Peanut Butter Blossoms
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Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms made with soft and chewy peanut butter cookies rolled in sugar and topped with warm chocolate kisses. These nostalgic cookies are quick to make, incredibly delicious, and perfect for holiday baking, gifting, or anytime you crave the peanut butter and chocolate combination.
Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms
Peanut Butter Blossoms are the kind of cookie that instantly transport me back to every holiday kitchen I have ever stood in. You know the ones. Counters covered in flour, someone yelling that the butter was supposed to be softened, not melted, and a kid trying to sneak the chocolate kisses before they ever make it onto the cookies.
What I love about these cookies is how completely drama free they are. You mix a simple peanut butter dough, roll it in sugar, bake it until it just starts to crack, then press in that shiny little chocolate kiss like you are crowning royalty. They always look impressive, even though the whole process is so easy it barely counts as baking.
And the best part is that everyone, absolutely everyone, reaches for these first on the cookie tray. There are fancier cookies, prettier cookies, cookies that require quadruple chilling and a physics degree, but nothing competes with a soft peanut butter cookie topped with warm chocolate. These are the cookies that disappear while you are still cleaning the mixing bowl.
Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- A forever holiday classic. These cookies never leave the cookie tray. They vanish. They evaporate. They teleport. Whatever it is, they disappear fast.
- That perfect peanut butter chew. Soft inside, lightly crisp outside, exactly what a peanut butter cookie should be.
- Chocolate in every bite. The warm chocolate kiss melts just a little into the cookie, making every bite stupidly good.
- Zero complicated steps. Mix, roll, bake, press. If you can roll a ball, you can make these.
- They freeze beautifully. Both baked and unbaked, which means you can be the organized holiday baker we all aspire to be.
- Kid approved, adult inhaled. These cookies are the crossroads where nostalgia and logic meet. And logic says make a double batch.
Ingredients and Tips
- Unsalted butter and peanut butter: Cream them well so the cookies stay soft and tender. Use creamy peanut butter for the best texture.
- Granulated and brown sugar: The mix keeps the cookies chewy with just the right amount of caramel flavor.
- Egg, milk, and vanilla: These bring moisture and flavor. Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly.
- Flour, baking soda, and salt: Level your flour. Too much makes dry, sad cookies that no amount of chocolate can save.
- Chocolate kisses: Unwrap them before the cookies come out of the oven. The window between perfect and chaotic is very small.
- Roll the dough in sugar: This gives you the classic sparkly finish and encourages those pretty cracks on top.
- Press the chocolate in while warm: The cookies need to be hot enough for the chocolate to stick but not so hot that the chocolate melts into a puddle. A few seconds cooling on the sheet helps.
Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats so the cookies bake evenly and do not stick.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture looks light and fluffy. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes and the color will lighten slightly.
Beat in the egg, then add the milk and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is smooth and fully combined. At this point the mixture should look creamy and a bit glossy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients on low speed. Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears and the dough comes together.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball with your hands. Roll each ball in extra granulated sugar so it is coated all over, then place it on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes (mine took the full 10 minutes), or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops are just starting to crack. While they bake, make sure all of your chocolate kisses are unwrapped and ready.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each one. The edges may crack a little more and that is exactly what you want. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The chocolate will soften from the heat and then firm up again as the cookies cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use natural peanut butter?
I do not recommend it. Natural peanut butter separates and makes the dough oily, which leads to flat, uneven cookies. Use a classic creamy peanut butter for the best texture.
Why did my cookies turn dry?
Most often it is from too much flour. Make sure to spoon and level your flour so the dough stays soft. Overbaking can also dry them out, so pull them from the oven as soon as the tops start to crack.
Why are my chocolate kisses melting too much?
The cookies may be too hot. Give them 20 to 30 seconds to settle before pressing in the chocolate. You want the cookies warm enough to soften the chocolate slightly, but not so hot that it turns into a puddle.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes. Roll the dough into balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen and add an extra minute to the bake time.
Can I freeze the baked cookies?
Absolutely. Freeze them in a single layer or with parchment between layers. Thaw at room temperature and they taste freshly baked.
Can I use a different chocolate on top?
Yes. Mini peanut butter cups, chocolate discs, or chocolate truffles work wonderfully. Just press them in the same way you would the kisses.
Why did my cookies not crack on top?
They may have been rolled too lightly in sugar or the dough may have been a touch dry. A generous sugar coating and a soft dough help encourage those classic blossom cracks.
Try These Cookie Recipes Next
- Amaretti Cookies
- Moose Farts
- Polish Kolaczki
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Italian Almond Cookies
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Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (plus extra for rolling)
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar (packed )
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 48 chocolate kiss candies (unwrapped (e.g., Hershey’s Kisses))
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.
- Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Roll each ball in additional granulated sugar to coat evenly.
- Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops are slightly cracked.
- While the cookies are baking, ensure all chocolate kisses are unwrapped.
- Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. The cookies may crack slightly around the edges when the chocolate is pressed in; this is normal.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The chocolate will soften from the heat but will firm up again as the cookies cool.
Notes
- Use creamy peanut butter: Avoid natural peanut butter since the oil separates and affects the texture.
- Measure the flour correctly: Spoon and level to avoid adding too much flour. Too much flour leads to dry or dense cookies.
- Do not overbake: Pull the cookies from the oven as soon as the tops begin to crack. They will finish setting as they cool and stay soft.
- Press the chocolate kisses in while warm: Give the cookies a few seconds out of the oven before adding the chocolate so it softens without melting fully.
- Make ahead: Shape the dough balls and freeze them on a tray. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and bake straight from the freezer.
- Freezing baked cookies: Freeze in layers with parchment in between. Thaw at room temperature for a fresh baked taste.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
