Grandma's Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms

My classic peanut butter blossoms are soft peanut butter cookies rolled in sugar and topped with a Hershey's Kiss while they're still warm from the oven.

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I make them from the original 1957 recipe, with one easy change: butter instead of shortening, for a richer, old-fashioned flavor. One batch makes 48 cookies, so there's plenty for the cookie tray and a few tins to give away.

Grandma's Christmas Cookie Tray

Every Christmas, my grandma threw a big party, and there were bowls of homemade candy and Chex mix on every table in the house. Grandma made peanut butter blossoms too, and now I make them the same simple, from-scratch way, and every batch takes me right back to Grandma Dottie's kitchen.

These are one of the easiest cookies on my old-fashioned Christmas cookies list, and they're right at home with my vintage cookie recipes and a plate of vintage candy.

What to Know About Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms

• The original recipe, with butter - this is the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off recipe with butter in place of the shortening, so the cookies taste buttery instead of plain.
• No mixer tricks needed: one bowl for the dough, one for the dry ingredients, and the dough rolls right into balls.
• Bakes at 375°F - 10 to 12 minutes, until light golden brown.
• Makes 48 cookies: a big batch for cookie trays, cookie swaps and gift tins.
• The finishing touch - press a chocolate kiss into each cookie the minute they come out of the oven so the edges crack and the kiss settles in.

Ingredients for Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms

• Butter - softened to room temperature so it creams smoothly with the peanut butter. This is my swap for the shortening in the original.
• Creamy peanut butter: use a regular brand like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butter separates and can make the cookies crumbly.
• White and brown sugar - the brown sugar keeps the centers soft. You'll need extra white sugar for rolling.
• Egg, milk and vanilla: the milk is the old-fashioned touch that keeps the dough easy to roll.
• Flour, baking soda and salt - spoon the flour into the cup and level it off, so the cookies don't turn out dry.
• Hershey's Kisses - 48 of them, unwrapped before you start baking. Milk chocolate is the classic, but any Kisses flavor works.

Full amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms

Step 1: Mix the dough

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Beat the butter, peanut butter, white sugar and brown sugar until creamy, then beat in the egg, milk and vanilla.

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then stir them into the peanut butter mixture until a soft dough forms.

Step 3: Roll in sugar

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll each one in sugar. Set them 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Step 4: Bake

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are light golden brown.

Step 5: Add the kisses

Press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie right away, while they're hot. The edges will crack, and that's exactly what you want. Let them cool completely so the chocolate sets.

Grandma's Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Blossoms

• Unwrap the kisses first. The cookies need them the second they leave the oven, so have a bowl of unwrapped kisses ready.
• Chill soft dough. Butter makes a softer dough than shortening. If it's too sticky to roll, chill it for 30 minutes.
• Don't overbake. Pull them when they're just golden. They firm up as they cool.
• Let the chocolate set before stacking. Warm kisses smear, so wait until they're firm before you fill a tin.

How to Make Ahead and Store Peanut Butter Blossoms

• Storing: keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• Freezing baked cookies - freeze them in a single layer, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• Freezing the dough: roll the dough into balls, freeze them, and bake from frozen. Add about 1 minute to the bake time.
• Cookie swaps - bake them a few days ahead. They hold up well in tins.

Modern Updates

• Change the chocolate - try Hugs, dark chocolate, caramel or candy cane Kisses.
• Festive sugar: roll the dough in red and green sanding sugar instead of white sugar.
• Peanut butter cups - press in mini peanut butter cups instead of kisses.

What to Serve With Peanut Butter Blossoms

I like these on a Christmas cookie tray next to a bowl of my vintage holiday punch. They also make an easy dessert after an old-fashioned Christmas dinner, next to a few retro holiday desserts. And they're a sweet treat with coffee and homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning.

FAQs

Who invented peanut butter blossoms?

Freda Smith of Gibsonburg, Ohio, created them for the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off. Today they're one of the most searched Christmas cookies in America.

Why do my kisses melt on peanut butter blossoms?

The cookies are still very hot when the kisses go on, so the chocolate softens. Let the cookies cool completely before you move them, and the kisses will firm back up.

Can I use crunchy peanut butter?

Yes, but the cookies will be a little more crumbly. Creamy peanut butter gives the smooth, classic texture.

Why are my peanut butter blossoms dry?

Too much flour or a few extra minutes in the oven are the usual causes. Spoon and level the flour, and pull the cookies as soon as they're light golden.

More Holiday Recipes

• Easter Blossom Cookies
• No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
• Red Velvet Bundt Cake
• Classic Trifle and Layered Desserts
• Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie