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Peanut Blossoms

Pillsbury Kitchens
Updated Aug 31, 2020
Bake-Off® Contest 09, 1957
Freda Smith
Gibsonburg, Ohio
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Peanut Blossoms are a beloved cookie perfect for holidays, bake sales, and everything in between. Creamy peanut butter and smooth Hershey Kiss candies combine for a classic peanut blossoms cookie. This sweet peanut butter and Hershey Kiss cookies recipe have been a go-to for home bakers like you since it debuted at the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest. In a hurry? Try our three-ingredient Quick Peanut Blossoms made with Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Peanut Butter Cookies for even quicker peanut butter kiss cookies.

More About This Recipe

  • For over 50 years, peanut butter blossoms have been one of the most recognizable and most-requested Christmas cookies. What would a holiday platter be without these peanut butter cookies topped with a simple Hershey’s™ chocolate kiss? Many will be surprised to find out that this 1957 Pillsbury™ Bake-Off Contest entry didn’t win the grand prize—Freda Smith, who submitted this cookie recipe, was instead bettered by a different sweet treat: Accordion Twists, submitted by Gerda Roderer. The story behind Smith’s invention of the famous peanut blossoms is one of a happy accident. She was making a batch of peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies, only to realize she had no chocolate chips in her pantry. Instead, she grabbed what she had on hand—Hershey’s chocolate kisses—and topped each cookie with one candy. And, voilà! Our favorite Christmas cookie was born. Don’t stop at just peanut blossoms! There are so many other delicious peanut butter cookie recipes out there. Click here to browse our very best!

Peanut Blossoms

  • Prep Time 60 min
  • Total 2 hr 0 min
  • Ingredients 12
  • Servings 48
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Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • Sugar
  • 48 Hershey's® Kisses® Brand milk chocolates, unwrapped

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, shortening, peanut butter, milk, vanilla and egg; mix with electric mixer on low speed until stiff dough forms.
  • Step 
    2
    Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
  • Step 
    3
    Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with 1 milk chocolate candy, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour or until chocolate is set.

Nutrition

Tips from the

Pillsbury Kitchens

  • tip 1
    The combo of shortening with the peanut butter ensures that the cookies stay chewy.
  • tip 2
    Chocolate kisses are the most traditional and favorite candy for blossom cookies, but you can press in mini peanut butter cups, caramel-filled chocolate candies, or large candy-coated chocolates for some variety. Just know that the warm cookies may crack a little more w...
  • tip 3
    Try rolling dough balls in coarse sparkling sugar instead of granulated sugar for a special look. Coarse sparkling sugar adds extra sparkle to holiday cookies and can be found in the cake decorating section of most grocery stores.
  • tip 4
    Flat cookie sheets made of shiny aluminium with a smooth surface produce the best results because they reflect heat, letting cookies bake evenly and brown properly. Rimmed baking sheets are excellent for many things, but not for cookie making.
  • tip 5
    To Freeze: cool cookies completely, about 1 hour or until chocolate is set. Place cookies in airtight container in single layer between parchment or waxed paper; cover. Freeze up to 2 months. To thaw, let stand, uncovered at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
  • The HERSHEY'S® KISSES® trademark and trade dress and the Conical figure and plume device are used under license.
  • Bake-Off is a registered trademark of The Pillsbury Company ©2011
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