The Christmas cookie exchange is not complete without peanut butter blossoms! This classic recipe is a favorite of mine and all thanks go to its originator, Mrs. Freda F. Smith of Gibsonburg, Ohio. She entered the Pillsbury bake-off in 1949 and while she didn’t win the grand prize, I’d say she wins in all our hearts for this delicious creation. Her recipe was honored again at the 50th anniversary celebration.

The original recipe calls for natural peanut butter and dark chocolate kisses. I prefer the store-bought processed, sweetened peanut butter and milk chocolate Hersey kisses. Hey, we eat healthy “most” of the time so when it comes to sweet treats, I’m not about to compromise!

Gather up your ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 375 and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. 

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

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and beat for 2 more minutes, scraping the sides as necessary.

Slowly add in the sugars, beating until fully incorporated and fluffy. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla, one at a time. 

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, being careful not to overmix. 

Using a small scoop, take about a tablespoon size of dough and then use your hands to roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in the granulated sugar and add to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, keeping the dough balls at least 2″ apart to allow for spreading.

Bake 8-10 minutes, remove from oven and immediately press a Hershey kiss into the middle of the cookie.

Once all the kisses are added, remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

If you love these Peanut Butter Blossoms, you may also want to try my Peanut Butter Cookies, Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Chocolate Cookies Topped with Sugar.

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