Femme Frugality's Peanut Butter Blossoms

Note from Kate: I recently asked bloggers to share some of their favorite Christmas cookie recipes, along with memories of making them, with the hopes it could be an online version of a Christmas cookie exchange party. Today's recipe comes from fellow Pittsburgh blogger Femme Frugality.

She's making peanut butter blossoms, which were a staple at my house growing up, too. My mom just made a fresh batch over the weekend. Enjoy!

When Kate asked me to participate in her Christmas cookie series, I was so excited. Who doesn't like cookies? Who doesn't like holiday memories?

There's only one little problem. I stink at making cookies. I'm pretty confident in my cooking abilities. And I can bake a pie like nobody's business. But for some reason cookies are not my forte.

My mother, on the other hand, is a fabulous baker. We'd always have baked goods overflowing when I was a kid as she tried new recipes. Extras would go to church with us, get sent into work with my dad, or be delivered to the neighbors. But those recipes that she was trying? None of them were handed down from generation to generation. While she always baked from scratch, her recipes often came from the back of a box.

For the series, I decided to make my favorites. Peanut Butter blossoms made with Hershey's kisses. There's no secret recipe. It's on the back of the bag. When I went to make them, I noticed the bag was half empty. I almost went postal on my husband, who admitted to scarfing them down, but then I remembered it's Christmastime and we're supposed to be making happy memories. So I halved the recipe. I measured out 1/6 c sugar and tried to figure out how the heck to only mix in half an egg.

When all was said and done, the cookies turned out pretty great. My oldest only ate the chocolate kisses off. And my husband, who had previously eaten half the bag, preferred the cookie itself to its chocolate ensemble. The rest of us enjoyed them whole with smiles on all of our faces.

I think it's the quirky things that make our holiday memories memorable. Special. Worth repeating. Maybe next year the husband can "secretly" inhale half the bag again. My oldest will happily smear warm chocolate across their face and throw the peanut butter goodness on the floor. Why not? I've already mastered the art of splitting an egg in half.

Without further ado, here is our super secret Peanut Butter Blossom recipe, brought to you by warm, quirky memories and, of course, the back of the bag:

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients:

1/2 c shortening

3/4 c creamy peanut butter

1/3 c granulated sugar

1/3 c brown sugar

1 egg

2 T milk

1 t vanilla extract

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

Additional granulated sugar

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove wrappers from chocolate.

Beat shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended.

Add 1/3 c granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until fluffy.

Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat well.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda. Then gradually beat it into your peanut butter mix.

Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll those balls in the "additional granulated sugar" until they're fully covered. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Remove from oven, and immediately press one Hershey's kiss in the center of each cookie.

Carefully remove from the cookie sheet and onto a cooling rack. This helps make sure the kisses don't just melt everywhere. Cool completely, then enjoy!