 egg, vanilla, 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, salt, and 36 Hershey Kisses. You roll 1-inch dough balls in sugar and bake them at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Make these peanut butter blossoms for an easy peanut butter cookie recipe with Hershey kisses that delivers peanut butter blossom cookies for Christmas.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 18 minutes mins

Servings: 36 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 140

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup butter ((or shortening))
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar ((more for rolling))
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour s(pooned and leveled )
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 36 Hershey's Kisses ((unwrapped))

Equipment

• Cookie scoop
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Baking sheet

Method

 

1. Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat and set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Cream 1/2 cup butter with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Add 3/4 cup peanut butter and blend until smooth. Add 1 egg, 2 Tablespoons milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.
3. Add flour and chill. Next add 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix just until combined. Refrigerate 10-20 minutes if the dough is too sticky to handle.
4. Roll dough balls in sugar. Roll dough into 1″ balls (I use a full small cookie scoop). Roll in sugar and then place onto prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the top no longer looks dough (do not let the bottoms brown or the cookies will be dry instead of soft. Remove from oven and let sit on the pan for a couple minutes.
6. Press Hershey's kiss into cookie about a minute after the cookies come out of the oven. If the cookies have cooled slightly, put the cookies back in the oven for 1 minute once the kisses are on top to ensure they stay on top of the cookie.

Recipe Notes

Recipe Credit:
This recipe is slightly adapted from Hershey’s.

Recipe Update (September 16, 2022):
I reduced the flour by 1/4 cup to help prevent excessive cracking. If the dough feels too sticky to handle, gradually add 1 to 3 tablespoons of extra flour until it reaches the right consistency.