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Learn how to make classic peanut butter blossoms! These cookies start with a soft peanut butter base and are topped with a Hershey’s kiss. Peanut butter blossom cookies are incredibly easy to make and one of the most popular holiday cookies.

Baked peanut butter blossoms lined up for a beauty shot

Overview

Peanut butter blossoms (also known as peanut butter kiss cookies) couldn’t be easier to make and are such a popular offering during the holidays. The base is a simple soft peanut butter cookie rolled in granulated sugar. Once the cookies come out of the oven all you have to do is to press a Hershey’s kiss into the warm cookie and they are done! 

I always add peanut butter blossoms into my Christmas cookie tin and it surprises me every year how much people rave about them. I love adding a mix of simple to make and more complicated cookies. These are one of the easy holiday cookies that are never left out! 

How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms

The cookie part of peanut butter blossoms utilizes the classic creaming method. This technique requires the butter to be at room temperature so that it can properly cream together with the sugars. And because peanut butter is very high in fat, it goes in with the butter during this stage. 

Step 1: Cream the Butter, Peanut Butter, and Sugars Together

Butter, peanut butter, and sugar in a bowl being creamed together with a hand mixer for peanut butter blossoms

Start by creaming together the butter and peanut butter with both of the sugars. Make sure you cream them together until very light and fluffy. This will likely take about 3 minutes. 

Properly creaming the fat and sugar not only gives cookies the best texture but it also increases the volume of the dough. Which means – more cookies! 

Step 2: Add the Egg, Milk, and Vanilla

Mixing the egg, milk, and vanilla into the peanut butter blossom dough

Once the sugar is creamed with the fat, add the egg, milk, and vanilla. The milk will help keep the cookies nice and moist so they do not dry out. 

Step 3: Mix in the Dry Ingredients 

Mixing the dry ingredients into the peanut butter blossom dough

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt into the bowl. Mix just until it is incorporated. This should only take about 10-15 seconds of mixing. Over-mixing once the flour is in the cookie dough can make the peanut butter blossoms dry and tough. 

Step 4: Roll in Granulated Sugar

Coating the peanut butter blossoms in sugar before baking

Portion out the cookie dough and roll it them into balls in between your hands. Next roll them in granulated sugar. The sugar will add a bit of extra sweetness and some texture to your final baked peanut butter blossoms. 

Step 5: Bake

Baked peanut butter blossoms before kisses are pushed into them. They are very thick and haven't spread much.

Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake. These cookies do not spread very much in the oven. This is normal! 

Step 6: Add the Chocolate Kiss 

Pressing milk chocolate kisses into the peanut butter blossoms to finish the cookies

While the cookies are still warm, press a Hershey’s kiss in the top. The cookie will spread out and crack a little bit as the kiss goes in. 

I personally enjoy the classic milk chocolate kisses the best for these cookies but you can try their dark chocolate version as well.

Baked soft peanut butter blossoms lined up for a beauty shot

FAQ

Why are my peanut butter blossoms dry?

Cookies can become dry for a number of reasons: if they have too much flour in them, if they are over-mixed, or if they have been over-baked. I always recommend that you measure flour (and most ingredients) by weight to ensure accuracy. If you’re only used to measuring by volume, here is the correct way to measure flour.

And only mix the dough for about 10-15 seconds once the dry ingredients go into the dough. 

Can you use chunky peanut butter in peanut butter blossoms?

Yes! You can use creamy or chunky peanut butter. Creamy peanut butter makes a classic peanut butter blossom but chunky peanut butter will add a little crunch to your cookies! 

Can you freeze peanut butter blossoms?

Yes, you can freeze peanut butter blossoms in an freezer zipper bag for up to 3 months. Be aware that freezing chocolate can sometimes cause it to have a white film on it once it thaws. This does not mean it is spoiled, it is perfectly fine to eat. It just means that the chocolate has “bloomed“. 

MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like to try these other festive recipes for your cookie tin!

Peanut Butter Blossoms lined up for a beauty shot
Yield: 28-32 Cookies

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

These classic peanut butter blossoms start with a soft and chewy peanut butter cookie and are topped with a Hershey's kiss! These are so easy to make and always a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients

For the Cookie Dough

  • 113 grams (½ cup, 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 190 grams (¾ cup) creamy peanut butter
  • 67 grams (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
  • 67 grams (⅓ cup) brown sugar, light or dark brown
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 28 grams (2 tablespoons, 30 milliliters) milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 180 grams (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For Topping

  • 67 grams (⅓ cup) granulated sugar for rolling
  • 28-32 Hershey's Kisses, I prefer the milk chocolate version

Instructions

Prep: 

  1. At least 30 minutes before making your cookies, set out the butter (113 grams/ ½ cup) and egg (1 large) to come to room temperature. 
  2. Position two oven racks on the top third and the bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
  3. Measure out the rest of the ingredients. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. 

Method:

  1. In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter (190 grams/ ¾ cup), granulated sugar (67 grams/ ⅓ cup) and brown sugar (67 grams/ ⅓ cup) until light and fluffy. This will take about 3 minutes.
  2. Add in the egg, milk (28 grams/ 2 tablespoons), and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and mix until incorporated. Add the flour (180 grams/ 1 ½ cups), baking soda (1 teaspoon), and salt (½ teaspoon) and mix until incorporated. Stop mixing as soon as the flour is worked in.
  3. Scoop dough in 1-2 tablespoon portions. 1 tablespoon will give you smaller cookies where the kiss goes out to the edges of the cookie. I used a 1 ½ tablespoon scoop.
  4. Place the granulated sugar for rolling (67 grams/ ⅓ cup) into a shallow bowl. Roll the cookies in the sugar and split them evenly between the two sheet pans.
  5. Bake 1 sheet pan at a time for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set and the tops are lightly golden brown. Immediately push an unwrapped Hershey's kiss into the tops of each cookie when they come out of the oven.
  6. Let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
  7. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

*slightly adapted from Hershey's Peanut Butter Blossom's

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© Bettie