Peanut Butter Blossoms

Here's the easiest thing I've done all day :-)

My kids LOVE the peanut butter cookies with a Hershey Kiss stuck in the middle.  I've made them for more years than I can count...only learned they had a name a couple of years ago...  Peanut Butter Blossoms!

I've tried a variety of PB Cookie recipes as well...and you know what I do?  I buy a roll of Pillsbury's Peanut Butter refrigerated cookie dough...it works perfectly every time - I don't have to mix anything - it's my seasonal short cut during a time of year when I don't take many short cuts. 

Of course, I "dress them up" for the holidays by using a mixture of red and green sparkly sugar...and the smiles on the happy faces of my family are all the better because I didn't have to break my back measuring, mixing, and all that stuff.  They are no more happy if I make these from scratch than they are when I make these from the refrigerated dough purchased at the grocery store.  Win-win situation.  To make it even better - I caught a couple of rolls on sale earlier this year...for $1.00 if you can believe it!  Popped those into the freezer, pulled them down to my fridge 2 days ago for thawing...and perfecto!

It's easy peasy...and a great thing to make any time of the year.  Here's how I do it:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare two cookie sheets with a non-stick Silpat or parchment paper for easy release.
Cut the end off the tube of dough and run a knife all the way down the side so you can scoop out the dough.

Using a small cookie scoop, form about 24 balls (I scoop first and roll after all scooped).  I ended up with 26 this time.
Space them evenly on the two cookie sheets, leaving adequate space for them to spread - at least 2 inches apart.
Lightly flatten, using a fork dipped in sugar (rub your fork over the dough remnants to get some of the oil on the fork - it will allow the sugar to adhere for the first application of sugar).  Form a criss-cross pattern on the top of the cookie (dip between each placement of the fork).  I put red and green sugar together in a low edged ramekin - works perfect.

Bake 9-14 minutes (mine took exactly 10 minutes).  Don't over-bake - you want fairly soft cookies.
While they are baking, unwrap enough Hershey Kisses to put one on each cookie.

When they come out of the oven, place tray on a cooling rack and while they are hot and still poofed up - gently push one unwrapped Hershey Kiss into the middle of each cookie.

Allow to cool at least 5-10 minutes then remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack, being careful not to touch the Kiss.  Like I said, easy!

So, give yourself a break and take a short cut when you can.  Especially good for those times you want the kids to join in for cookie baking...they can roll the balls, they can dip the fork in sugar, they can peel the candies...Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough...it's a good thing any time of the year!

Bon Appetit Y'all!!!