Hershey Peanut Butter Blossoms
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These homemade peanut butter blossoms boast soft and chewy cookies bursting with peanut butter flavor with a touch of chocolate on top. You can also find this recipe on page 45 of my cookbook.
This Peanut Butter Blossom Recipe is a Year Round Classic
Peanut butter blossoms are an iconic Christmas cookie, and for good reason! They are so easy to make, they change up the aesthetics of a plate or cookies with their signature Hershey’s Kiss on top, and the combo of chocolate + peanut butter is many people’s favorite.
This soft and chewy peanut butter cookie base is my ride-or-die when it comes to peanut butter cookie bases. In fact, you can find this recipe in my ultimate peanut butter cookie recipe as well as my frosted peanut butter cookie recipe. It is a trusted peanut butter cookie base, and the addition of my special ingredient (cinnamon) makes them stand out among the blossom masses.
Peanut butter blossoms’ favored flavor combo, simple list of ingredients, and ease of method make it a great choice any time of the year. Instead of a Hershey’s Kiss, you could use a peanut butter cup or chocolate heart at Valentine’s Day. Any chocolate or peanut butter-stuffed chocolate candy situation will work well for these peanut butter Kiss cookies.
Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe Ingredients
You only need 11 ingredients to make these cookies. Don’t miss my favorite secret ingredient when it comes to peanut butter cookies. I think you’re going to love it!
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: be sure to measure your flour properly. More flour than listed in the recipe will yield crumbly cookies that will crack (more than expected) when you press the Kiss into the top.
BAKING SODA: this will help the cookies rise without spreading too much.
SALT & VANILLA EXTRACT: for balance of flavor!
GROUND CINNAMON: this is my favorite ingredient to add to peanut butter cookies. It balances so nicely with the peanut butter and warms up that nutty flavor profile even more.
UNSALTED BUTTER: at room temperature! Do not use melted butter or butter that is too warm, or you run the risk of your cookies being too greasy with the oil from the peanut butter.
PEANUT BUTTER: for best results, use processed peanut butter and not natural. Excess oil in these cookies will not work with the rest of the ingredients.
GRANULATED AND BROWN SUGAR: use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in these cookies for balance of sweetness and moisture. We’ll use a little more granulated sugar to roll each ball of dough into for some texture and sparkle on the outside.
EGG: this, along with the peanut butter, will help bind the cookie dough together.
HERSHEY’S KISSES: these are iconic for blossoms! Make sure they’re unwrapped before you start baking the cookies.
HOW TO MAKE CLASSIC PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOM COOKIES
These cookies are quick and simple, but will need at least 45 minutes to chill the dough. Don’t skip this step! Otherwise, you may wind up with peanut butter cookie puddles.
STEP #1
Start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, then set this mixture aside.
STEP #2
Next, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and ½ cup of the granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the peanut butter and beat again on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat again until completely combined.
STEP #3
Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until a cohesive dough forms. Cover the bowl tightly and chill in the refrigerator.
STEP #4
When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven, prepare your baking sheets, and make room in the freezer for the baking sheet.
STEP #5
Fill a shallow dish with the remaining ⅓ cup of granulated sugar, then, using a cookie scoop, roll chilled dough into balls with your hands. Drop each dough ball into granulated sugar, roll it around to coat, then place on baking sheet.
STEP #6
Bake the cookies for 9 minutes, until the sides begin to form slight cracks, then remove baked cookies from them oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
STEP #7
Quickly press a Hershey’s Kiss into the top of each cookie, then immediately put the the baking sheet in the freezer so the cookie does not completely melt the Kiss. Allow the chocolate to set at least 15 minutes in the freezer.
Peanut Butter Blossom Recipe Tips
These peanut butter cookies, while soft, tend to crack when pushed on, which can be problematic when making blossoms! If your cookies are cracking too much, you can use your other hand to hold the cookie in place while you press the Kiss. You don’t have to press very hard to get that Kiss to stick, so be sure you’re using gentle pressure.
HOW TO PREVENT THE KISSES FROM MELTING ON WARM COOKIES
You’ll see in the instructions that you are to make room in the freezer for your baking sheet prior to baking the cookies. This will help prevent the Kisses from completely melting during the set-up process. If your freezer doesn’t have enough room for the whole sheet, carefully transfer cookies to a plate or platter before adding the Kisses, which will take up less space in the freezer.
How to Store Hershey Peanut Butter Blossoms
Can you freeze them?
Yes, you can freeze peanut butter blossoms, but know the chocolate Kiss may not thaw very beautifully and acquire white spots. The taste will be unaffected.
PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOM RECIPE FAQs
Looking for more peanut butter and chocolate? Check out any of these recipes next: scotcharoos, dark chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, Buckeye candy, and chocolate peanut butter quick bread.
Best Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients
- 1 and ¼ cup (150g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup (50g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup + ⅓ cup (167g) granulated sugar divided
- ¾ cup (180g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 24 Hershey's Kisses unwrapped
Instructions
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.1 and ¼ cup (150g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and ½ cup of the granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (approximately 3 minutes). Add the peanut butter and beat again on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat again until completely combined.½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (50g) firmly packed light brown sugar, ½ cup + ⅓ cup (167g) granulated sugar, ¾ cup (180g) creamy peanut butter, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until a cohesive dough forms. Cover the bowl tightly and chill in the refrigerator at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and make room in the freezer for the baking sheet.
- Fill a shallow dish with the remaining ⅓ cup of granulated sugar. Using a cookie scoop (I use this #50 cookie scoop for all of my standard size cookies), roll chilled dough into balls with your hands. Roll each dough ball into granulated sugar then place on baking sheet. Allow room for spreading (no more than 8 cookies per baking sheet).
- Bake the cookies for 9 minutes, until the sides begin to form slight cracks. Cookies will look under-baked. Remove baked cookies from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet.
- Quickly press a Hershey's Kiss into the top of each cookie. Cookie will likely crack. This is ok. If cookies are cracking too much, you can use your other hand to hold the cookie in place while you press the Kiss. You don't have to press very hard!24 Hershey's Kisses
- Immediately put the baking sheet in the freezer so the cookie does not completely melt the Kiss. Allow the chocolate to set at least 15 minutes in the freezer. Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container up to 5 days. Cookies can be frozen, up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Rolled cookie dough freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Everyyyyything is better with cinnamon, and these cookies are definitely proof! Love that little addition, Lynn. And definitely never making the straight up originals, ever again. Cinnamon FTW!
Thanks, Leah! Cinnamon is definitely my buddy in the kitchen!
Looks so delish, Lynn! I actually have never made peanut butter blossoms! But I think I will have to try them this year.
You must!
What’s not to love when you combine chocolate and peanut butter and cookies? Loving your neat addition of cinnamon – great idea!
Thanks, Jess! 🙂
Love these!
Thanks so much, Emily!
I’ve baked these cookies from another recipe for years. This recipe blew the other one out of the water. The cinnamon adds so much flavor. This is now my peanut butter blossom recipe.
I love this so much! Thank you, Erin 🙂
You know I love your recipes.
Best PB blossom recipe! A lot of the recipes I tried in the past have come out very dry and dusty. These stay moist and chewy! The cinnamon adds and extra level to the flavor.
I skipped the freezer part because I have absolutely no room…but opening the window on a cold morning did the trick to keep the kisses from melting!
Thank you so much, Jess! 🙂