Homemade peanut butter blossoms are the quintessential Christmas cookie and trademark of any holiday cookie tray. My classic recipe yields soft, peanut buttery, and easy-to-make festive cookies!
Peanut butter blossoms are easily one of the best Christmas cookies on this planet because they’re (1) easy to make, (2) super cute, (3) peanut butter + chocolate, and (4) peanut butter + chocolate. (Have to list that twice!)
This soft-baked-style peanut butter cookie is a tried and true favorite (you can even find the recipe in my cookbook, Sally’s Candy Addiction). I originally published the recipe in 2016 and it’s been well loved since. While small, these cookies pack a mighty peanut butter punch, and that’s what everyone loves about them!
What Makes These the Best Peanut Butter Blossoms?
- Simple + straightforward recipe using the same base dough as my flagship peanut butter cookies recipe (note that today’s recipe uses 1 Tablespoon less flour)
- Mega peanut butter flavor
- Extra soft & thick
- Only 1 hour needed for dough chilling, so they’re relatively quick
- Rolled in granulated sugar for an extra sparkle—use colorful sanding sugars for a festive touch
Key Ingredients in Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Here’s what you need to make this classic Christmas cookie recipe. You can find the full printable recipe below.
- Flour: We use all-purpose flour as the base of these peanut butter cookies. You may look at the recipe and wonder why there’s so little flour. Did you know that nut butters act as a binder and can actually replace some or all flour in cookie recipes? See these flourless almond butter cookies and flourless monster cookies. Using more flour will dry out the cookies, so stick with the recipe below.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the cookies rise.
- Salt + Vanilla Extract: Use both salt and vanilla extract for flavor.
- Sugars: We use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in this recipe. Both for sweetness, and brown sugar for extra softness.
- Egg: One egg binds everything together.
- Butter: Butter adds flavor and structure. Make sure you have proper room temperature butter before beginning.
- Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is the most important ingredient for peanut butter cookies. For best results, use processed peanut butter like Jif or Skippy—the same I recommend for my peanut butter balls and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
- Chocolate Kiss Candies: A necessity! This is the “blossom” part of these cookies.
And you have candy options! Instead of a Hershey’s Kiss, try a peanut butter cup or chocolate heart like I do in my peanut butter cup cookies and sparkle sweetheart cookies. Or fill with jam like in my peanut butter jam thumbprints.
These Step-by-Step Photos Will Help
You can find the full written recipe below, but let me walk you through these steps. These cookies are quick and simple—a welcome recipe during the busy holiday season.
Make the dough. You’ll combine the dry and wet ingredients separately, and then together. Expect a very soft cookie dough:
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour to help solidify it, which helps guarantee your peanut butter blossoms will hold shape in the oven. Cold dough is also easier to portion and roll. After the dough chills, roll into 1 heaping Tablespoon balls and then roll each in sugar or sanding sugar sprinkles:
Bake the cookies and then cool them for 5 minutes before adding the chocolate candy.
Prevent the Hershey’s Kisses From Melting on Peanut Butter Blossoms
Press the candies into the center of each slightly cooled cookie. And then, here is my trick:
Stick the peanut butter blossoms in the freezer to prevent the chocolate kiss candy from melting. This ensures the chocolate kiss stays nice and snug in the cute little peanut butter cookie. The refrigerator works too, but the freezer is most effective at preventing any melty problems. This also helps cool the cookies quicker so you can immediately hoard them for yourself. I mean… share with your family.
My freezer usually doesn’t have room for a large baking sheet, so I place the slightly cooled cookies on a smaller tray or plate before placing in the freezer. This is the same process I use when I make red velvet blossoms, too!
Can I Make These Nut-Free?
For a nut-free version of this recipe, swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter or Biscoff spread. However, you’ll have better luck (and a tastier cookie!) if you make these sparkle sweetheart cookies and replace the Valentine’s Day heart candies with Hershey’s Kisses. Or try my candy cane kiss cookies or red velvet blossoms.
