I finally put my family’s 60-year-old Softest Peanut Butter Blossoms recipe into words so I can share the surprising little trick that has kept it the holiday cookie everyone asks for.

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I’ve been baking this Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms for years, it’s my go to Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe that people beg me to bring. With creamy peanut butter folded into the dough they come out the Softest Peanut Butter Blossoms you can imagine, soft in the middle and slightly crisp at the edge.

I always press a Hershey’s Kisses into the warm cookie, that chocolate center stops arguments at get togethers, trust me. I use a few little tricks I learned from my grandma, and yeah sometimes I burn one or two, but somehow they still steal the show every time.

Ingredients

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Peanut butter: Packed with protein and healthy fats, adds nutty richness and chew.
All purpose flour: Mostly carbohydrates, gives structure, can make cookies tender if handled right.
Granulated sugar: Pure sweetness, helps spread and brown, little to no nutrients.
Brown sugar: Adds molasses flavor and moisture, makes cookies soft and caramel notes.
Unsalted butter: Provides fat for richness and flakiness, mostly saturated fat, very tasty.
Egg: Adds protein and structure, helps bind, makes texture slightly chewier.
Baking soda: Leavening agent, reacts with acid to lift cookies, not eaten for nutrition.
Hershey’s Kisses: Chocolate candy, adds sweet chocolate center, mainly sugar and fat.

Ingredient Quantities

1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup for rolling

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

About 36 Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. Whisk together 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl.

3. In a separate large bowl, cream 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Beat in 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter until smooth, then add 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons milk; mix until combined.

5. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet just until incorporated, don’t overmix. If the dough seems too soft to roll, chill it for 15 to 30 minutes.

6. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough (you should get roughly 36) and roll each into a ball, then roll the balls in the extra 1/4 cup granulated sugar to coat.

7. Place the sugared balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

8. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until the cookies are set at the edges but still soft in the center; don’t overbake or they’ll dry out.

9. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven press one unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie, gently but firmly. Let the cookies cool on the sheet about 2 minutes so the chocolate sets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven plus 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
2. Mixing bowls — one medium for the dry stuff and one large for the wet (dont mix them up)
3. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for flour sugar milk etc
4. Hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon for creaming the butter sugars and peanut butter
5. Whisk for the baking soda and salt and to aerate the flour mix
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl and folding the dough
7. Cookie scoop or a tablespoon and a small bowl for rolling the dough balls in sugar
8. Wire cooling rack to let the cookies cool completely before adding the kisses and storing

FAQ

Q: How long do I bake these and how do I know when theyre done?

A: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 8 to 10 minutes. The edges should look set and slightly cracked on top, the center will still be soft. Take them out, press a Hershey's Kiss into each right away, and let cool on the sheet so the chocolate sticks. Dont overbake or they'll be dry.

Q: My dough is super soft and spreads, do I need to chill it?

A: Not required but helpful. If the dough is too soft chill 15 to 30 minutes, it firms up and spreads less. You can also chill shaped dough balls for 30 minutes before baking. Works great on warm days.

Q: Can I use natural or chunky peanut butter instead of creamy?

A: Chunky is fine, just expect a nuttier texture. Natural peanut butter (oil separated) can make the dough oily and cause excess spreading. If using natural, stir it well, chill the dough, or add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra flour to stabilize it.

Q: How many cookies does this recipe make and what size should I scoop?

A: This batch makes about 36 cookies. Scoop roughly 1 tablespoon or 1-inch balls, roll in the extra 1/4 cup sugar, then bake. Uniform balls give the best, even baking.

Q: How do I store or freeze them?

A: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 3 to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months, layer with parchment. You can also freeze unbaked, rolled dough balls on a tray, then bag them and bake from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes to bake time.

Q: Any fun variations or substitutions?

A: Sure, swap Kisses for mini chocolate chips, chocolate discs, or unwrapped Rolos (watch melting). Add a sprinkle of coarse salt on top for a sweet-salty kick, or press a mini peanut butter cup for extra peanut flavor. You can also use dark or milk chocolate kisses depending on how sweet you want them.

Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap for a 1:1 gluten free all purpose blend (use same weight/volume), or try whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier bite youll get a denser cookie so add 1 tbsp milk if dough seems dry.
Unsalted butter: use salted butter (cut the added salt to 1/4 tsp), or solid coconut oil 1:1 for a subtle coconut note, or vegetable shortening 1:1 for softer, less-spreading cookies.
Creamy peanut butter: use natural (stirred) peanut butter, chunky peanut butter for extra texture, or almond/cashew butter 1:1 if you want a different nutty flavor.
Hershey’s Kisses: press a large chocolate chip into the center, use a mini peanut butter cup or Rolo, or chill an unwrapped chocolate truffle before pressing so it sets quicker.

Pro Tips

– Chill the dough if it’s too soft before you roll it. It firms up the butter so the cookies hold their shape better, and you wont end up with super flat blobs in the oven.

– Unwrap all the Kisses before you bake a tray, and press them into the warm cookies right out of the oven so they stick. If one cracks or won’t set, pop the whole sheet in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes and try again.

– Use a small cookie scoop so your cookies are uniform, that way baking time is consistent. Rotate your pans halfway through baking if you’re doing more than one sheet, it makes a big difference.

– For storing, keep them in an airtight container at room temp for a few days, or freeze baked cookies between layers of parchment. You can also freeze dough balls on a tray then transfer to a bag to bake fresh later.

Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe

Recipe by Kate Sinclair

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally put my family's 60-year-old Softest Peanut Butter Blossoms recipe into words so I can share the surprising little trick that has kept it the holiday cookie everyone asks for.

Servings

servings

Calories

121

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven plus 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
2. Mixing bowls — one medium for the dry stuff and one large for the wet (dont mix them up)
3. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for flour sugar milk etc
4. Hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon for creaming the butter sugars and peanut butter
5. Whisk for the baking soda and salt and to aerate the flour mix
6. Rubber spatula for scraping the bowl and folding the dough
7. Cookie scoop or a tablespoon and a small bowl for rolling the dough balls in sugar
8. Wire cooling rack to let the cookies cool completely before adding the kisses and storing

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup for rolling
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
About 36 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Whisk together 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl.
In a separate large bowl, cream 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter until smooth, then add 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons milk; mix until combined.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet just until incorporated, don't overmix. If the dough seems too soft to roll, chill it for 15 to 30 minutes.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough (you should get roughly 36) and roll each into a ball, then roll the balls in the extra 1/4 cup granulated sugar to coat.
Place the sugared balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until the cookies are set at the edges but still soft in the center; don't overbake or they'll dry out.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven press one unwrapped Hershey's Kiss into the center of each cookie, gently but firmly. Let the cookies cool on the sheet about 2 minutes so the chocolate sets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.