Caitlin Bensel
How can a peanut butter cookie possibly get any better? Finish it off with a chocolate kiss, of course.
These thumbprint Hershey's kiss cookies will bring back memories of Grandma’s house from the very first bite. The recipe comes from our February 1986 issue. Lucky for you, we brought it out of the archives to give it a chance to delight taste buds once more. Like many of our classic recipes, the ingredient list only includes the essentials, nothing fussy. We call for creamy peanut butter, vegetable shortening, sugars (granulated and light brown), an egg, milk, vanilla, and the baking trifecta (flour, baking soda, and kosher salt). That’s it! Oh, and those chocolate kisses. Bake up a batch of our Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies today. Actually, better make it two.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat shortening and peanut butter with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually add brown sugar and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat on medium-high speed until fully combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; add to shortening mixture, beating on low speed until fully combined, about 1 minute.
Step 2
Roll dough into 36 (1-inch) balls. Place remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl; roll balls in sugar to coat.
Step 3
Arrange 12 of the dough balls on prepared baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven 8 minutes. Remove from oven; immediately press 1 chocolate kiss into center of each cookie. Return to oven; bake at 375°F until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on baking sheet 3 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack. Repeat process 2 times with remaining 24 balls and chocolate kisses. Let cookies cool completely on wire rack, about 20 minutes.