Other Classic Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Spritz Cookies
- Butter Cookies and Chocolate Butter Cookies
- Snowball Cookies
- Peppermint Mocha Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Lace Cookies
- Chocolate Ginger Cookies
- Shortbread Cookies & Pinwheel Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Icebox Cookies
Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (includes chilling)
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These homemade peanut butter blossoms are extra soft and thick, super simple to make, and delightfully peanut buttery. So many reasons why this is a classic holiday cookie recipe! Don’t forget to place the cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes to prevent the chocolate kiss candy from melting.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/4 cups (156g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (about 185g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 24 chocolate kiss candies, unwrapped
Coating
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- OR: 1/4 cup (50g) green sanding sugar and 1/4 cup (50g) red sanding sugar
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on high speed until creamy. Switch to medium-high speed and beat in the brown sugar and 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar until completely creamed and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. The dough will be very creamy and soft. Cover and chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside. Also, make sure there’s room in your freezer because the cookies will need to be placed inside to prevent the chocolates from melting.
- Roll & Bake: Scoop and roll cookie dough, about 1 heaping Tablespoon of dough each. Roll each ball in the 1/2 cup of sugar (or sanding sugar) and arrange on the baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake for 11–13 minutes or until the tops begin to slightly crack. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
- Set the chocolate: Press a chocolate kiss candy into the center of each, then, using a thin spatula, immediately transfer the cookies to a large plate or a few smaller plates (gently—they’re soft). Place the plate(s) of cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes to quickly set the chocolate in the cookie.
- Remove from the freezer and serve.
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Baking Sheets |Â Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack
- Granulated Sugar: You’ll only need 1/4 cup of granulated sugar for the cookie dough and the other 1/2 cup will be for coating in step 5. Or you can use sanding sugar to coat the cookies instead, noted as optional in the ingredient list. If using sanding sugar, you do not need the extra 1/2 cup of granulated sugar listed under Coating. If you’re shopping for sanding sugar online, I like the sugars from this holiday set, these multicolor, these green, and these red (affiliate links).
- Peanut Butter: Creamy peanut butter is ideal for this recipe because crunchy peanut butter creates an overly crumbly cookie. For this particular recipe, it’s best to use processed peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy. If you decide to use natural peanut butter, make sure it’s at room temperature, stirred well, and expect a slightly crumblier cookie.
- Can I use almond butter or other nut butter? Yes, you can use almond butter or another nut butter in this cookie recipe; however, expect a crumblier cookie. I have not tested this recipe with Nutella.
- Can I make these without nut butter? For a nut-free version of this recipe, swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter or Biscoff spread. However, you’ll have better luck (and a tastier cookie!) if you make these sparkle sweetheart cookies and replace the Valentine’s Day heart candies with Hershey’s Kisses. Or try my candy cane kiss cookies or red velvet blossoms.
Hi Sally
How long will the baked cookies last as room temperature? Should I stick them in Tupperware and put them in the fridge right away to make them last longer? They are super yummy BTW. Great recipe!!
Hi Alexis! Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can refrigerate if you want, but I never usually do.
Just made these and they look great! Only issue – when I put the chocolate kiss on after 10 mins of cooking the cookies didn’t stay together. Several of them split. Any ideas? Thanks!
Hi Jen! The cookies can crack on the edges when you press in the chocolate kiss. Use your hands/fingers to press the edges back together while the cookies are still warm. You could also try baking them for 1 less minute next time. They could have been a little too dry.
I make this recipe and for an added twist I add Rolos instead it’s a great twist
I put the unwrapped kisses in the freezer before I start preparing the dough. Then as soon as the cookies come out of the oven, I stick the frozen kiss in. The kiss melts enough on the bottom from the hot cookie but because it’s frozen, the kiss itself doesn’t melt as much.
great idea! i will try tonight…just quadrupled the recipe, can’t wait to start the baking!
