The Best Peanut Butter Blossoms

Published on December 3, 2020 Updated on May 14, 2021 by Eden

These peanut butter blossoms are soft and chewy and combine a nutty winter flavor with a smooth chocolatey center. These are perfect for holidays or for an indulgent snack!

We love eating these cookies when they’re fresh out of the oven and paired with our festive hot chocolate– nothing beats a chewy gooey center, does it? We love this recipe because it’s moist and flavorful. Peanut butter blossoms can easily turn out dry, but these are far from that. They are gooey with the perfect chewy texture and a little kiss in the middle.

Keep reading to find out all you need to know to perfect this delicious recipe!

How do you make peanut butter blossoms from scratch?

These cookies are very easy to make from scratch! Here’s how:

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
In an electric mixer, mix room temperature butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and peanut butter until smooth.
Add in one egg at a time and beat.
Add in the vanilla and milk.
Turn the mixer to low and gradually add in the flour mixture. Do not over mix.
The dough will be very soft and you can refrigerate it for 30 minutes so it firms up a bit.
Shape dough into small 1″ balls and roll in a bowl of granulated sugar.
Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Bake the dough in a preheated 375-degree oven for 6 minutes. The cookies will be very light brown.
Let them sit for about 1 minute, then press a Hershy Kiss right in the middle!

Bite taken out of a peanut butter blossom cookie with a Hershey's Kiss.

Expert Tips for Making Peanut Butter Blossoms

My first tip is to get the family involved! Peanut butter blossoms are a really simple bake so they’re perfect when the little ones are off school. Other than that, just make sure you don’t forget to chill the dough. It can be tempting to skip this step if you’re pressed for time, but it really does lead to a smoother, yummier cookie.

Peanut Butter Blossom cookies with sprinkles

Variations of Peanut Butter Blossoms

If you’re looking to mix things up from your standard Christmas cookies, try these variations:

Replace the chocolate Hershey’s Kiss with different flavored ones like the sugar cookie flavor we used in this recipe!

Cookie dough ball with colorful sprinkle

Roll the cookie dough in sprinkles to give them colorful twist!

Sprinkle flakes of salt on top of your cookies before baking for a sophisticated flare

Add some mixed spice to your mix for a real festive feel!

Peanut butter blossom cookies with different flavored Hershey kisses

Why Are My Peanut Butter Blossoms Dry?

Over baking is usually the cause of dry, crumbly peanut butter blossoms. Watch the clock carefully whilst baking and make sure your batch doesn’t turn brown around the edges. You’re aiming for a light golden color.

Best Peanut Butter to Use

Natural peanut butter can make your peanut butter cookies too dense, so I recommend you use a brand like Jif for a light fluffy bake. If you do want to use natural peanut butter, make sure it’s a very smooth, creamy texture.

Can You Freeze Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies?

Absolutely. In our house, we double up on the recipe so that we can enjoy fresh cookies on Christmas morning. There’s nothing more festive than the smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through the house!

Both baked and raw cookie mix can be frozen for up to 3 months. When it comes to baking the raw cookie dough, pop it straight in the oven. No need to thaw.

Bite taken out of chocolate peanut butter blossom cookies

How Long Do Peanut Butter Blossoms Keep?

If you store your cookies in an airtight container, they’ll keep fresh for up to 5 days. Any longer than that and you’re best off freezing them to lock in the freshness.