Peanut Butter Blossoms

Tested & Perfected Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

Peanut butter and chocolate kisses in a cookie? Yes, please! These peanut butter blossoms are the cutest cookies around.

Peanut butter blossoms on parchment paper.

Peanut butter blossoms are soft and tender peanut butter cookies topped with milk chocolate Hershey’s kisses. They’re undeniably adorable, a breeze to make, and absolutely irresistible. For best results, use regular peanut butter, like Skippy, rather than all-natural. Regular peanut butter is creamy and thick, with added salt and sugar—it just makes better cookies. And don’t skip the final step of baking the cookies with the Hershey’s kisses for a few minutes. Most recipes don’t call for this, but I found that baking them briefly with the chocolate stabilizes the kisses, keeping their perfect shape and smooth finish.

If you enjoy peanut butter blossoms, or are a chocolate-peanut butter fan, be sure to add my buckeyes, chocolate peanut butter squares, and peanut butter pie to your baking bucket list!

“This recipe has the most peanut buttery goodness of all the Peanut Blossom recipes I’ve tried over the years. For the holidays, I roll some of the cookie balls in alternating red and green sanding sugar and some in nonpareils for a festive look.”

Erin

What You’ll Need To Make Peanut Butter Blossoms

peanut butter blossoms ingredients
  • All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the cookies. Measure it by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
  • Baking Powder And Baking Soda: Help the cookies rise.
  • Butter: Adds richness and a tender texture.
  • Creamy Peanut Butter: Gives the cookies their distinctive flavor and chewiness. For best results, use a smooth and creamy commercial peanut butter, like Skippy. (I do not recommend all-natural or chunky peanut butter.)
  • Dark Brown Sugar And Granulated Sugar: Add sweetness and help the cookies stay moist. A portion of the granulated sugar is used for rolling the cookies.
  • Vanilla Extract: Enhances the cookies’ flavor with sweet, aromatic notes.
  • Large Egg: Binds the ingredients together and adds moisture.
  • Hershey’s Kisses: For the iconic center and a big burst of chocolate flavor.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

How To Make Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

whisked dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

wet ingredients for peanut butter blossoms in mixer

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer with beaters), beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar, and the vanilla on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.

beating wet ingredients

Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and add the egg.

adding egg to wet ingredients

Beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds more.

dough after egg is beaten in

Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture.

adding dry ingredients

Mix on low speed until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll.

finished peanut butter blossoms dough

Roll the dough into tablespoon-size balls, then roll in granulated sugar.

rolling dough ball in sugar

Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

dough balls on baking sheet

Bake until puffed, 7 to 9 minutes.

partially baked peanut butter blossoms

Lightly press a Hershey’s kiss into the center of each cookie (the dough will crack slightly).

adding Hershey's kisses to partially baked peanut butter blossoms

Return the cookies to the oven and bake until the cookies are golden and the chocolate is glossy, 2 to 3 minutes more.

baked peanut butter blossoms

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

peanut butter blossoms cooling on a rack

Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, storing the dough in the refrigerator between batches.

Make-Ahead, Freezing & Storage Instructions

The cookies can be stored in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Additioinally, the dough can be made and refrigerated up to a day ahead of time. For longer storage, the cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months: Roll the dough into balls and then roll in granulated sugar. Let set on a baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.)

Peanut butter blossoms on parchment paper.

You May Also Like

Video Tutorial

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Peanut butter and chocolate kisses in a cookie? Yes, please! These peanut butter blossoms are the cutest cookies around.

Servings: 36 cookies
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 25 Minutes, plus 1 hour to chill the dough

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature (I recommend Skippy Natural No Need To Stir)
  • ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling the cookies
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 36 Hershey's kisses

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and beat until incorporated, about 20 seconds more. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place about ½ cup granulated sugar in a small bowl for rolling.
  4. Roll the dough into tablespoon-size balls, then roll in the granulated sugar; place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until puffed, 8 to 9 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and lightly press a Hershey's kiss into the center of each cookie (the dough will crack slightly). Return the cookies to the oven and bake until the cookies are golden and the chocolate is glossy, about 2 minutes more. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, storing the dough in the refrigerator between batches. Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  5. Make-Ahead Instructions: The dough can be made and refrigerated up to a day ahead of time.
  6. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months: Roll the dough into balls and then roll in granulated sugar. Let set on a baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.)

