Description

These Homemade High Altitude Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies are perfectly adapted for baking at elevations above sea level, ensuring soft, thick, and chewy cookies each time. Featuring the classic combination of creamy peanut butter and a chocolate kiss on top, this quick and easy recipe uses simple pantry ingredients and includes important technique tips to avoid common high-altitude baking pitfalls. Ideal for holiday gatherings, parties, or a sweet treat anytime, these cookies offer a nostalgic flavor with reliable results for high-altitude kitchens.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur preferred)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (Kerrygold preferred)
1 cup creamy peanut butter (room temperature)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Topping

26 chocolate candy kisses (Hershey’s Kisses recommended)
2–3 tbsp extra granulated sugar for coating cookie dough balls

Instructions

Preheat and Prep Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), essential for reliable results at high altitude. While the oven heats, measure all ingredients and ensure butter and egg are at room temperature to promote proper emulsification and dough consistency.
Mix Butter and Peanut Butter: In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the softened butter and creamy peanut butter until smooth and uniform with no visible streaks, about 1-2 minutes.
Cream with Sugar: Add the granulated sugar to the butter-peanut butter mixture and beat until light and fluffy, about 30-45 seconds. This aeration is key for cookie rise at high elevation.
Add Egg and Vanilla: Stir in the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and smooth, mixing just until no streaks remain.
Combine Dry Ingredients and Finish Dough: In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently stir this dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined—avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
Form and Sugar-Coat Dough Balls: Scoop dough into 1-inch balls, roll each ball in extra granulated sugar to coat, which helps create a crackled surface and stabilizes the cookies to prevent excessive spreading. Place dough balls spaced 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake and Add Chocolate Kisses: Bake at 350°F for 10-11 minutes, until edges are lightly golden but centers remain soft. Remove from oven and immediately press one chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Let cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

For best texture, do not skip chilling the dough if possible; warm dough tends to spread too much at high altitudes.
Press chocolate kisses into cookies right after baking while cookies are hot but set enough to hold them without sinking.
Remove cookies from the oven when edges are just set and centers look slightly underbaked to avoid dryness; they firm up as they cool.
Use room-temperature butter and egg for proper creaming and fluffy dough; cold ingredients can cause dense cookies.
Substitute crunchy peanut butter for a textured bite or salted butter but reduce added salt accordingly.
Freeze dough balls on a tray before storing for up to 2 months; bake from frozen adding a couple of minutes to baking time.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week; layering with parchment prevents chocolate kisses from sticking together.
Warm frozen cookies in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes for a fresh-baked feel.

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 10-11 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, High Altitude Baking, Holiday Cookies, Peanut Butter and Chocolate, Homemade Cookies, Easy Cookie Recipe