The cookies came out wonderfully. The recipe is written awkwardly when you are reading it online with many advertisements. List the extra sugar for rolling separately from the actual recipe ingredients in ingredient list. I am an experienced cook and this one got me. I added less brow; sugar to compensate but it was a little too late to remove it from the butter. Great recipe! They turns out perfectly with the extra white sugar.
Some peanut butter blossom recipes end up being so dry. This one did not! I also love the freezing idea. I have always had issues with the kisses coming off but found that when I put them on the cookie and they started to melt just slightly and then stuck them in the freezer the chocolate became the glue. Love it!
Hi sally! Is there any way i can just leave the peanut butter out? Will it still taste good?
Hi Hope! No, it’s the main ingredients in this recipe. Here’s a sugar cookie thumbprint you can try instead. Feel free to skip the sprinkles and use a chocolate kiss.
This worked very well for me. I just discovered your recipes and the two that I used were terrific. I used clear sparkle sugar for mine – that made them look festive without the red and green coloring. Also I did not freeze mine. I have made these before and I find that as long as I give the cookies plenty of time to cook the kiss does not become misshapen after I insert it. It melts but if you don’t jostle it, it will return to normal eventually!
I’ve made these many times in the past, but I have a problem with the kisses not sticking to the cookie, even if they are slightly melted on the cookie. Any suggestions on how to make them stick? A dab of peanut butter or icing on the bottom of the kiss? Most of the time they stick but there are always some that fall off! Thank you!
Hi Kathie, a dab of peanut butter or frosting would definitely help secure the kisses in place.
Hi Kathie,
After I put the kisses into the cookie I put them back in the oven for 1 minute. Then let them cool about 10-15 minutes and then put them in the fridge on the cookie sheet until kiss is firm. They don’t fall off anymore!
Made these many times and they are great! Freezing the dough for the first time, do I roll in the sugar/colored sugar before freezing? Thank you Sally! You are my go to for all my baking!
Hi Sally!
Someone in my family has a serious peanut allergy, so I wondered if I could substitute the peanut butter for Nutella. I read a bunch of the comments and someone has already asked that question and you said yes. So now I’m wondering if I could turn these into thumbprints maybe? And fill with Nutella, because you can never have to much Nutella 🙂 I think I would let the cookies cool completely before I fill them with Nutella to prevent melting. Thanks!
Hi Sarah! I can’t see why not! Make sure you sufficiently chill the cookie dough and even the shaped thumbprints before baking. You’ll want them extra cold so they hold their shape. You can even add 1-2 extra Tablespoons of flour to help soak up the fat/liquid. Extra flour helps prevent over-spreading.
I haven’t made Peanut Butter Blossoms for years but recently decided to make them after scoring a ton of Hershey kisses on clearance after Easter. After reading through a few recipes on the web, I chose your recipe and one from NYTimes Cooking. The two recipes are quite different. I followed both recipes without any changes, using Skippy Natural Creamy Peanut Butter. Since I could not bake them the same day, I made both doughs and let them sit in the fridge overnight. I allowed both doughs to come to room temperature before I scooped and formed the cookies. I can honestly say that your recipe is the better of the two. The peanut butter flavor is more intense and the cookie has a better texture and appearance. The NYTimes cookies split more when I pressed in the kisses; your cookies didn’t crack as much. Thank you for this recipe – this will be my go-to recipe from now on when I’m craving peanut butter blossoms.
Sally, can you substitute Nutella for the peanut butter? I read somewhere that Nutella is a possible substitute for peanut butter (similar in consistency, but different in flavour of course). Someone in my family has a serious peanut allergy, but I love the look of these cookies so would like to make them, but with Nutella. Thanks, I appreciate it.
Yes, Nutella should work for this recipe.
I made these cookies and they are delicious
Are you suppose to cool on the counter or on the baking sheet for 10 min after you take them out?
