Happy Foodie Friday, dear reader. We are into the second week of December, and the holidays are fast approaching. Each holiday season, we gather with GramBarb, The Bean, Myself, and whoever wants to join us to make holiday cookies. For the month of December, I thought I would share our favorite holiday cookie recipes. This week, I will share The Bibbed Wonder’s favorite Christmas cookie, the Peanut Butter Blossom.
The Bibbed Wonder loves cookies. Cookies are his chosen dessert, and he has a themed favorite. He loves the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. For his birthday, he requested No-Bake cookies. Traditionally, we make him a batch of his favorite Peanut Butter Blossoms each holiday season. Of course, with The Bibbed Wonder, there is a humorous, albeit exasperating, story to go along with said cookies.
GramBarb made a batch of Peanut Butter Blossoms when The Bibbed Wonder was younger. Eric found out his siblings were coming in for Christmas. Rather than hide away a container of cookies, ask GramBarb to save him some cookies, or, I don’t know, maybe share the cookies with his siblings he only sees a few times a year? He took the freshly baked Peanut Butter Blossoms with their cute little chocolate kisses and proceeded to stick the tip of each chocolate kiss up his nose. Yes, dear reader, you read that correctly. He shoved cookies up his nose to prevent anyone from eating his favorite cookie. Of course, GramBarb was furious and exasperated. However, my little bib overall-wearing buddy had no remorse. He was quite proud of himself and remains so to this day over his “creativity” to protect his favorite treat from his siblings.
After reading this story, one probably thinks that The Bibbed Wonder was a child when he shoved said cookies up his nostril. No, dear reader, he was in college. The first time I heard this story, I was grossed out and asked him why in the world he would shove cookies up his nose and then eat them. His response was, “What? Everybody eats their boogers at least once to see what they taste like…” He then gave me an exasperated look, like he couldn’t believe I could not figure out why he did such a thing. When I roll my eyes and say in an exasperated voice, “This is how I truly live,” I am only half joking. Sometimes, I cock my head off to the side, wrinkle my nose, look off to the upper right, and say, “I’m not sure how we are still married?” It really is a puzzle. All I can say is it’s a good thing I have a sense of humor and the patience of a saint. Okay, not even I can buy into that after I type it…sigh. As exasperating as he is, I love him.
Anyhow, my funny little husband really, really likes Peanut Butter Blossoms. So, without further ado, my favorite recipe for my husband’s favorite cookie.
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients:
Yield: 5 dozen cookies
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
½ cup smooth peanut butter (or other creamy nut butter)
½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
½ cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract ( I like to use vanilla from Sweet Home Vanilla)
Nonstick spray or vegetable oil for cookie sheet (optional)
5 dozen (one 11-ounce package) Hershey’s Kisses, foil removed.
Directions:
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat until well blended. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing thoroughly. If the dough is very soft, refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray, oil, or line a cookie sheet with a nonstick liner and set aside. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. (For a precise number of cookies, divide the dough into 5 pieces and shape each piece into 12 balls.)
Roll cookies in sugar and place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake until very light brown and puffed 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and lightly press a candy kiss into the center of each cookie, allowing it to crack slightly. Return to oven until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool completely, and store in an airtight container.
On this unseasonably warm December day, stay safe, be smart, don’t put cookies up your nose, share after all, it tis the season, and of course, keep washing your hands…especially if you’ve stuck anything up your nose. Oh, and FYI, don’t eat Peanut Butter Blossom cookies from the Smays. I seriously have no control over my bib overall wearing Grinch, and I can’t guarantee cookies have not been placed in unsavory places…I’m just saying.