Peanut Butter Blossoms-10 Days of Christmas Cookies and Bars!

Nothing says Christmas like homemade cookies and sweets. In the spirit of the holidays I’ve decided to do 10 Days of Christmas cookies and bars. My next 10 blog posts will be all about my favorite cookies and bars that are easy to make but great for large crowds at the holidays. Many of these cookies are great for cookie exchanges as well.

For day one I decided I’d use one of my most popular recipes and one that many people make each year. It’s funny because I don’t eat peanut butter, so I’ve never even tried this cookie though I’ve been assured and reassured that it’s delicious. It’s the classic Peanut Butter Blossom. It starts with basic dough then adds in creamy peanut butter and is topped with a Hershey’s kiss. What’s not to like? This recipe is easy, the cookies bake up quickly, and it’s a great recipe to double for holiday baking.

Peanut Butter Blossoms (adapted from Betty Crocker  )

¾ c. sugar
¾ c. packed brown sugar
½ c. butter, softened
½ c. applesauce
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 egg white
3 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
¼ c. sugar
About 50 Hershey’s Meltaway Kisses (or regular kisses)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl cream the butter, peanut butter, and the applesauce. Add in the sugars and mix well. Beat in the egg and egg white until well combined.

3. In a small bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture, stirring until it’s mixed well.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges and bottom begins to brown. Take the cookies out of the oven and immediately push a Hershey’s kiss into the center of the cookie. Remove cookies and set on a wire rack to cool.

*Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

This post is linked to:
What's Cooking Wednesday?
What's on Your Plate Wednesdays?
Real Food Wednesdays
Cooking Thursday
Recipe Swap Thursday