I recommend cooling on the baking sheet.
These cookies are AMAZING. They stay fluffy and taste delicious.Â
i made these for a party. Â Everybody (including myself) loved them. Using dark chocolate kisses takes it to a new level of yummy.
Hey Sally! I wanted to make these for the SuperBowl and bake these cookies red- (Go Falcons 😉 would it work if I rolled them in red sprinkles instead of sugar?
Yes, red sprinkles would be great!
First let me say I am not a huge fan of anything peanut butter or chocolate…I know that should be a crime, but my neighbors, whom I cook for quite often are. So I have found myself recently making a lot of peanut butter cookies. And a hobby of mine is researching, experimenting, tweaking and reading reviews and sometimes finding ways to make things easier on myself. I have used your many times as one of my go to sites. And I have left two reviews in probably two years and those two had a tweak or two. That all said I wanted you to know this is the best PB cookie recipe I have yet to find. I did not change a single thing except freezing the kisses because of full small freezer. This recipe is amazing. I bit in to one (I don’t give anything out that does not taste good to me) they were like biting into a fluffy peanut buttery cloud without being overly sweet absolutely amazing!!! I would highly recommend to anyone that wants to make this don’t change a thing and follow the directions exactly. They are absolutely wonderful. Thank you for a wonderful site and a lot of incentive with my hobby
Hello – these are the first cookie I remember loving as a little girl in the early 1960’s! Â I have to disagree with the way you finish them. Â We always insert the chocolate kiss for the last minute or so of baking – while cookies are still in the oven. Â Yes, it softens the kiss just so and just perfect. Â To each his own, I guess! Â Thanks for all of your great recipes.Â
Mmm… now that way sounds so good too!
Just a tip: I have a really small freezer (condo life), so I froze the kisses before placing them on the cookies (vs putting the tray of cookies in the freezer, which isn’t an option for me). It worked great — no melting issues. Awesome recipe and amazing blog. Love it!
That’s a great idea!
So, Sally, I want to try these, but I’m not comfortable putting a (hot) fresh from the oven baking tray into the freezer with the cookies on them. Can the cookies be transferred to a room temperature baking tray after coming out of the oven instead, and frozen with the Hersheys kiss on that?
Yep, you can transfer them to a room temperature pan if you’d prefer to do that. They do need to cool for a few minutes after baking before you can transfer them though.
Mine came out dry and crumbly. Did I overtake or was it something else?Â
Mine really crumbled when I put the chocolate on top.
Is that over baking, or maybe not letting them cook enough?
I have half in the freezer so I can do better next time I hope!
Thanks!
Overbaking is typically the culprit when that happens to me. I’d bake a minute less.
Same thing just happened to me :(. the whole cookie just crumpled when I tried gently to insert the kiss. This has never happened with other recipes. ugh  luckily I have half left and came looking for answers. its hard to tell if baked. ill try this next 12 cookies and hope for the best.
Mine fell apart when I placed the kiss on top. Didn’t matter if I waited for them to cool down a bit or not. Ended up having throw about six away. The taste is good, though.
Hi Sally, is the chocolate kiss candy inserted into the cookie just after it comes out of the oven or after 10 minutes of cooling?
After 5-10 minutes of cooling.
Can you use natural peanut butter when you make these? Thanks and Happy Holidays!
I am wondering the same thing! Did you use a sweetened peanut butter like Jif/Skippy or a natural type (dry roasted peanuts with or without salt)? Thank you so much!
I recommend using a sweetened PB like Jif or Skippy.
I made these using Skippy All Natural peanut butter, and they turned out GREAT. It wasn’t Christmas and I didn’t have any of the large kisses so I just added 1 cup mini chips to the batter, and pressed top like regular peanut butter cookies….will try peanut butter chips next batch. In any case they turned out “perfecto! ” Thanks for the great recipe.