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The smell of creamy peanut butter cookie dough hitting a warm oven still takes me straight back to my childhood kitchen, where holiday baking felt like its own magical season. My mom kept a stack of cookie sheets ready to go, and I always managed to sneak a warm cookie before they made it to the wire rack.
My job was simple: roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar and press a kiss into the center of each cookie as soon as it came out of the oven. I can still remember how the milk chocolate kisses softened just enough to settle into the warm cookie without losing their shape.
These classic peanut butter blossoms were one of the first baking recipes I ever felt confident making on my own. Every December, the tradition comes right back without me even trying.
The Gist
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
Total Time: About 25 minutes
Yield: About 36 cookies
Skill Level: Easy
Dietary Notes: Contains dairy, contains gluten
Why You'll Love It
These peanut butter blossom cookies bake up soft, crackly, and perfectly sweet with that signature chocolate candy pressed right into the top.
The recipe uses simple pantry staples, mixes quickly in the bowl of a stand mixer, and comes together in under half an hour.
They freeze beautifully, stay soft for days, and always earn a spot on any holiday season cookie tray.
The sugar-rolled edges and warm cookie texture make these a favorite cookie for both kids and adults.
Where This Dish Comes From
Peanut blossoms started showing up in mid-century American cookbooks and baking contests, right around the time when peanut butter was becoming a staple in home kitchens and packaged chocolate candies were finding their way into every pantry. The recipe most folks point to first appeared in the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off, created by a home baker named Freda Smith from Gibsonburg, Ohio. She called them "Black-Eyed Susans," and the original version didn't even have the chocolate kiss pressed in just yet-but Pillsbury's test kitchen added it when they photographed the recipe, and the rest is pretty much cookie history.
By the early 1960s, peanut blossoms were popping up on holiday cookie trays across the country. They fit that era perfectly: simple ingredients, dependable results, and just flashy enough to feel special. Most families clipped the recipe straight from the newspaper or tore it out of a brand-new spiral-bound community cookbook. Before long, they were sharing space right alongside spritz, gingerbread, and chocolate crinkles-those cookies that show up every December whether you asked for them or not.
They've stuck around because they're familiar, unfussy, and always welcome. And honestly, it's hard to argue with a warm peanut butter cookie topped with a milk chocolate kiss. That combination earned its place, and it's not going anywhere.
Kitchen Equipment
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Make the Dough
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line prepared baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, blend the peanut butter, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt until smooth.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.
Add the flour and baking soda and mix on low just until the dough forms.
Shape the Cookies
Scoop and shape dough into 1-inch cookie dough balls.
Roll each ball lightly in extra granulated sugar.
Set them on the cookie sheet with about 2 inches of space between each one.
Bake and Add the Chocolate
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the tops look puffy with small cracks and the bottoms are lightly golden.
Press a milk chocolate Hershey's kiss into the warm cookie while they're still soft.
Let the peanut blossoms cool on the pan until the chocolate sets.
✨ Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe ✨
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Chef's Tips for Peanut Butter Blossoms
Use room temperature butter and egg: Helps the dough blend smoothly.
Measure the flour accurately: Too much flour can make the cookies dry.
Stick with creamy no-stir peanut butter: Natural peanut butter separates and affects the texture.
Press the kisses immediately: They'll settle into the warm cookie without melting flat.
FAQs
Can I use natural peanut butter?
No, it isn't recommended because natural peanut butter separates and changes the structure of the dough.
Can these be made ahead?
Yes. You can prepare the dough balls ahead of time and refrigerate them up to 48 hours before baking.
Why did my chocolate candies melt flat?
The cookies may have been too hot or overbaked. Press the kisses in as soon as the cookies come out of the oven but avoid letting them sit on a hot cookie sheet longer than needed. You can freeze the kisses before pressing the into the warm cookies, if desired.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes. Freeze the dough balls in a single layer, then transfer them to a freezer bag.
Leftovers & Storage
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 2 months.
Freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 2 months and roll in sugar just before baking.
My Favorite Storage Containers
Rubbermaid Brilliance Storage Containers
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Tried It?
If you make this recipe, tag me on Instagram with #jennifercooks. I'd love to see your version.
A Few More Treats for Your Baking Lineup
If you've already got a tray of peanut blossoms cooling on the counter, this is a good time to keep the mixer going. Here are a few more cookie recipes that live in the same neighborhood: simple ingredients, cozy flavors, and plenty of nostalgia baked right in.
Chewy Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Chewy in the middle and crisp around the edges, these oatmeal raisin cookies are packed with oats, sweet raisins, and buttery richness for that classic "cookie tin on the counter" vibe.
Old-Fashioned Vanilla Butter Meltaway Cookies
Delicate, buttery little cookies made with powdered sugar and cornstarch so they almost dissolve when you bite into them-simple, pretty, and great for filling out a cookie tray.
Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Warm spices, a soft chewy center, and those crackly sugar tops make these ginger molasses cookies perfect for holiday baking, cookie exchanges, or a quiet night with a mug of something hot.
Chocolate Hershey Kiss Cookies
These are the chocolate cousin to peanut blossoms: soft, cake-mix chocolate cookies rolled in sprinkles and topped with a milk chocolate kiss for an easy, festive treat.
Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
Thin, crisp, rich, and buttery, these old-fashioned sugar cookies are the kind that go perfectly with coffee and stack beautifully in a tin for gifting or sharing.
Classic Monster Cookies
Thick, chewy cookies loaded with peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, and M&Ms-big, colorful, and sturdy enough to pack in lunches, share at parties, or stash in the freezer for later.
*****
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Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Jif Creamy Peanut Butter
- ½ cup Salted Butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 36 Hershey's Kisses unwrapped
Instructions
Prepare the Cookie Dough
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the peanut butter, softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until fully combined.¾ cup Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, ½ cup Salted Butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour and baking soda. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda
Shape the Cookies
- Scoop dough and roll into 1-inch balls.
- Lightly roll each ball in granulated sugar.
- Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one.
Bake the Cookies
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies appear puffy with light cracking and the bottoms are just beginning to brown.
- Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each warm cookie.36 Hershey's Kisses
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet until the chocolate is set.
Notes
- Peanut butter: Use creamy no-stir peanut butter. Natural peanut butter is not recommended as it separates.
- Butter: Salted butter is preferred; if using unsalted, add an extra small pinch of salt.
- Serve with coffee, hot chocolate, or cold milk.
- Include on holiday cookie trays, party platters, or dessert boards.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Freeze unbaked dough balls (without rolling in sugar) on a sheet pan, then bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Roll in sugar just before baking.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is automatically calculated based on ingredient data and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient options are provided, the first listed is used for calculation. Optional ingredients and garnishes are not included in the nutrition analysis.
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