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Serving size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 157
  • Fat: 9 g
  • Saturated fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 18 g
  • Sugar: 12 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Sodium: 61 mg
  • Cholesterol: 12 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

See more recipes:

Comments

  • These cookies are a peanut 🥜 butter party in one’s mouth! So delicious. Made them for our grandson who is a college senior. They arrived the 800 mile journey in tact! If you like peanut 🥜 butter and Hershey’s Kisses 😘 then this is your go to recipe.

  • Hi Jenn,
    First, I want to start by thanking you for always responding to my questions, it is so helpful.
    Theses are my nephew’s favorite cookies, but he lives now in Puerto Rico, so I was wondering what would be the best way to ship them. I was thinking on shipping them overnight in a tin box. Should I send them with the chocolate kiss already in them or could I send them without it and ask his mom to put them in the cookies and then cook them a couple more minutes in the oven?

    • Hi Eugenia, Always happy to help! While it’s very sweet that you want to send these to your nephew, I don’t think they will travel very well – I’m sorry! You could, however, put all of the dry ingredients (the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a container and send that as well as the Hersheys kisses and a small jar of peanut butter and then have your nephew and his mom pull them together. If you’re looking for some options that will ship a little better, you may want to take a peek at any of my biscotti recipes. Hope that helps!

    • Hey Jenn

      Can you use light brown sugar if you don’t have dark on hand. Difference in taste?

      Thanks
      Carolyn

      • Hi Carolyn, Light brown sugar is fine to use – there shouldn’t be a significant difference in how they taste. Enjoy!

  • Hi Jenn,
    I haven’t made this yet and am wondering why your recipe doesn’t say to press the dough down with a fork before baking. It’s just that I have never before seen a peanut butter cookie recipe that doesn’t do that.

    • Hi, I don’t use that technique with these cookies because of the Hershey’s kiss that gets added to the middle of them. Perhaps you’re thinking of this type of peanut butter cookie?

  • These were easy to make and adorable. I made a batch after refrigerating for an hour and it did taste a little “gritty.” I refrigerated another batch overnight and they were slightly softer – but the “gritty” taste is still there… although less so than the first batch. I assume that’s just how peanut butter blossoms are supposed to taste, since I’ve tried other recipes and they all have that texture. I believe this is the least “gritty” recipe out of them all. When I make this in the future, I might try reversing the amounts of white and brown sugar. Thank you for another great recipe!

  • Super yummy! I made these with miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups instead of Hershey’s kisses because we REALLY love peanut butter. Delicious! I’ve made at least 10 different recipes of yours and all of them have gone in the “make again” category. Thank you!!

    • — Tiffany Rodriguez
    • Reply
  • I just used your recipe for peanut butter blossoms and they look great but taste gritty. What did I do wrong?

    • Hi Lois, Happy to help troubleshoot. What type of peanut butter did you use?

    • Skippy creamy peanut butter

      • Hi again, Lois — Did you make any substitutions?

        • no, I followed your recipe. They are all gone now and were enjoyed by my family . I guess I will try recipe again and see how they turn out. Thanks

          • Please do!

            • — Jenn
  • These turned out great. My toddler helped me roll the balls and coat them with sugar. It was the perfect recipe to make with kids! I used dark chocolate Kisses and the cookies were a hit. The last step of baking the cookies with the Kisses for two minutes really is a game changer – instead of a hard lump of chocolate, you get a tempered, smooth, softer chocolate center. Great tip!! Thank you for another amazing recipe!

  • I don’t see a temperature for baking. Maybe I’m just missing it!
    : )

    • The oven should be set to 350°F/175°C. Hope you enjoy!

  • I have a similar recipe that uses shortening instead of butter. Besides taste, is there a difference in outcome using butter? Love your recipes so curious to try with butter.

    • Hi Monica, glad to hear you like the recipes! I’ve never made these with shortening so I’m not sure if they would come out differently. They definitely do taste better with butter though. Hope you enjoy if you make them!

  • If I don’t have any granulated sugar, can I make this recipe with just brown sugar?

    • Yes, that’s fine Fatima – but don’t roll the cookies in brown sugar (you can just skip that step).

      • Hi Jenn
        Do you think I could make the Peanut Butter Blossom dough and freeze it for a week before baking the cookies?
        Thank you,
        Nancy

        • — Nancy on December 9, 2023
        • Reply
        • Yep 🙂

          • — Jenn on December 9, 2023
          • Reply
    • Use red or green sugar for the holidays! Big hit!

      • — Nancy Burgoyne
      • Reply

Add a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.