Hershey's Mini Kiss Peanut Blossoms
I make these almost every Christmas. There are never any leftovers!
I make these almost every Christmas. There are never any leftovers!
- Carbohydrate 101.307793221908 g
- Cholesterol 56.1729645 mg
- Fat 24.7713660272978 g
- Fiber 2.18249261656002 g
- Protein 9.35668472205226 g
- Saturated Fat 8.58822193180475 g
- Serving Size 1 1 dozen (153g)
- Sodium 389.838532708771 mg
- Sugar 99.1253006053478 g
- Trans Fat 1.27044006830029 g
- Calories 658 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 375F.
- In large mixer bowl, beat shortening and peanut butter until well blended.
- Add 1/3 cup of sugar and brown sugar; beat unil light and fluffy.
- Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.
- Stir together flour,baking soda and salt; gradually add peanut butter mixture.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls.
- Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Immediately place 3 chocolate pieces on top of each cookie, pressing down slightly.
- Remove from cookie sheet to wire racks.
- Cool completely.
Peanut butter anchors this entire formulation, functioning not just as a flavor agent but as a structural fat source that dictates the final crumb density. Because peanut butter contains its own high percentage of natural or added oils, creaming it thoroughly with shortening creates micro-air pockets that expand under the initial 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven heat. Shortening lacks water content entirely, ensuring the cookie retains a tender, non-spreading profile rather than flattening out during baking. Baking soda reacts with the mild acidity present in brown sugar, releasing carbon dioxide to provide modest lift within the dense dough matrix. Rolling the 1-inch shaped portions in granulated sugar before baking achieves a dual purpose: it yields a crisp exterior crunch upon cooling while preventing the dough from sticking directly to the ungreased metal sheet. Timing is narrow at 8 to 10 minutes; removing the batch the moment edges turn lightly golden preserves the soft interior required to anchor the chocolate securely. Pressing the chocolate pieces onto the hot surface immediately out of the oven melts the base just enough to bond the candy to the cookie without losing the distinctive tip shape. Balancing these rich, sweet cookies requires sharp contrasts on the plate. Pouring a cold glass of whole milk provides dairy fats that coat the palate, slicing through the dense concentration of peanut oils and heavy sugars. Alternatively, pairing the batch with unsweetened black drip coffee or an astringent Assam tea cuts the cloying sweetness through sheer bitterness and tannin structure. Swapping the shortening for unsalted butter introduces roughly 18 percent water content, which will encourage gluten development and result in a flatter, crisper cookie with a more spread-out footprint. Replacing peanut butter with a seed butter like tahini shifts the moisture equilibrium significantly, requiring adjustments to the flour ratio to prevent a crumbly, dry texture.
