Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms

If you love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Today’s recipe is those soft, fluffy peanut butter cookies with luscious Hersheys Kisses on top.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Go Together

When I was a kid there were all sorts of commercials for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I remember one in particular where a guy was walking down some stairs holding a chocolate bar. He trips and falls into someone who has a jar of peanut butter.

The following conversation ensued: “Hey, you got your chocolate in my peanut butter!” and then the response, “Hey, you got your peanut butter in my chocolate!”

Then, of course, both of the people take a bite and swoon.

Those commercials sold a lot of peanut butter cups and the passion for the mergence of peanut butter and chocolate blossomed.

Speaking of blossoms, that’s the technical name of the cookie recipe I’m sharing today. You’re going to love this classic recipe.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Hersheys Kisses

I’ve been making these peanut butter blossom cookies for years. They’re particularly popular during the holiday season. They’re great for Christmas cookie exchanges or holiday cookie trays (as long as you don’t have any peanut allergies.)

I’ve actually done them a host of different ways. I used to bake them with the kisses in the dough ball.

Then I tried baking them by adding the kiss halfway through the bake.

These days, though, I add the kiss at the very end, as soon as the cookies come out of the oven. When you add them any sooner, they tend to harden up during the bake and I love them warm and gooey!

Ingredients for Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s a quick peek at what you’re going to need. You’ve probably got most of these ingredients on hand right now.

• room temperature butter
• shortening
• packed brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• eggs
• creamy peanut butter
• salt (optional, if you use unsalted butter)
• baking soda
• vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour
• granulated sugar (for rolling)
• Hershey’s Kisses candies

How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms

These delicious cookies are so easy to make. You can whip up a batch and serve them a few minutes later.

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees.

Place parchment paper on your cookie sheets.

Place butter and shortening in a large bowl. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. You can use a hand mixer (electric mixer) if you like. I opted for my stand mixer with paddle attachment.

Add both sugars and continue to whip. Work in your two eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla. Whip until smooth.

Add peanut butter and continue to mix until incorporated.

In a separate bowl whisk together the all purpose flour and baking soda. (If you’re adding a pinch of salt, this is the time to add it.)

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix gently until incorporated. Don’t over mix or you will over-activate the gluten strands and end up with a tough cookie.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop balls of dough and gently toss in granulated sugar.

Place cookie dough balls on prepared baking sheet and put in preheated oven.

Bake at 375 degrees for 11 minutes or until lightly golden. (Baking time will vary.)

While cookies are baking, unwrap the Hersheys kisses and place them in a bowl.

Once the cookies are done, remove the tray from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool.

Immediately place kisses into the cookies. (Wedge them into the center of each cookie.) This will cause the cookies to crack and split, but that’s part of the charm of these cookies. The sugar on the outside creates this effect.

Allow the cookies to cool a bit before eating. (That said, they’re pretty yummy while warm when the chocolate kisses are still gooey.)

How to Store Hersheys Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies

You can store the dough balls in ziplock bags in the freezer up to two months.

To store baked cookies, place them in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing baked cookies, though some people have had success at this. If you do freeze them, wrap in plastic wrap (tightly) and place in ziplock bags.

What to Expect from these Cookies

This is such an easy recipe!

This classic cookie recipe is soft and sweet with a gooey dollop of chocolate in the center of each cookie. The sugar coating gives it a crispy edge that’s simply delicious! These are a great option for a family get-together or a party. Just make sure there are no peanut allergies in your midst!

Variations on these Peanut Butter Blossoms

This delicious baked cookie has a peanut butter base but that doesn’t have to be the case. You can always make the following:

• Cake Mix Cookies: You can use my Peanut Butter Cake Mix recipe if you’re in a hurry or don’t have the ingredients you need.
• Crinkle Sugar Cookies with Hershey’s Kisses: Use my crinkle sugar cookie recipe recipe and add the Hershey Kisses after baking.
• Banana Chocolate Chip Kisses: Use my Banana Chocolate Chip cookie recipe and press in a Hershey’s Kiss after baking.
• Oatmeal Rice Krispie Kisses: Use my Oatmeal Rice Krispie cookie recipe and add kisses at the end.
• Red Velvet Cookies with Kisses: Use my cake mix red velvet cookie recipe as the base and add a Hershey’s Kiss after baking.
• Brownie Kisses: Scoop my cake mix brownie dough into balls and bake, then add kisses after they’re done.

Holiday Blossoms:

You can easily make these soft peanut butter cookies into Peanut Butter Christmas Tree Blossoms by adding a band of green or red icing and some sprinkles. They would be perfect on holiday cookie platters. (Chocolate kiss candies are great during the holidays!) This is a favorite cookie recipe.

The same is true for 4th of July cookies. Add red, white, or blue icing and some colorful sprinkles to these tender peanut butter blossoms.

You can also use this recipe at Valentine’s Day and decorate with icing and sprinkles.

Other Chocolate Cookie Recipes from Out of the Box

If you love chocolate in cookies you’ll love these other great recipes from Out of the Box Baking.

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pinwheel Cookies: These are fun to make and pretty when sliced.
• Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter: These are my go-to cookies, truly one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes out there!
• Stuffed Brownie Cookies: These are easy and luscious, loaded with rich chocolate.
• Chocolate chips: Add mini chocolate chips to the peanut butter dough before baking.

If you love chocolate, you’re sure to enjoy these Almond Joy Magic Cookie Bars from South Your Mouth!

Follow this link for a comprehensive post listing more of my fall cookies and bars, perfect for autumn!

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Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed this Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms recipe! Let me leave you with a verse, a favorite of mine:

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Matthew 4:43-44 NIV

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.