These easy peanut butter blossom cookies are rich, chewy, and a must around the holidays! Peanut butter cookie dough is rolled in sugar and baked until golden brown topped with a kiss. These make the perfect addition to dessert trays or treat bags. This cookie dough can be made and kept in the freezer for fresh baked cookies on hand anytime!
Use these in your holiday cookie box or bring to a cookie exchange! Getting into holiday baking, try these No-Chill Sugar Cookies or this Peppermint Brownie Cookies. Find all of my Cookie and Dessert Recipes here for more seasonal inspiration!
Looking for tips on how to build the perfect holiday cookie box, find my examples from the past years like my 2023 Holiday Box or 2022 Holiday Cookie Box! I also include tips and tricks on picking out and packaging cookies.
Highlights Of The Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Classic Comfort: These cookies feature a rich, soft peanut butter base with a signature chocolate kiss pressed into the center. Rolled in sugar for a fun look and extra texture.
- Perfect for the Holidays: Festive and fun, they’re ideal for Christmas baking or holiday gifting. You can even add red and green sprinkles for a seasonal touch or use the Christmas inspired chocolate kisses.
- Quick & Easy: With just a few simple ingredients, these cookies come together in under 30 minutes plus the additional time for chilling, making them perfect for last-minute holiday baking.
- Kid-Friendly: These cookies are easy enough for little hands to help with, making them a great family activity.
- Versatile: While classic with Hershey’s Kisses, you can also experiment with different types of chocolate or add chopped peanuts for extra crunch.
Easy Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
For as long as I can remember, we have been making and gifting peanut butter blossoms around the holidays! Everyone loves a chewy peanut butter cookie and the addition of the creamy chocolate kiss makes these irresistible. I like that they are easy to package together or with other holiday treats.
Top with Christmas inspired sprinkles, a drizzle of melted white chocolate and crushed peppermints, or use holiday inspired chocolate kisses for a fun variation!
Ingredient List & Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter: if using salted butter, omit adding more salt later in the recipe. Do not substitute margarine or oil.
- Peanut butter: I use creamy peanut butter for a smooth silky texture, crunchy peanut butter can be used but it may result in a slightly more dry cookie. Keep in mind, natural peanut butters made with 100% peanuts do not create the same consistency.
- Granulated white sugar: I do not recommend swapping any other type of sugar for this recipe. Other sugars can impact the dough differently and change how the cookie bakes and rises.
- Whole eggs: I like fresh pasture raised farm eggs if available, but any kind will work for this cookie. Let your eggs come to room temperature for this recipe, this helps the eggs incorporate better.
- Pure vanilla extract: use homemade or store-bought vanilla extract.
- All-purpose flour: no substitution here, other types of flour will change the texture and affect baking differently
- Baking soda: do not substitute baking powder and make sure your baking soda is fresh and not expired, after a couple months it will start to lose it’s potency.
- Hershey’s kisses: and flavor or style will work!
How to Make The Peanut Butter Blossoms
Let’s talk a little about how to make the Easy Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Cream butter and peanut butter, add in sugar.
- Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Chill dough.
- Scoop dough, roll in sugar, bake, and top with a chocolate kiss.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in the peanut butter and mix for another 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla. Cream for 1-2 minutes longer.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Scraping down the sides as needed.
4. Chill the dough for 25-30 minutes, or overnight if needed. If chilling overnight, allow the dough to come to room temperature before scooping. Using a 1 oz. portion scoop or measuring spoon, scoop out even amounts of dough. Roll in sugar. Arrange 2-3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
5. Bake for 9-11 minutes until slightly golden brown, the cookies will still be very soft. Press a Hershey’s kiss into the middle of each cookie. Allow to cool 3-5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to a week!
You Can Freeze This Cookie Dough
Simply make the cookie dough according to the recipe, scoop even sized amounts of dough onto a sheet pan and place in the freezer until hard. Transfer the cookie dough to an airtight container or freezer bag labeled with the date, type of cookie, and baking instructions (or reference back to this post for baking directions!). Keep in your freezer stash for 3-4 months. Remove desired cookie dough when needed, thaw, bake, and enjoy! You may even want to make a double batch!
Baking Tips For Perfect Cookies
- Don’t over mix dough, mix on low until dough is just combined.
- Chill the cookie dough so the fat sets up and cookies do not spread too thin.
- Use a portion scoop to get even sized scoops of dough so the cookies bake evenly.
- Remove cookies from the oven before you think you need to, they will be soft but set up.
- Top with kisses right out of the oven so they melt slightly and stick to the cookie.
Tools I Use For The Peanut Butter Cookies
- USA Pan Half Sheet Pan – my go-to sheet pans, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely.
- Rubber Spatula – a must have! I like these because they don’t come apart so I don’t have to worry about water getting inside the spatula and causing mold.
- Pyrex Mixing Bowl Set – I love this set of nesting bowls. I use them for everything, Pyrex glass does not break easily so you can trust on these bowls for years, plus they come in 3 useful sizes and can be stacked!
- Portion Scoops – my go to for getting even sized cookies that bake perfectly each time!
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe – a from scratch fudge recipe.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars – chewy bars loaded with chocolate and oats.
- Shortcut Sugar Cookies – a pre-made shortcut recipe to homemade sugar cookies.
- Double Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies – soft chocolate cookies filled with ganache.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies – peanut butter cookies bars loaded with peanut butter cups.
- Peanut Butter Blondies – thick and chewy cookie bars.
Recipe FAQs
What are Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies?
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies are soft peanut butter cookies topped with a Hershey’s Kiss chocolate candy. They are a classic holiday treat known for their chewy texture and sweet combination of peanut butter and chocolate.
Can I use a different type of chocolate instead of Hershey’s Kisses?
Yes! While kisses are the traditional choice, you can use other types of chocolate like chocolate chips, holiday candies, peanut butter cups, or even caramel kisses.
Do I need to chill my cookie dough?
Yes, chilling cookie dough allows the fat to set up so the cookie doesn’t spread too thin. This dough only needs to chill for an hour, if you do not chill this dough – the cookies could spread into each other.
What is the best way to store leftover cookies?
Leftover cookies can be cooled completely, transferred to a airtight zip top bag or glass container and kept at room temperature for 4-5 days. See above instructions for freezing cookie dough.
Easy Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup Creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated sugar + 2 tbsp for rolling
- 2 Eggs, room temperature
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 24 Hershey's kisses
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in the peanut butter and mix for another 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla. Cream for 1-2 minutes longer.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Scraping down the sides as needed.
- Chill the dough for 25-30 minutes, or overnight if needed. If chilling overnight, allow the dough to come to room temperature before scooping. Using a 1 oz. portion scoop or measuring spoon, scoop out even amounts of dough. Roll in sugar. Arrange 2-3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until slightly golden brown, the cookies will still be very soft. Press a Hershey's kiss into the middle of each cookie. Allow to cool 3-5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to a week!
Nutrition
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