Peanut butter blossoms, also known as “kiss cookies”, are a Christmas cookie favorite, but if you ask me, this classic peanut butter chocolate flavor combo is great any time of year! Plus, because these cookies are so incredibly easy, they’re great for new cooks or baking with your kids. So pull out that mixing bowl and butter, and let’s make some cookies!
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“Second Christmas we have made these. Instructions are perfect. Cookies are amazing. Everyone compliments how fantastic these are. We ran out so quick this year we had to make a second batch.”
KEN
Easy Peanut Butter Blossom recipe
Peanut butter blossoms start with a chewy peanut butter cookie rolled in a little sugar to make a nice, sweet, and crispy exterior layer, then each cookie is topped with a creamy chocolate kiss pressed down into the center.
I find these cookies are super easy to make and don’t require any chilling of the dough. They look super cute—who can resist a cookie with a chocolate kiss on top? They are also fun to eat, and though they do look great on a holiday dessert platter, I like to make them year-round.
Recipe Success Tips and Variations
- The best peanut butter. You can use either natural-style peanut butter, which tends to be a bit runnier, or a commercial style peanut butter like JIF or Peter Pan. Despite the texture differences between the two, the cookie still comes together well.
- Other nut butters. While you can technically substitute other types of nut butter, keep in mind that they may have a milder flavor so the cookies might not have quite as big a flavor punch.
- Make them festive. Roll the cookies in red or green granulated sugar, or use a special holiday-themed Hershey’s kiss that has different colored chocolate so they stand out even more on that cookie platter.
- Freeze the kisses. Make sure to freeze the chocolate kiss beforehand, or they’ll melt all over the warm cookie.
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Cost $4.65 recipe / $0.25 serving
Ingredients
- 18 chocolate kisses ($1.42)
- ½ cup salted butter (room temperature, $1.00)
- ½ cup peanut butter (room temperature, $0.56)
- ½ cup granulated sugar ($0.48)
- ½ cup light brown sugar (packed, $0.24)
- 1 large egg ($0.19)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract ($0.33)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour ($0.27)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.04)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar (for coating, $0.12)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Unwrap the chocolate kisses and place them in the freezer.
- Add the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a bowl. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat them together on high speed until the mixture looks like, creamy, and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Add half the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and beat over low speed until it is incorporated. Add the remaining flour and beat until a soft dough forms with no loose flour on the bottom of the bowl.
- Divide and shape the dough into 18 balls of dough. Place the remaining 2 Tbsp of sugar in a small bowl and roll each ball of dough in the sugar to coat. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until they are slightly puffed, a few small cracks appear around the bottom edge, and they're just barely golden brown on top.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press a frozen chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack using a spatula. Enjoy warm or allow to fully cool before packing and storing.
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Equipment
- Enamelware Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms Step-by-Step Photos
Get the oven going and freeze the kisses: Start by preheating the oven to 375ºF. Unwrap 18 chocolate kisses, place them in a bowl, and pop them in the freezer. You’ll want the kisses to be frozen by the time you press them into the cookies.
Make the batter: Add ½ cup room temperature butter, ½ cup peanut butter, ½ cup white sugar, and ½ cup light brown sugar to a bowl.
Beat the butters and sugars together on high speed until they appear light, creamy, and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Add one large egg and ½ tsp vanilla extract and beat on high speed again until well combined (1-2 minutes).
In a separate bowl, stir together 1½ cups all-purpose flour with 1 tsp baking powder. Add about half of the flour mixture to the bowl and beat on low speed until incorporated. Add the remaining flour and beat again until combined.
When all of the flour is incorporated, the dough should be soft, similar in texture to Play-Doh, with no dry flour on the bottom of the bowl.
Place 2 Tbsp granulated sugar in a small bowl. Divide the dough into 18 portions, about 1½ Tbsp each. Roll them into a ball, then roll the ball in the small dish of granulated sugar to coat. Place the rolled and coated cookies on a parchment-lined baking dish.
Bake the cookies: Space the cookies out about 2 inches from each other (I did 12 on the first sheet, six on the second). Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or just until you see a little cracking around the bottom edge and only a slight golden browning on the top, but no more.
Add the kiss: The cookies won’t spread very much; they mostly puff up into nice little dome shapes. As soon as they come out of the oven, press a frozen chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. It’s important to do this while the cookies are still hot and very soft.
Cool: Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the cookie sheet so they firm up enough to transfer them with a spatula without bending. Once slightly firm, transfer to a cooling rack.
Enjoy the cookies when still slightly warm and soft, or wait until they cool completely! YUM!
Serving Suggestions
I love creating delicious and cute treats for my Christmas cookie platter, and every year I include these peanut butter blossoms. Some of my other go-tos for the holidays include snickerdoodles and gingerbread cookies. When serving these holiday-themed cookies, I always make sure to have a batch of homemade hot chocolate and apple cider to wash them down.
how to store
It’s incredibly important to make sure your peanut butter blossoms cool completely to room temperature before storage. Because the chocolate kisses are pressed into a hot cookie, the kiss will remain soft until the cookie cools, and you don’t want to mess up the shape of that cute kiss! Once the cookies are cooled and the chocolate is firm again, store the cookies in an airtight container for about 5-7 days. These cookies also freeze very well!
Second Christmas we have made these. Instructions are perfect. Cookies are amazing. Everyone compliments how fantastic these are. We ran out so quick this year we had to make a second batch.
I made these and they were a crowd favorite. As with all cookies, it’s best when warm, right after placing the kiss on the cookie. I didn’t see the browning on the top or cracking on the edge, but mine were fully done after 9 minutes.
These turned out great! The recipe was pretty easy as well. Will make again for sure!
These are always a hit! Without even trying to stretch the batter, this recipe can easily make more than 18 cookies. I made 30 cookies with one batch of dough.
I subbed Reese’s for kisses and while the taste was excellent, they cracked too much bc the Reese’s was too big for the cookie. I think they’ll be perfect if I remake them with kisses! I might’ve also used a bit too much flour.
Super easy and delicious as always!