This morning, I clicked on my side roll to see a relative on Matt's side (Suzanne Spicker's blog, "Sewing The Seeds" that I love to peek in on every now and then for her most beautiful flowers- and on her side roll were these recipes that I wanted to jot down to try when I have some extra time. So I cut and pasted them and decided I'd too post them in for easy access to find them for myself and also in case anyone else out there wanted to give them a try since they look fairly easy and delicious! Maybe a few variations for Father's Day coming up next month. Thank you Suzanne and everyone else enjoy as I hope to!
THREE VARIATIONS of the POPULAR PEANUT BLOSSOM COOKIES
My mother's maiden name is Hirschi--pronounced the same as the famous HERSHEY CHOCOLATES. The story has it that four brothers immigrated to America from Switzerland; two traveled west, and kept their Swiss name spelled the same. The other two brothers stayed back east, changed the spelling of their last name to a more phonetic one--Hershey--and the rest is history. A joke my mother's family has always had is that they were "raised on Hirschi (Hershey) kisses!" She says that's why she loves chocolate so much! The PEANUT BLOSSOM COOKIE, a delicious peanut butter cookie, with a HERSHEY KISS pressed in the center, has been one of America's most popular cookies, making the top ten for the last several years, and one of our favorites, of course. Here is the original recipe, along with two other variations; one for a chocolate Mini Kiss Chocolate Blossom, and one for a Tuxedo Brownie Blossom, using HERSHEY HUGS and a brownie mix. All are easy to make, and FUN to eat!
ORIGINAL PEANUT BLOSSOM COOKIES
1 bag (8 oz.) HERSHEY'S KISSES chocolates
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
(granulated sugar to taste)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from KISSES. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla; beat into sugar mixture. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate KISS into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around the edge. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
MINI KISSES CHOCOLATE BLOSSOMS
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
additional sugar
1 3/4 cups (10-oz pkg.) HERSHEY MINI KISSES
Beat butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar. eggs and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Refrigerate dough about an hour or until firm enough to handle. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1 1/8" balls; roll in additional sugar. Place on UNGREASED cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Remove from oven. Place 3 MINI KISSES on each cookie, pressing down lightly. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
TUXEDO BROWNIE HUGS COOKIES
About 60 HERSHEY'S HUGS Chocolates
1 pkg (1 lb 6.5 oz) Original Supreme Brownie mix with Syrup pouch
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
Remove wrappers from HUGS. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease well and flour cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Stir brownie mix, pouch of Hershey's Syrup, cocoa, water, oil and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Drop by scant teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 8 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute. Press HUG into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
HERSHEY KISSES AND HERSHEY HUGS are registered trademarks of HERSHEY, Inc.
