Day 10: Christmas Peanut Butter Blossoms

You cannot have a baking extravaganza without featuring these pieces of heaven.  I, for one, am a major chocolate and peanut butter fan so any cookie or baked good that incorporates these two elements, I will take down. I'd like to meet the person that first combined them and give them a big kiss (not of the chocolate persuasion) haha.

Not only are these super yummy but are very easy to make, making them a great option for your cookie exchange, gift giving, or personal enjoyment.

I have to give a shout out to stand up Kitchen Aide mixers!  My sweet mother gifted Nicole and me with a wonderful white classic stand up Kitchen Aide mixer for Christmas.  Since we started this baking journey, mom knew we'd love to have it early and she was SOOO right.  I stood in the kitchen and baked all night long just to be able to use it.  I'm not making this up, it makes a HUGE difference in the consistency of cookie batter.  It makes the following recipe even more amazing!

Meet our: Christmas Peanut Butter Blossoms!

Recipe:
1 Cup white sugar
1 Cup brown sugar (packed)
1 Cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1/4 Cup milk

1 Cup creamy peanut butter

2 Tsp. Vanilla
3 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour (sifted)
                                                       2 Tsp. baking soda
                                                       2 Tsp. salt
                                                       1 Pkg of Hershey's Kisses candies

                                                       Decoration:
                                                       1 Cup green candy melts
                                                       1 Cup red candy melts

- Cream sugars, butter (or margarine), and peanut butter.
- Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla
- Sift together flour, soda, and salt.
- Stir into egg mixture
- Shape into balls and roll in additional granulated sugar. (I put additional sugar in a round baking dish which made it easier to roll the balls and coat in sugar)
- Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375* for 10-12 minutes.

-After removing from over, immediately press a Hershey's Kiss into each cookie. (I unwrapped the kisses while the cookies were in the oven...gives you something to do during bake time)

- In 2 separate microwave-safe bowls, melt candy melts by microwaving for 30 seconds at a time until candy has melted.  Sometimes the candy melts can goop up, if this happens to you, just add a bit of water and stir in. Adding the water will help the candy thin out slightly.

- Using a small whisk, dip the whisk in one of the colored melted candies and gently flick over the tops of the cookies, switching colors so that each cookie is decorated with green and red stripping.

- Allow to cool and dry completely before storing in a cool area.  The coldness will help solidify the chocolates.

Enjoy!