Saturday, December 20, 2014

Peanut Butter Blossoms

When it comes to Christmas Cookies, I am a fair bit of an adventurer. I appreciate the traditional cookie, but I also find excitement in placing a new cookie out for Santa each year. One cookie that is a yearly must for me is the Peanut Butter Blossom. I wish that Santa kept a spreadsheet of the cookies presented to him each Christmas Eve. I'm curious as to just how many blossoms he receives.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

   When looking for a recipe to use this year, I was determined to find one calling for butter instead of shortening. A little hard to come by... My next feat was to find a recipe calling for my beloved natural peanut butter, why have the additional sugar from regular peanut butter? Well, I did not find a recipe like this at all. So, if you would also like a Christmas cookie that's a bit more nice and a little less naughty - try this one!

   I also went one step further and used white whole wheat flour - it decreases the naughty rating and I really like the "grain-y" texture that wheat flour gives to cookies and other baked goods. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend Wheat Montana's Prairie Gold white whole wheat flour. I use it in place of all-purpose flour in ALL of my recipes (unless if I'm using their Bronze Chief whole wheat). This post is not sponsored by Wheat Montana, I just truly love their flour!


Peanut Butter Blossoms
about 4 dozen.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups white whole wheat flour (Wheat MT Prairie Gold)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt
Additional sugar
47 Hershey's Kisses

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the peanut butter and mix well. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda and salt; beat just until blended. Scrape down sides of bowl and press plastic wrap onto surface of dough. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

   Place some sugar in a bowl. Roll dough into 1-in. balls and roll in sugar. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-9 minutes or until tops begin to crack. Immediately place a kiss in the center of each cookie. Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or freeze until Christmas.

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