12 Days of Cookies, Cookies, Bars & Brownies

Peanut Butter Blossoms (Day 12)

December 17, 2021

We’re closing our the final day of the 2021 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies with Peanut Butter Blossoms. This recipe comes straight out of Pennsylvania. Hershey, PA to be exact. The home of the chocolate kiss and Hershey’s Chocolate World.

Almost two years ago, right before the Covid Pandemic broke loose, Minion B and I took a whirlwind trip to Amish Country near Lancaster, PA to pick up two Golden Retriever puppies for our dear friends. And it just so happened that Hershey Park was in the same area.

Hershey, PA, dubbed the “Sweetest Place on Earth”, was originally a factory town established by Milton Hershey. Milton Hershey, originally a caramel candy maker, was fascinated by the luxury of Swiss milk chocolate candy and recognized the potential for it in the United States. He set to work developing his signature recipe after visiting the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Needing fresh milk, he returned to his home of Derry Church where dairies were plentiful. In 1903, Milton Hershey began construction on his new chocolate factory, and by 1905, mass production was in full swing. Hershey built a model town of his namesake where his workers would be able to comfortably live and work.

Today, visitors to The Hershey Story: The Museum on Chocolate Avenue can learn all about Milton Hershey’s life and his factory town. One can see artifacts like Hershey’s cut glass torchere (ornamental lamp) which adorned the foyer of his mansion, High Point. The torchere cost $5,000 in 1901, weighs 600 pounds, and has 30 lights. Manufacturing items like chocolate boxes, cocoa tins and molds from the turn of the 20th century, as well as everyday life memorabilia like little league uniforms and high school yearbooks are also on display.

Of course a trip to a sinfully sweet place like Hershey isn’t complete without taste-testing! Hershey’s largest chocolate store, Hershey’s Chocolate World, has every candy and confection you could imagine. If you’re so inclined you can personalize your own candy bar and watch it mass produced, and become a chocolate “expert” at the Chocolate Academy. Taking a ride on the 4D Chocolate Movie is also an experience.

Hershey’s 11th annual Holiday Chocolate House (2019-2020) was also extremely impressive! Featuring Hershey’s High Point mansion, it contained 41,560 pieces of 24 types of Hershey candy. Eight Milton Hersey School students and their teacher built the house, with the help of 107 Hershey company volunteer shifts, in only 516 hours. For every hour of volunteer work, Hershey’s annually donates $12 to the Children’s Miracle Network. In the 2019-2020 holiday season, they donated $5,160. Talk about a sweet deal! If you want to see what the current Chocolate House looks like, check it out here.

As we wrap up this 12th Day of Christmas Cookies, let’s seal it with a kiss and some Peanut Butter Blossoms. Over the last dozenth years, on average, I’ve baked and the Minions delivered around 2,000 cookies of varying flavors, sizes and shapes to at least two dozen elementary, middle and high school teachers. It’s been a sweet journey! Thank you to all of Minion A and B’s teachers along the way!

Peanut Butter Blossoms (Day 12)

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A chewy peanut butter cookie base is adorned with a sweet chocolate kiss! Delish!

Adapted from Hershey’s Peanut Butter Blossom Recipe.

Author: Adapted From Hershey’s Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: About 9 Minutes
Total Time: 52 minute
Yield: About 48 Cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale

48 Chocolate Kiss candies, unwrapped

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter*

1/3 cup granulated sugar + 1/3 cup additional for rolling dough in

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 tbsp. milk (whole or 2%)

1 tsp. vanilla

1–1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt (table, kosher or sea)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 1 to 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, using a standing or hand-held mixer, cream together shortening and peanut butter until fluffy. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat again until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat well. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add and beat into peanut butter mixture.

Using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, portion and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll dough in second 1/3 cup of sugar. Place dough on prepared cookie sheet about 1-1/2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove sheets from oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. The cookie will crack around the edges. Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack.