Peanut Blossoms

Prep 60 min
Total 2 hr 0 min
Ingredients 12
Servings 48

These cookies are amazing! In fact, we’re pretty sure that the only people who don’t love peanut butter blossoms are people who haven’t tried peanut butter blossoms. This sweet recipe has been a go-to for home bakers everywhere since it debuted at the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest. (In a hurry? Try our three-ingredient Quick Peanut Blossoms for an even quicker cookie.) MORE+ LESS-

By Pillsbury Kitchens

Updated August 19, 2019

Bake-Off® Contest 09, 1957

Freda Smith

Gibsonburg, Ohio

Ingredients

1 3/4

cups all purpose flour

1/2

cup sugar

1/2

cup firmly packed brown sugar

teaspoon baking soda

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/2

cup shortening

1/2

cup peanut butter

tablespoons milk

teaspoon vanilla

egg

Sugar

Hershey's® Kisses® Brand milk chocolates, unwrapped

Steps

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1

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, shortening, peanut butter, milk, vanilla and egg; mix with electric mixer on low speed until stiff dough forms.
2

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3

Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with 1 milk chocolate candy, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour or until chocolate is set.

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Expert Tips

The combo of shortening with the peanut butter ensures that the cookies stay chewy.
Chocolate kisses are the most traditional and favorite candy for blossom cookies, but you can press in mini peanut butter cups, caramel-filled chocolate candies, or large candy-coated chocolates for some variety. Just know that the warm cookies may crack a little more when you press in the chocolate candies.
Try rolling dough balls in coarse sparkling sugar instead of granulated sugar for a special look. Coarse sparkling sugar adds extra sparkle to holiday cookies and can be found in the cake decorating section of most grocery stores.
Flat cookie sheets made of shiny aluminium with a smooth surface produce the best results because they reflect heat, letting cookies bake evenly and brown properly. Rimmed baking sheets are excellent for many things, but not for cookie making.
To Freeze: cool cookies completely, about 1 hour or until chocolate is set. Place cookies in airtight container in single layer between parchment or waxed paper; cover. Freeze up to 2 months. To thaw, let stand, uncovered at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Cookie

Calories from Fat: 45

% Daily Value

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 0%; 0%
Vitamin C: 0%; 0%

Exchanges:

Free

Carbohydrate Choice

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

For over 50 years, peanut butter blossoms have been one of the most recognizable and most-requested Christmas cookies. What would a holiday platter be without these peanut butter cookies topped with a simple Hershey’s™ chocolate kiss? Many will be surprised to find out that this 1957 Pillsbury™ Bake-Off Contest entry didn’t win the grand prize—Freda Smith, who submitted this cookie recipe, was instead bettered by a different sweet treat: Accordion Twists, submitted by Gerda Roderer. The story behind Smith’s invention of the famous peanut blossoms is one of a happy accident. She was making a batch of peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies, only to realize she had no chocolate chips in her pantry. Instead, she grabbed what she had on hand—Hershey’s chocolate kisses—and topped each cookie with one candy. And, voilà! Our favorite Christmas cookie was born. Don’t stop at just peanut blossoms! There are so many other delicious peanut butter cookie recipes out there. Click here to browse our very best!