Peanut Butter Blossoms

Peanut Butter Blossoms are a very special cookie. There is something extra delightful about peanut butter and butter creamed together, making a thick dough. Not only that, but peanut butter and chocolate are known partners in crime.

This is two recipes in one. Well, kind of. I made a big batch of blossoms and added cocoa powder to the second half. More to come on that, though.

Where did these little guys come from? What wizard decided to stick a Hershey kiss atop a little cookie? This one is a rise to success kind of story. A baker, Freda Smith, entered a Pillsbury baking contest in 1957 with this submission. She didn't win, but the recipe was added to some cookbooks, featured on Pillsbury flour packaging, and the legend lives on with the recipe making it to the Pillsbury Bake-Off Hall of Fame. It's a baker's dream!

Like most cookies, it starts with the butter and sugar being beat together. Here we have a glorious vat of peanut butter, butter, and sugar, all whipped together.

I slowly mixed in the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture, winding up with a dense dough.

I formed the dough into balls, then rolled them in sugar.

I laid them on a cookie sheet and baked them for about 10 minutes. This next part is what creates perfection: immediately after pulling them from the oven, I added a Hershey kiss on top and then let them cool. It's perfect, because the kiss melts on the inside but keeps it's shape. The texture remains soft, even after cooling.

I used half the dough, and then added 1/3 cup cocoa powder. Given there was plenty of moisture from the peanut butter + butter combined, I did not worry about the cookies being too dry. I will note that the additional dry ingredients did cause the dough to spread a little less.

Two types of cookies out of one batch is the kind of sneaky doubling up I need. Makes everyone think I baked my A off.

Beautiful.

The chocolate ones were honestly my favorite, but I can't complain about a peanut butter cookie. I was just glad to do a little 2-for-1 deal.

Christmas, Easter, birthday party...you name it. These cookies will fit the bill. Probably fairly appropriate for a bachelorette party, too. Easy and simple to make but with big payoff.

Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup + 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Approximately 36 unwrapped Hershey Kisses

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine all purpose flour, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, peanut butter 1/2 cup of white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and continue mixing. Gradually add dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Pour remaining 1/4 cup sugar onto a plate. Use a cookie scoop to get about 2 tablespoons of dough and form into a ball. Roll with hands to create a circle shape, then roll in sugar to create a light coating. Add to a parchment or silicone-lined baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until dough has spread and is lightly browned. Press unwrapped Hershey Kiss into the top of each cookie.