Table of contents
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies are soft, tender peanut butter cookie with chocolate kiss or disk in the center. These are a traditional Christmas cookie served around the holidays at parties or given out as a gift on a cookie tray.
Ingredients to make Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose unbleached flour with 10-12% protein, such as King Arthur or Sir Galahad Artisan Flour (its bulk-purchased name) which has 11.7% protein. Avoid bread flour, as its higher protein content (11-14%), develops more gluten, which results in dense baked goods.
- Cornstarch is made from the starchy center of dried corn kernels used as a thickener in sauces and pie fillings, and in baked goods to create a light, tender crumb.
- Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a leavening agent that reacts with acidic ingredients (like lemon juice, buttermilk, or vinegar) creates carbon dioxide gas to make baked goods rise.
- Pink salt is a type of rock salt found near the Himalayas, that is minimally processed and contains trace minerals.
Wet Ingredients
- Butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
- Peanut butter is made from peanuts, oil, sugar and salt turned into a creamy or chunky texture. Look for one that has “fully hydrogenated oil”, minimal trans fats, and no high fructose corn syrup. Some varieties labeled “natural”, may be “Peanut Butter Spread” containing palm oil. Authentic “all-natural” peanut butter is made from ground peanuts and salt.
- Brown sugar is granulated sugar combined with molasses, sold as either light brown sugar (with 3.5% molasses) or dark brown sugar (with 6.5% molasses) for a more robust flavor.
- Sugar is a made by processing the juice of the sugarcane plant. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
- Eggs are produced by chickens and provide structure and stability in baking, while their proteins trap air, creating natural leavening.
- Heavy Cream is a dairy product with a rich, creamy texture made from the high-fat layer that rises to the top of the milk before it is processed.
- Vanilla provides warm notes of caramel and spice, enhancing the depth of flavor in baked goods.
Make your own ingredients
Peanut Butter: Homemade peanut butter is so easy to make from fresh roasted, salted peanuts in which you just place in food processor and blend to desired consistency. Use roasted peanuts without salt or lightly-salted, and grind in a food processor for 2-3 minutes.
Vanilla: Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 oz. of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5-7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Let it sit for 3-6 months in a cool, dark place. As you use it, continue to replace the bourbon and add more beans as it keeps for many years.
Dietary Substitutions
For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. You can read more about my pro-baking here.
Here are a few basic tips when converting conventional recipes into specialty baked goods.
- Shelf Life: Specialty baked goods tend to dry out faster and have a shorter shelf life than conventional baked goods. Store in an airtight container on counter for 1 – 2 days. For longer storage, freeze up to 6 months. Avoid refrigerating, as it can dry out baked goods.
- Let Batter Rest: Alternate flours can be dense or slightly gritty compared to white flour, so be sure to let the batter rest at least 15 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator before baking. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and produce a lighter, tender crumb.
- Oven Temperature: Alternative flours are delicate and tend to brown faster before the center is cooked through. Reduce oven to 325° and bake “low and slow,” adding a few extra minutes of bake time if needed.
Gluten-Free (no gluten)
- Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe.
- Hydration: Gluten free flours can make baked goods dense. Add 1 tablespoon of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture.
- Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.
Vegan/Dairy Free (no animal products)
- Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
- Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
- Use a few dairy-free chocolate chips like Nestle plant based chips in the center.
Keto (low carb, high fat)
- Flour: Swap the white flour for almond flour or coconut flour.
- Sweetener: Replace sugar with Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener which calls for a 1:1swap that mimics granulated sugar.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as coconut or almond milk.
- Hydration: Almond flour can make baked goods dense. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture. Add 1 additional egg to help bind the batter.
- Fat: Add up to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.
- Use a few no-sugar chocolate chips such as Lily’s in the center.
Wholesome (minimally processed)
- Flour: Swap out 1/3 to 1/2 of the white flour with King Arthur white whole wheat flour or King Arthur 100% whole wheat flour or Bob’s oat flour.
- Sweetener: Replace white sugar with maple syrup or honey. Use 3/4 c. honey for every 1 c. sugar. You can also swap out the white sugar with 1:1 swap using natural cane sugar, coconut sugar or date sugar.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Lower Fat: For every 1 c. of butter, use 3/4 c. heart-healthy oil (like canola or extra-light olive) OR 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce + 1/2 c. oil.
Allergen Free (none of the 9 allergens)
- Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend that does not contain tree nuts or soy. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe. Here is a list of some other gluten-free flours to try.
- Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture. Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat or coconut milk. Check the labels to make sure they are soy-free and nut-free.
- Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
- Nuts: Omit all peanuts and tree nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts.
Storage & Freezing
Pre-baked cookies:
- You can make the batter and store until ready to bake.
- Short-term, scoop the batter into cookie pucks/balls and place in storage container until use.
- Long-term, place all of the mixed batter into a ziploc bag or storage container and let the batter come to room temperature before scooping into cookie pucks/balls.
Baked cookies:
- Store baked cookies in airtight container on counter 1-2 days.
- Seal in in freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Place cookies in layers lined with parchment paper. You can also individually heat seal cookies and place them in a larger container.
- To thaw frozen cookies, allow them to come to room temperature before opening the container.
FAQ’s
Use light-colored, aluminum cookie sheets to reflect even heat during the baking process. Dark cookie sheets conduct more heat off the surface, which may burn or darken on the edges before they are fully cooked through.
For even browning, place only 2 cookie sheets in the oven at the same time. Place the cookie sheet horizontally and rotate them halfway through the baking process. To rotate, spin the cookie sheets around 180° and swap the cookie sheets from top to bottom and vice versa.
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
DRY INGEDIENTS
- 1 ⅔ c. unbleached flour
- 1 T. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
WET INGREDIENTS
- ½ c. unsalted butter room temp
- ½ c. peanut butter
- ¾ c. brown sugar
- ¼ c. sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 T. cream or milk
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
- hershey kisses unwrapped
Instructions
PREP
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
BATTER
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light in color. Add eggs, cream, and vanilla and mix together.
- Add in dry ingredients and mix until it just comes together.
- Scoop batter into balls using a medium cookie scoop. Roll balls into a bowl of white sanding sugar. Place cookies on baking sheet 1# apart.
BAKE
- Pre-heat oven to 375°
- Bake cookies for about 10 minutes. Take out from oven and place an unwrapped hershey kiss in center of cookie. Bake an additional 2 minutes.
- Let cookies cool and store in sealed container on counter 2-3 days or in freezer up to 6 months.
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