Why do the kisses need to be frozen before pressing?

A room temperature kiss melts against the hot cookie: the point slumps, the surface turns dull, and the loosened chocolate can detach once cool. Fifteen minutes in the freezer firms the kiss so only its base softens into the warm crumb. The point stays sharp, the finish stays glossy, and the kiss stays anchored in the tin.

Can I use natural peanut butter for peanut butter blossoms?

It is the one swap this recipe refuses. Natural peanut butter separates, and its extra oil makes the dough greasy: the cookies spread thin, crack badly and bake dry at the edges. Classic creamy peanut butter, the shelf stable kind, gives the thick, tender crumb the cookie is known for. Reference values for both styles are listed in USDA FoodData Central at https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/ if you want to compare them.

Why did my blossoms crack so much, and is that bad?

Cracks are the signature of this cookie, not a flaw. They form as the puffed cookie settles around the pressed kiss, and a sugared surface cracks more visibly. What you do not want is a dry, crumbly crack that breaks the cookie apart; that means the tray stayed in the oven too long.

How far ahead can I make the dough balls?

Rolled and sugared balls keep 2 days in the fridge, covered, or up to 2 months in the freezer, frozen solid on a tray then bagged. Bake frozen balls at 375°F with about 2 extra minutes, and press the frozen kisses on the moment the tray leaves the oven.

My kisses keep falling off the cooled cookies. What happened?

The press came too late. The cookie surface must still be soft, within about a minute of leaving the oven, so the chocolate base melts slightly into the crumb and glues itself as it cools. If a tray waited, return it to the oven for 10 seconds to soften the centers, then press.

Peanut Butter Blossoms: 36 Best Crackled Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (classic style, not natural)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
36 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

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Instructions

Unwrap the kisses and put them on a small plate in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Beat the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together for about 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla until smooth.
Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the peanut butter mixture and stir until a soft dough forms with no dry flour at the bottom.
Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 375°F while it rests.
Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, about 36. Roll each ball in the sugar for rolling and set on the sheets, 2 inches apart.
Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies are puffed, the tops look dry, and fine cracks ring the edges. Do not wait for browning.
Take the sheet out and immediately press one frozen kiss into the center of each cookie, firmly enough that the edges crack a little more.
Leave the cookies on the hot sheet for 10 minutes to set, then move them to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the second sheet.

Author: Chef Rita
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 120
Sugar: 9
Sodium: 90
Fat: 7
Saturated Fat: 3
Unsaturated Fat: 4
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 14
Fiber: 1
Protein: 2
Cholesterol: 13