PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOM COOKIES, YOU KNOW, THE ONES WITH THE CHOCOLATE KISS ON TOP

   December is here and for many it means COOKIE baking time.  COOKIES and lots of them.  Today (Dec. 4) is National COOKIE DAY so here’s one of my favorites of the season, the PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOM, that sort of chewy (when I don’t over bake them that is) cookie topped with a Chocolate Kiss, ok, no product sponsors on my blog, but they are Hershey’s Kisses. The recipe too is from the Hershey website with just a few tweeks I’ve made, like swapping out the shortening for butter.  I personally don’t use shortening because of it’s Hydrogenated oil processing but that’s up to you.  Unless you are dealing with peanut allergies in the house, these are a great family recipe to make.

Why do the end of the year Holidays, that time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s bring out the excess?  I guess it’s just a time to shake off the rules you try to live by through the year and have a little fun and celebrate with TONS of cookies…and booze. Again, that’s up to you but there are a few wines that can be paired with Peanut Butter cookies..Port, Banyuls, and Madeira, some nice Mediterranean dessert type wines.  OR, my choice would be a frothy hot chocolate or ice cold glass of milk.  Just some suggestions for that cookie bake swap night you plan on having (or not).

MAKES: about 4 dozen               TIME: 25-30 minutes

• 48 HERSHEY’S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons REAL vanilla extract, please, use the real stuff, not the imitation, The taste difference is huge.
• 1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon  kosher salt
• Additional granulated sugar(optional)

LET’S BAKE!!

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat butter and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

That’s it..the use of Shortening, Margarine or Butter will be up to you but the more puffy and cracked looking versions are made with Shortening, just a disclaimer there.  You can see that my butter based ones are a bit flatter. Taste is about the same, although the butter always add better all around flavor.  Margarine I avoid like the plague, I don’t like the product or the taste.

Hope this satisfies your sweet tooth for National Cookie Day~!!

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