Mom's Peanut Butter Blossoms with Dark Chocolate
When I was a kid, peanut butter blossoms were the Christmas cookie of choice in my household. Every year, we would form an assembly line of shaping dough balls, rolling the cookies in sugar, and unwrapping Hershey's kisses.
Then, when the cookies came out of the oven, we would rush to press the kisses into the cookies' tops. Of course, we would always leave some without kisses because my dad prefers plain peanut butter cookies.
This peanut butter blossom recipe is my mother's, but with a twist. Instead of topping the cookies with milk chocolate kisses, I top them with dark chocolate squares. Although the Hershey's kiss topping is nostalgic, I've always thought it results in too much chocolate in one bite.
Using squares in place of kisses, you can get a little bit of chocolate in every bite. If you'd rather go the traditional route, feel free to use milk chocolate kisses in place of the dark chocolate chunks.
LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE RECIPE AND DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW THE SUSTAINABILITY TIPS BELOW!
Time: 30 minutes
Makes: About 24 cookies
ingredients
6 oz dark chocolate (I use 72% cacao)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
methods
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Chop the dark chocolate into large chunks or break it into squares. Set aside.
Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the butter and sugars. Add the peanut butter, egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Switch to a spatula and stir in the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the milk and stir until just combined.
Pour a few tablespoons of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Divide the dough into 1-inch balls (about 24 of them) and roll each in the granulated sugar.
Arrange cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. When the cookies are still warm, press dark chocolate chunks into them, flattening the cookies slightly. Eat up!
sustainability tips
Chocolate: Buying fair trade chocolate is usually the most sustainable option. The little fair trade logo means that workers and the environment were treated well in the making of your chocolate. Read more about it in my chocolate sustainability profile!
Butter and milk: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are held to really high environmental and social standards. You could also try out vegan milk options, like almond, cashew or oat milk, or vegan butter. Keep in mind that I have not tested vegan milk or butter in this recipe.
Sugar: Fair-trade sugar is the way to go. That fair trade logo means that your sugar was produced ethically and sustainably. Read all about it in my sustainable cane sugars post!
Egg: Local eggs are pretty easy to find in most regions. Buying locally means your eggs won't have to travel as far, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. You can also replace the egg with a flax egg (2 tablespoons flaxseed meal mixed with 3 tablespoons of water) for a vegan egg replacement.
Flour: I like to buy King Arthur Flour brand because King Arthur Flour is a B Corp. That means that they're held to a high environmental and social standard. Alternatively, you could find a farmer who grows and mills flour locally. Buying locally can help connect you to your local food system and cut back on the miles your food has to travel.