If there's one cookie that can charm a room, win over a mother-in-law, and get you back on Santa's good side, it's this one. These classic peanut butter blossoms are as classic as pearls on a preacher's wife - sweet, dependable, and always the first to disappear at the holiday cookie exchange.
Table of Contents
- 🎥 Watch me bake Santa's favorite cookie
- 🗝️ Why these holiday cookies never go out of style
- 🧾Here's what you need to make them
- 📖 Recipe
- Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- Bake with the holiday playlist
- 🔪 How to make peanut butter blossoms step-by-step
- 👩🍳 Your questions answered here
- 📚 More holiday cookies to try next
- 💬 Comments
🎥 Watch me bake Santa's favorite cookie
This classic Hershey's thumbprint cookie recipe is the perfect cookie for sending to school and it ships really well, too!
🗝️ Why these holiday cookies never go out of style
- They're bite-sized nostalgia bombs wrapped in sugar and smug satisfaction. One bite and you're eight years old again, stealing cookies off Grandma's counter.
- Peanut butter and chocolate are a power couple that never divorced. Unlike your cousin Tammy and her third husband.
- These cookies freeze better than your ex's heart. Make a batch now, bake 'em later, act like you've got it all together.
- Unwrapping the Kisses is basically therapy. And cheaper than your co-pay.
By the way, if you love peanut butter and chocolate together give these O' Henry Bars a try!
🧾Here's what you need to make them
You don't need anything fancy - just pantry staples, a bag of Kisses, and the willpower not to eat all the Kisses while the cookies are in the oven.
- Peanut butter - The creamy kind, unless you like living dangerously with texture.
- Butter - Real, salted, and unapologetically full-fat. Margarine need not apply.
- Sugar - Granulated. For rolling dough balls and putting the joy back in your life.
- Brown sugar - Packed tighter than your holiday schedule. Adds that chewy magic.
- Egg - Just one. Enough to hold things together, unlike your last relationship.
- Vanilla - The good stuff, not the bargain bottle that smells like regret.
- Flour - All-purpose, because we're not complicated. The drama goes in the decorating.
- Baking soda - To give the cookies a little lift and the illusion of effort.
- Hershey's Kisses - Unwrapped, preferably by someone else while you "supervise."
🎄 Grab the Hershey's Peanut Butter Blosssom Cookie Cheat Sheet! No more scrolling with flour on your fingers. This free printable PDF has all the tips, swaps, and freezer tricks you need to make these peanut butter blossoms like a pro - without losing your holiday spirit (or your mind). And check out the holiday music playlist under the recipe - listen while you bake!
📖 Recipe
Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup sugar, try vanilla sugar in these!
- 48 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Combine the butter and peanut butter in bowl.
- Beat until well blended.
- Add both the white and brown sugars and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add egg, and vanilla; continue beating until well blended.
- Add flour and baking soda then beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until it's completely mixed.
- Chill dough for 30 minutes if you have time.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
- Roll balls in ¼ cup vanilla sugar.
- Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake 8-10 minutes.
- Gently press 1 chocolate kiss in center of each cookie.
- Let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes.
- Place in freezer for about 10 minutes or until the chocolate hardens back up.
- Remove from freezer.
Notes
- If you let the cookie cool for about 3 minutes before adding the Kiss it will help it keep its shape.
- The dough is kind of soft so you'll want to chill it for an hour or so before you try to shape the cookies. It's actually best if you chill it overnight.
- If you freeze the unwrapped kisses before using them for the cookies they'll keep their shape better.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Bake with the holiday playlist
Because nothing says "holiday baking" like flour in your hair and Bing Crosby in the background. Yes, it's Bing, not Bieber. You're welcome. Hit play, grab your mixing bowl, and let's make the kitchen smell better than a department store candle aisle.
🔪 How to make peanut butter blossoms step-by-step
These cookies come together faster than your neighbor's holiday drama going down in the front yard. Just mix, roll, chill, bake, and press.
- Cream the butter and peanut butter in a mixing bowl like you mean it. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla, then keep mixing until it's smooth enough to charm the ladies Tuesday bridge club.
- Toss in the dry ingredients and beat until everything's combined into a dough that smells like sweet, peanut-buttery victory.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and give each one a sugar bath. Line them up on a parchment-covered baking sheet like they're headed to a cookie pageant.
- Bake 'til puffed and golden, then pull them out and gently press a Hershey's Kiss into each one like you're crowning Miss December. Let them cool on wire racks while you pretend you're not going to eat six before they're fully set.
👩🍳 Your questions answered here
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
Usually it's warm dough or too much butter. Chill the dough before baking, or swap part of the butter for shortening if you like them puffier.
Nope. But that sparkly coat gives them their signature look (and crunch). You can also use colored sugar for holidays.
📚 More holiday cookies to try next
If you're already preheating the oven, you might as well make room for these too:
- Peppermint Blossom Cookies - Like your favorite cousin: festive, minty, and just a little extra.
- Red Velvet Blossom Cookies - Basically a Southern belle in cookie form, with a chocolate center.
- The Best Christmas Cookie Recipes - A roundup so good, it might start a neighborhood rivalry..
You'll also like these buttery condensed milk cookies.
Keep in mind that shipping times are notoriously slow during the busy holiday season. If you'll be mailing these to loved ones send them early!
What are your favorite holiday cookies? Leave a comment and let us know.
Melanie says
The cookies don’t need to be over-refrigerated before scooping out! Left mine in too long and the dough got a little dry. Otherwise made of win, thank you Marye!
Terri says
I don’t know what vanilla sugar is can you please tell me I would love to make these cookies for my grandkids
Marye says
It's sugar that has been flavored with vanilla. You can buy it at a lot of stores or you can make it by adding a vanilla bean to sugar and letting it sit for a few weeks. OR you can just use regular sugar and not worry about it - they'll still be good!
Rita Stroup says
I made these using blue-colored sugar crystals as it is January with snow on the ground, However, I am still uncertain what vanilla sugar is, as mentioned in your dialogue. Please let me know, as I may be missing something. The cookies are all baked and in the freezer now with the chocolate kisses on top. They look festive and will round out the other varieties on my cookie plates just perfectly adding great flavor and a nice splash of color. I haven't tasted them yet but liked the idea of making them with butter. None of my old recipes made it out here when I moved here from the East several years ago. I used to make a similar cookie blossom one some years ago and they always turned out perfectly. Thanks for contributing your version of this 'golden oldie'.
Marye says
They sound beautiful, Rita. 🙂 Once you've had a chance to taste them I'd love it if you'd come back and give them a star rating!
K says
how much salt ?? 🙁 It doesn't say....
Marye Audet says
There's no salt... that was a typo. The peanut butter has enough salt.