Love, Hugs, and Hershey Kisses

A couple of weeks ago I won an awesome gift basket on the Baking Delights blog. I received the basket in the mail and have been dying to make peanut butter blossoms ever since. Things have been crazy since the holidays are here and the end of the school semester is upon me. I decided to take a little break from paper writing and whip up a batch of these cookies using the ingredients provided in my awesome prize! If you would like to win one of these baskets yourself check out Marye's Baking Delights blog for you chance to win. She is on the third week of the giveaway with one more week to go. That is two more chances for you to win.


There is so much going on in this post. I am so excited because this is also the first time I have gotten to use my new camera, a Cannon Rebel Xsi, to take some food shots. Thank you for my early Christmas present dear husband, I LOVE my new camera. I am sure you will also appreciate it this summer when drag racing season is upon us and I get some awesome shots of your sexy car. :)


Ok back to the important stuff, the food! I got the recipe for these very traditional Christmas cookies in the Hershey's gift basket that I received and thought they would be the perfect addition to my blog.


Besides making some smaller cookies and some larger cookies the only change that I made was to use butter instead of shortening. I also managed to drop an entire pan of straight from the oven cookies on the floor, but we'll just all forget about that, ok? These are just as delicious as I remember them being. Definitely a great holiday treat.


Peanut Butter Blossoms
Source: Hershey's Kitchens

-makes about 4 dozen cookies ~

Ingredients
48 Hershey's Kisses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
granulated sugar

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.