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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Cookies

    Peanut Butter Blossoms

    Updated: Dec 7, 2022 โ€ข Published: Dec 7, 2022 by Sam Merritt โ€ข 133 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    collage of peanut butter blossoms, top image of single cookie close up, bottom image of cookies neatly stacked

    My peanut butter blossoms are made with the softest, butteriest peanut butter cookie base and topped off with a sweet milk chocolate kiss! They’re a classic holiday cookie that’s both fun and easy to make! Recipe includes a how-to video!

    Peanut butter blossoms on a teal decorative plate.

    Homemade Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

    Peanut butter blossoms have always been my favorite cookie on the holiday cookie tray. They’re the perfect combination chocolate and peanut butter (like my peanut butter chocolate cake!), and they are so easy to make. Plus, they’re just so pretty with their sparkly exteriors!

    My recipe is made without shortening and instead uses butter for super soft, and, well, buttery results. You’ll love this swap (I do the same in my peanut butter oatmeal cookies!) and how nice the results are!

    Today’s recipe is adapted from my favorite peanut butter cookies. You’ll simply prepare the dough, let it chill for 30 agonizing short minutes, roll the cookies in sugar, and bake. Once they’re out of the oven, top them off with a Hershey kiss (a fun task for the kids), and you’re done. So simple!

    Serve these alongside sugar cookies and your other favorite holiday cookies and they’ll be a guaranteed hit!

    What You Need

    Bowl of Hershey kisses, with the top kiss missing its wrapper.

    Here are the key ingredients in my super soft peanut butter blossoms:

    • Butter. Rather than using shortening (which many recipes call for) I use all butter in this recipe. The butter makes the flavor deeper, richer, and just all around much better than a shortening-based cookie. Made this way, the interiors are much softer and more melt-in-your-mouth than ones made with shortening.
    • Peanut butter. Do not use the natural/sugar-free peanut butter that separates. Unfortunately, the cookies just won’t bake up the same and tend to become dry and crumbly. Stick with classic peanut butter (Skippy, Jiff, store brand, etc.).
    • Sugar. These cookies wouldn’t be complete without a sparkly sugar coating. I personally like to use an organic cane sugar (the granules are more coarse), but regular granulated sugar would work too. Inside the cookies we’ll use a combination of granulated and light brown sugar for depth of flavor and a nice chewy texture.
    • Cornstarch. Cornstarch is my secret weapon for soft cookies that hold their shape! I use it in my M&M cookies, whipped shortbread, thumbprint cookies, and so many others.
    • Hershey kisses. Milk chocolate Hershey’s kisses are traditional, but you can use dark chocolate or pretty much any other flavor you like.

    SAM’S TIP: I’ve also made these cookies with mini peanut butter cups instead of kisses. Use whichever you prefer here–both work great!

    Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms

    Peanut butter cookie dough ball being rolled through sugar.
    1. Combine the wet ingredients – Cream together the butter and sugars, then stir in the peanut butter. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until well combined.
    2. Add the dry – Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then gradually add them to the wet ingredients. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
    3. Chill and roll – Cover and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, then scoop into 2 teaspoon-sized balls. Roll the dough through sugar before placing on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
    4. Bake, top, and enjoy! Bake the cookies for 8 minutes at 375F. Remove from oven and add Hershey kisses to the centers. Let cool completely on the baking sheet before enjoying!

    SAM’S TIP: Your cookies may look slightly underdone when they come out of the oven–that’s okay (ideal, actually!)! Letting the cookies finish baking on their sheets makes for super soft, tender results. If you were to bake them completely in the oven, they would be hard and crumbly once cooled.

    Peanut butter cookies that have been rolled in sugar and topped with chocolate kisses.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why are my peanut butter blossoms dry?

    The most likely reason for this is not measuring flour properly or over-baking. Make sure you either spoon and level (no scooping!) or use a kitchen scale to measure your flour, and let your cookies finish baking outside the oven on their cookie sheets.

    Can peanut butter blossoms be frozen?

    Yes! Just let them cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the freezer. They should last about three months stored this way. See also my post on how to freeze cookie dough.

    Can I use “natural” peanut butter?

    I do not recommend using natural peanut butter (the kind that separates) here or in any of my other recipes. Use normal, creamy peanut butter for best results.

    Peanut butter blossom cookies on plate

    I hope you love my version of this classic cookie ❤️

    Enjoy!

    Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

    Peanut butter blossoms on a teal decorative plate.

