Peanut Blossom Cookies

The tweaks made to this classic cookie by America’s Test Kitchen have added a ton of flavor to an old favorite. My goddaughter enthusiastically approves.

I highly recommend ATK’s The Perfect Cookie for this and other cookie recipes that will bring smiles to everyone who tastes them.

Recipe

Ingredients

1⅔ cups (226g / 6⅔ ounces) all-purpose flour (see Recipe Notes below)

½ cup (70g) salted dry-roasted peanuts

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

4 ounces (114g / 1 stick / 8 tablespoons) salted butter, softened (see Recipe Notes below)

⅓ cup packed (75g / 2⅓ ounces) dark brown sugar

⅓ cup (67g / 2⅓ ounces) granulated sugar

½ cup (135g) creamy peanut butter

1 large egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

48-50 Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped (about 8 oz/230g — wrapped)

additional granulated sugar (for rolling — see Recipe Notes below)

Yield: 48-50 cookies

Prep Time: 45 minutes (includes 30 minutes chill time)

Bake Time: 9-11 minutes each sheet

Total Time: 60-65 minutes

Type of Recipe:
Drop Cookies

Instructions

Process ⅔ cup (95g) flour and peanuts in food processor until peanuts are finely ground, about 15-20 seconds.
Transfer the processed peanuts to a bowl and whisk in baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 131g of flour.
Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add peanut butter and beat until combined.
Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture in 2 additions, and mix until just combined.
Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
15-20 minutes before you plan to bake the cookies, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls (about 15g each) and space them 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. (I put 40 on each sheet, 4 balls across, 5 rows down.)
Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are just set and beginning to crack, 9 to 11 minutes.
Working quickly, remove sheet from oven and place 1 Hershey’s Kiss in center of each cookie, pressing down firmly. Return sheet to oven and bake until cookies are light golden, about 2-3 minutes longer.
Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Let cookies cool completely before serving. (I usually taste one after about 10 minutes, while they’re still warm!)

Recipe Notes

I usually unwrap the Hershey’s Kisses while the first batch is baking but you can do this ahead of time if you want.
I added an extra ¼ cup (36g) of all-purpose flour to make it easier to roll the dough into balls.
I always use European butter (I am not associated with this company in any way, but Kerrygold is my current favorite) because the butterfat content is higher than in American butter and that means a richer cookie. I also prefer salted butter to unsalted, but that’s just my own personal preference.
I like the look of this cookie when it’s rolled in sugar before baking. It doesn’t affect the taste but it does give each cookie a slight sparkle. Every cookie should sparkle a little bit!