These peanut butter blossoms are one of my favorite cookie recipes! Made with the absolute softest, butteriest peanut butter cookie base. These cookies are topped off with a milk chocolate kiss for the best way to get your peanut butter and chocolate fix!
This recipe is adapted from my favorite peanut butter cookies. I think you’ll love how buttery soft the cookie base is; it’s the perfect starting point for a milk chocolate Kiss! Be sure to check out my peanut butter blossom recipe video at the bottom of the recipe card!
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Happy December! We kicked off Christmas cookie season yesterday with my spritz cookies and today I’m re-sharing what just might be my favorite cookie from last year’s cookie tray: Peanut Butter Blossoms.
Zach and I are about to head out the door to pick out a Christmas tree this morning and once that’s up I’ll be in full-on baking mode. I’ve already made my sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies, but this weekend’s agenda includes plenty more peanut butter blossoms (and maybe a video re-shoot of my Gingerbread cookies).
What are your favorite cookies to bake during the holidays?
I perfected this recipe last year, and maybe you even remember me raving about it.
Super soft, buttery, perfection. Peanut Butter Blossoms have always been a favorite cookie of mine, but I’ve improved upon them by making some key recipe modifications and I’m excited for you to try them out for yourself.
Butter is Better
Rather than using any shortening (which many peanut butter blossom recipes call for) I use all butter in this recipe. I’ve always believed that shortening was acceptable in peanut butter cookies, until I took it upon myself to develop an all-butter version. 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.
I sent a batch of these in with Zach to share with his co-workers, and he said he couldn’t believe how many comments he got on how soft and delicious they were. Once you try this butter-based peanut butter blossom recipe out for yourself, I am positive you’ll never go back to shortening.
How to Decorate Peanut Butter Blossoms — Sparkly Sugar is Key!
Peanut butter blossoms wouldn’t be complete without a sparkly sugar coating around the cookies. I used an organic cane sugar because I like the coarser sugar granules, but these peanut butter blossoms work just as well with regular granulated sugar.
For the “blossom” portion (the chocolate part is the blossom, right?), I used milk chocolate Hershey’s kisses. These are traditional chocolates used for making peanut butter blossoms, but I’ve also made them using mini Reese’s cups. Right now there are so many different varieties of kisses available now you might even want to experiment with different flavors besides milk chocolate (“hot cocoa” flavor is next on my list!).
Enjoy!
Oh, and if you have any suggestions for puppy-proofing a Christmas tree I’m all ears! We have one feisty foster puppy left and she spends most of her time in our living room, where we plan to put our tree! 😳
Treat yourself to a FREE E-BOOK!
How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients
- 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature (141g)
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar tightly packed (135g)
- ¼ cup sugar (50g)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (140g)
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (188g)
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar for rolling
- 24 Milk Chocolate Kisses unwrapped
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).
- Add peanut butter, and stir well.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and 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.
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
I originally shared this recipe 12/04/2017, post updated to include more tips and information 12/01/2018
Leslie
Hi there! I just realized I used baking powder instead of baking soda. The dough is chilling in the fridge now. Is it a waste; should I start over? Or do you think the cookies will turn out ok? Not sure if these ingredients are interchangeable or not. Thanks so much for the recipe. I’ve already made your sugar cookies and gingerbread men too! Delicious!!
Sugar Spun Run
Hey, Leslie! It happens. I would try baking one and seeing how it turns out. You should be ok. Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Kelly
Have you ever made these in a mini muffin tin with a peanut butter cup?
Sam
I have not, but I think that would work! Just keep in mind that the baking time may vary.
Marissa
Could you over chill the dough by chance? I’m planning on prepping the dough and chilling it while we do church service. But, I don’t want to chill it for to long. Probably for about 3-5 hours.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Marissa! You can. It may just need to sit a room temperature when you take it out for a little bit so the dough can be more manageable to work with. I hope that you enjoy the peanut butter blossoms. 🙂
Kelly
Perfection! I’ve used other recipes and I would be disappointed because they were too flat. This recipe is perfect, and I’ll never use any other recipe again.
Not only were they perfect, plump, and beautiful, they were delicious!! Wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Kelly! I am so glad that you enjoyed the peanut butter blossoms. 🙂
Eileen
They look beautiful! Funny….this is the first time I ever used a cookie scoop thanks to you! I have 2 college sons who will just love these cookies….(not to mention my husband, daughter and adult son….did I mention my mother-n-law) Thank you! Merry Christmas!
Sugar Spun Run
I love it, Eileen! I am so glad that the peanut butter blossoms have become a family favorite. Thank you so much for commenting. Happy Holidays to you! 🙂
Melissa Willison
I. Ever heard of using cornstarch in these cookies. Why is that?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Melissa! The cornstarch helps the cookies from spreading and helps make a tender soft cookie. 🙂
Marilyn
Is parchment paper a must ? I didn’t have that, or plastic wrap when preparing these. So I covered the bowl in the fridge with tin foil…… to chill, and I will be using just a regular cookie sheet to bake them.
Surprising my fiancé here within minutes. Wish me luck !
Marilyn
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Marilyn! Covering it in foil will work just fine. I can’t wait to hear how they turn out. 🙂
Marilyn
These cookies turned out perfect ! My fiancé loved them.
I would like to try the organic sugar next time tho.
Also I sprinkled a bit of left over sugar on them too.
Thank you very much for the recipe that didn’t fail !
Merry Christmas !
Marilyn
Sugar Spun Run
That is wonderful, Marilyn! I am so glad that he enjoyed them. Merry Christmas to you too! 🙂
Liz
I’m looking forward to trying these. What kind of peanut butter do you think is best? We have a “natural” one without sugar and one with sugar in it. I find the peanut butter can make or break a cookie. Your suggestion would be helpful.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Liz! I don’t recommend natural peanut butter. I typically use a generic or Jiff. I hope you enjoy the cookies. 🙂
Liz
Thanks! I’m sure I will. 🙂
Mischa
Have you made these without the chocolate kiss? Just curious if they would make a super awesome plain peanut butter cookie?
Naomi Blankemeyer
These cookies were absolutely amazing. They looked absolutely amazing also!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies, Naomi! 🙂
FC
Great cookies. Soft and chewy. Next time can you take a picture of the inside of the cookie as well? Mine seem under cooked but perhaps they are supposed to be like that.
Thanks
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them! They are supposed to be a very soft cookie, did you let them cool completely on the pan? I know I can be really impatient sometimes and take them off a little early. If you did let them cool on the pan, they may have just needed another minute in the oven. 🙂
JESSICA MOORE
So, so, so, so good! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I have tried so many peanut butter cookie recipes, trying to find something similar to my grandma’s, and I have failed so many times.
These were SO delicious, and did I say thank you? Haha…
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Jessica! 🙂
Dmk
Best version of these cookies ever!!
Sam
So happy you enjoyed them! I definitely think so, too 🙂
JD
Too soft for my liking. The butter was dominating. I’ll stick to the standard recipe next time.
Sam
Buttery and soft are kinda what these cookies are all about (it is up there in bold in the description, after all) 😉
I understand that everyone has different preferences but I’m taking this comment as a compliment. Thank you for giving your feedback though, JD!
C
If i wanted to add chopped nuts how much would you recommend?
Sam
I would probably keep it under a cup, just add until you are satisfied. 🙂
C
Thank you! These are the BEST peanut butter cookies I have ever tasted!! This is now the only recipe I will ever use.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