    Peanut Butter Blossoms

    My Peanut Butter Blossoms recipe yields incredibly soft peanut butter cookies topped off with a milk chocolate kiss! This recipe can easily be doubled. Be sure to check out the how-to video!
    4.97 from 63 votes
    Print Pin Rate
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    Course: Cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Chilling Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24 cookies
    Calories: 176kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 10 Tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
    • ⅔ cup (135 g) light brown sugar tightly packed
    • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
    • ½ cup (140 g) creamy peanut butter
    • 1 large egg room temperature preferred
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
    • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup granulated sugar for rolling
    • 24 Milk Chocolate Kisses unwrapped

    Recommended Equipment

    • Mixing bowls
    • Cookie scoop
    • Baking sheet

    Instructions

    • Combine butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer (or you may use a large bowl and an electric mixer) and beat until well combined (about 1 minute).
      10 Tablespoons (141 g) unsalted butter, ⅔ cup (135 g) light brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
    • Add peanut butter and stir well.
      ½ cup (140 g) creamy peanut butter
    • Add eggs and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.  
      1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
      1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
    • Gradually add flour mixture into the peanut butter batter, pausing occasionally to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl so that all ingredients are well-combined.
    • Cover dough with plastic wrap and Place in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes to one hour*  
    • Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Pour remaining ½ cup of sugar into a small bowl and set aside.
      ½ cup granulated sugar for rolling
    • Once dough has chilled, remove from refrigerator and roll into 2-teaspoon-sized balls. Roll completely in sugar and place on prepared cookie sheet at least 2″ apart.  
    • Bake on 375F (190C) for 8 minutes.
    • Within a minute or so of removing cookies from oven, gently but firmly press a Hershey Kiss into the center of each cookie.  Allow to cool completely on cookie sheet.
      24 Milk Chocolate Kisses

    Notes

    *Chilling

    Start with 30 minutes, if the dough is too sticky or cookies come out too flat, return for another half an hour. This dough may be chilled overnight if needed.

    Storing

    Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 157IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    I originally shared this recipe 12/04/2017, post updated to include more tips and information 12/01/2018

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. SUSAN

      January 08, 2019 at 8:33 pm

      5 stars
      I made these last night, instead of using Hershey Kisses, I used milk chocolate chips. I still rolled them in the sugar just like with the blossoms. After baking, the cookies were still puffed up so I just used my spatula and pressed them flat. Absolutely delicious!

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 08, 2019 at 11:17 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed them, Susan! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Stephanie

      December 28, 2018 at 7:28 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious!! The only con of this cookie is that they are gone already!

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 28, 2018 at 11:46 pm

        ๐Ÿ˜‚ I guess you will have to make more! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    3. Brenda

      December 24, 2018 at 11:06 am

      Hershey kisses are not the traditional chocolate used. Brachs chocolate stars make the best cookies and they are easier to eat. We have used them for 20 years and they are readily available this time of year. I imagine Hershey co. got in there somehow to promote their product.

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 24, 2018 at 11:08 am

        Interesting, I’ve only ever known them with the kisses. This recipe will work with whichever you choose to use ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Nayy

        August 19, 2020 at 7:43 pm

        5 stars
        Hello I noticed it says to roll into 2 tsp sized balls but my cookie scoop is 1 1/2 tbsp was wondering if by any chance you’ll know how many cookies I’ll end up with. I’ll like to bake & sell them wondering how much dough I should make.

        Reply
        • Sam

          August 19, 2020 at 9:15 pm

          Hi Nayy! Usisng 1 1/2 Tbsp will be a bit much and the cookie might overwhelm the chocolate kiss, but you’d end up with almost half the number of cookies indicated.

        • Nayy

          August 19, 2020 at 9:45 pm

          5 stars
          Thank you so much for replying back so fast! I normally use a different recipe that makes 7 dozen pb blossoms & says roll into tbsp balls just wanted to use your recipe for a change since you make delicious desserts ๐Ÿ˜‰ I’ll give them a go they’ll come out a bit bigger I could sell them for more lol! Wish me luck thanks again! ๐Ÿค—

        • Sam

          August 20, 2020 at 12:07 pm

          I hope you love them, they’re really one of my favorite cookies ever! ๐Ÿ™‚

    4. Andrea

      December 24, 2018 at 1:45 am

      I want find a good cookie recipe I can make with the kisses without the peanut butter is this recipe possible with the peanut butter?

