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Oh HI December! When did you get here? Wasn’t I just barbecuing on a Bushwick rooftop rocking the short shorts, beer in hand, with no expectations but sunshine and cloudless skies, like,  a few weeks ago? What’s that you say? Both Christmas AND Hanukah are this week. No! Really? Yikes…

Ooooooooookkkkkkkkkk, fine. So I don’t really know where the year went, but just because I am a little late in getting the holiday hint, there’s still time. Time enough, if for nothing else, then to make cookies. Cookies are my favorite part of the holidays and why not? You simply cannot go wrong with sugar, frosting, sprinkles, ginger and chocolate. My favorite of all of the holiday cookies are these little blossoms, peanut butter and dark chocolate Kisses melded together in a nutty/melty chocolate/sugary crusted bliss. Aside from the taste, these cookies are incredibly simple to make – the most strenuous part of this recipe is unwrapping the kisses. I give this task to the SO because if yours truly were to take this on, there would maybe be two left to make cookies. What can I say? Jason has better self control than I do.

The best part of this cookie, that I have always loved, even when I was a kid, is smashing the perfectly (on not) spherical cookies down with the Kisses to create the blossoms. Oh yeah, and the eating. I would say that these are great cookies to have around because they are pretty portion controlled, but I would be lying if I said I stopped after one. Or two. Or ten.

Is January here yet?

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Peanut Butter Blossoms

Active Time: 15 minutes, Inactive Time: 10 minutes; Makes about 48 blossoms.

48 Hershey’s Kisses Special Dark Chocolates

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

Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

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.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

 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. Enjoy!