Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe

There’s something just magical about that sparkly sugar, the soft peanut butter cookie, and that classic chocolate kiss on top.

It’s a holiday icon for a very good reason, and this particular recipe has been my go-to for years.

A Recipe That Stands Apart

Many classic recipes rely on shortening for structure, but I’ve always been a firm believer in butter’s superior flavor.

Using all butter creates a cookie that’s not just soft, but richly flavored and wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth.

Ingredients Needed for the Recipe

Here’s what you’ll need to gather for your own batch of blossoms. Each ingredient plays a specific role, so let’s talk about why they’re here.

• Unsalted Butter (softened): The star of the show, providing that deep, rich flavor and tender texture that shortening just can’t match.
• Light Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of molasses depth, while white sugar sweetens and helps with spreading.
• Creamy Peanut Butter: Use a standard, shelf-stable brand here. The natural kind that separates will make your cookies dry and crumbly, sadly.
• Egg & Vanilla Extract: The egg binds everything together, and vanilla is the quiet background note that makes all the other flavors sing.
• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation that gives our cookie its structure and body.
• Cornstarch: My little secret weapon for supremely soft cookies that still hold their perfect round shape.
• Baking Soda & Salt: Baking soda gives the cookies a gentle lift, while salt balances all the sweetness and enhances every single flavor.
• Extra Granulated Sugar (for rolling): This creates that iconic, sparkly, slightly crunchy exterior that everyone loves.
• Milk Chocolate Hershey’s Kisses: The classic crowning glory, unwrapped and ready to go. You can get creative here, but the original is truly special.

How to make Peanut Butter Blossoms?

The process is straightforward, but a few key steps make all the difference. Let’s walk through it.

Step 1 – Cream the Butter & Sugars

In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is well-combined and looks fluffy.

This step isn’t just about mixing; it’s about incorporating air, which helps give our cookies a lovely texture.

Step 2 – Blend in the Wet Base

Add the creamy peanut butter and mix until it’s fully incorporated. Then, beat in the egg and vanilla extract.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, you know, to make sure nothing’s hiding down there.

Step 3 – Combine the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.

Whisking here ensures the leavening and salt are evenly distributed, so every cookie bakes up perfectly.

Step 4 – Bring the Dough Together

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain.

Overmixing at this stage can lead to tough cookies, so we stop as soon as it looks uniform.

Step 5 – The Essential Chill

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. This chills the butter back down.

Chilling prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, giving us that perfect, thick base for our kiss.

Step 6 – Shape and Roll

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place your extra sugar in a small bowl.

Scoop the dough into 2-teaspoon-sized balls, roll them firmly between your palms, then roll each one generously in the sugar to coat.

Step 7 – Bake

Place the sugar-coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on your baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes.

They will look slightly underdone and soft in the middle when you take them out, and that is absolutely perfect.

Step 8 – The Grand Finale

Within a minute of removing the tray from the oven, gently but firmly press a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each warm cookie.

Let them cool completely on the baking sheet. They’ll finish setting up as they cool, becoming divinely soft.

Storing & Freezing Your Cookies

Once completely cooled, store your blossoms in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

They also freeze beautifully for about 3 months; just thaw at room temperature whenever a craving strikes.

Tips

• Measure Flour Correctly: The most common reason for dry cookies is too much flour. For best results, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
• Trust the Under-Baked Look: Letting the cookies finish cooking on the hot baking sheet is what gives you that soft, tender crumb. Don’t be tempted to bake them longer.
• Room Temperature Egg: Using an egg that’s not cold from the fridge helps it incorporate more smoothly into the butter mixture.
• Unwrap Your Kisses First: Have all your chocolate kisses unwrapped and ready to go before the cookies even go in the oven. You’ll need to work quickly when they come out.

Fun Variations to Try

While the classic is unbeatable, it can be fun to play with the formula sometimes. Use dark chocolate or even peppermint-flavored kisses for a festive twist.

You can also swap the kiss for a mini peanut butter cup, pressed in just the same way, for a double peanut butter delight.

So, that’s it. My favorite way to make a holiday classic, a recipe I’ve tweaked and loved for a long time.

I hope these blossoms become a happy, buttery, chocolatey tradition in your home, too.