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 24, 2018 at 11:11 am

        This one wouldn’t work without the peanut butter but I do have a peanut butter-free Chocolate Kiss Cookie if you want to check that one out!

        Reply
    5. Carisa Simpson

      December 22, 2018 at 5:00 pm

      5 stars
      Fabulous Cookie!

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 22, 2018 at 5:36 pm

        Thank you so much, Carisa! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    6. Phyllis Hall

      December 18, 2018 at 10:40 pm

      5 stars
      I have been making these for years but tried this recipe and these are delicious. What a nice tender cookie.
      thanks for a great recipe.

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 18, 2018 at 11:32 pm

        Thank you so much Phyllis! I am so glad you enjoyed them. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. claire

      December 17, 2018 at 3:02 pm

      Does it need to be natural/ sugar free peanut butter?

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 17, 2018 at 5:08 pm

        Hi, Claire. I actually advise against using sugar free/natural peanut butter. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    8. Rose

      December 14, 2018 at 8:55 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe! Also the “worse chocolate chip cookie” recipe is also delicious! Thank you for sharing them.

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 14, 2018 at 4:21 pm

        Thank you very much, Rose. I am so glad you enjoy them! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    9. Dani

      December 10, 2018 at 11:42 pm

      5 stars
      I was in search of a pb blossom cookie and this one was awesome! I ended up rolling mine in coarse sugar before popping them into the oven to make them a bit more sparkly and they came out perfect. I made some for a Christmas party and everyone loved them. I received so many compliments! I ended up freezing some dough and I can’t wait to dig in to that soon! Thanks so much for the awesome recipe Sam. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 11, 2018 at 10:08 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed them, Dani! You can never have enough sugar in my opinion. ๐Ÿ˜‰

        Reply
    10. Tanja

      December 01, 2018 at 2:18 pm

      5 stars
      These look amazing! I will definitely bake them for Christmas! Do you have any tips on baking ahead and freezing holiday cookies?

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 04, 2018 at 7:20 pm

        Hi Tanja! Most cookies can be baked ahead and frozen just fine, but it does depend on the particular recipe. These Peanut Butter Blossoms can be, just make sure to let them cool completely after baking, store in an airtight container, and let the chocolate from the kiss re-harden so that the kisses don’t get smooshed in storage. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    11. Beth

      December 17, 2017 at 6:18 pm

      5 stars
      Just finished making these. They are amazing! FYI – I live above 5,000 ft., so I increased the flour by 1/4 cup and decreased the baking time by 1 minute if anyone else needs to know. Thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
    12. Linda Smith

      December 15, 2017 at 6:45 pm

      That were some magnificent cookies, thank you for the receipt!!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 15, 2017 at 9:31 pm

        So glad you enjoyed them!! They are one of my favorites, too! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    13. Carol

      December 11, 2017 at 1:00 pm

      5 stars
      Recently found your site & I’m loving all your recipes. So easy to follow & always yummy.
      Look forward to working my way through your cookie recipes over the next couple of weeks.
      Merry Christmas !

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 11, 2017 at 11:55 pm

        I’m so happy to hear this! I hope you love these, Carol! ๐Ÿ™‚ Merry Christmas!!

        Reply
        • Carol

          December 23, 2017 at 11:14 am

          Made these last weekend and my husband said this was the best cookie he had ever tasted. And trust me when I say he has tasted a lot of cookies. ๐Ÿ™‚
          Making another batch today.
          Thanks for the recipe.

        • Sam

          December 23, 2017 at 12:57 pm

          That is awesome! They are one of my favorites, too, I’m so glad that you and your husband enjoyed them so much!!! ๐Ÿ™‚
          Thank you for letting me know how they turned out for you, Carol!! ๐Ÿ™‚

    14. Kelly

      December 08, 2017 at 10:09 am

      5 stars
      You weren’t kidding, these are really the best peanut butter cookies I have ever had! thank you for such a great recipe, Sam! I printed it out and put it on my refrigerator so I can make it over and over again.

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 09, 2017 at 2:02 am

        Aren’t they, though!! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Kelly! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    15. Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat

      December 04, 2017 at 12:57 pm

      These are such a classic! Matt and I also recently put up our tree and it took WAY longer than expected. Hopefully yours went better!

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 04, 2017 at 10:51 pm

        Thank you!! ๐Ÿ™‚ It wasn’t too bad, but there were pine needles EVERYWHERE!!!!

        Reply
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