Description
Bake Soft Peanut Butter Blossoms this holiday! A classic cookie with a chocolate kiss, perfect for sharing. My easy recipe makes baking delightful.
Ingredients
Scale
- Cookie Base:
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (128g) creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Flavor Boosters:
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for rolling)
- The Iconic Topping:
- 36 Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped
- Optional Sparkle:
- Holiday sprinkles (for rolling dough, if desired)
Instructions
- Creaming the Good Stuff:: First things first, get your butter and both sugars into a stand mixer. Cream them together on medium speed until they’re light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. This step is super important for airy cookies, so don’t rush it! I always watch for that pale, cloud-like consistency. It smells wonderfully sweet and promises good things to come. I recall one time I didn’t cream enough, and the cookies were a bit dense, so take your time here!
- Adding the Wet Wonders:: Now, beat in that creamy peanut butter until it’s fully combined and smooth. Next, crack in your egg and add the vanilla extract. Mix until everything is just incorporated. Overmixing at this stage can lead to tough cookies, and nobody wants that! I always scrape down the sides of the bowl here, making sure all that peanut butter goodness gets mixed in properly. This is where the dough starts to smell absolutely incredible.
- Bringing in the Dry Team:: In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to your wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Stop as soon as you see no more streaks of flour. Honestly, this is where I sometimes get impatient and mix a little too long, but I’ve learned that a light hand is key for tender Homemade Peanut Butter Blossoms. The dough will be soft but manageable.
- Roll ‘Em Up:: Pour some granulated sugar into a shallow bowl. Scoop out dough (about 1 tablespoon per cookie) and roll it into little balls. Then, roll each ball in the sugar until it’s fully coated. Place them about 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. This sugar coating gives them that signature sparkle and a bit of extra texture. I usually get a little messy here, sugar everywhere, but it’s part of the fun!
- Bake to Golden Perfection:: Pop those beauties into a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 8-10 minutes. You want the edges to be lightly golden, but the centers should still look a little soft. Don’t overbake! I always set a timer for 8 minutes and then peek, because ovens can be quirky. When they come out, your kitchen will smell like the best peanut butter dream ever, trust me. They’ll look puffy and inviting.
- The Iconic Chocolate Kiss:: Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each warm cookie. The residual heat will soften the chocolate, making it melty and delicious. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This is the best part, seeing those little chocolate hats melt into the peanut butter goodness! Don’t press too hard, or the cookies might crack.