Thursday, January 1, 2015

Yummy, Yummy Peanut Butter Blossoms

There are things I do not know much about,
such as the current state of popular music.

For example, let me get this straight: 
 there's a singer called Iggy Azalia,
and another one called Azalia Banks?

Iggy Azalea Billboard Cover Portrait - P 2014


And they're... feuding? Or something?

Noooope.
I have no idea what's going on with that.

BUT.
There is something I am an EXPERT in, 
and that's Peanut Butter Blossoms.

An internet friend said she'd made a bum batch of these cookies,
and I realized I had been making them for something like 
twenty-five years.

So.
I know a thing or two about Peanut Butter Blossoms!

To begin with, look at my recipe card:


As you can see, I've made notes on it for years.
Now, how about we get cooking?

(Btw, there's a much longer recipe
 with flour and butter and whatnot in it.
Why?  Why?! I don't know, since this simple recipe is deee-licious.)

Here's the basic recipe:

1 18 oz jar creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cup to 1 1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs

48 chocolate Kisses (about a 9 oz bag)

But, look!
This year, I realized Jif had downsized their jars to 16 ounces!


Booooo.

I did the math, and 18 ounces means a 16 ounce jar 
PLUS
1/4 cup,
OR
2 cups total.

Anyhoo.

Start mixing your peanut butter, eggs, and 1 1/4 cup sugar.

This is important!
Start with the smaller amount of sugar,
and add a tablespoon or so at a time
 until the dough starts to change texture.

It will look grainy, instead of like peanut butter, like this:


To roll the dough into balls, flour your hands.
If the dough is still sticking to your hands,
you might need more sugar in the dough.


Don't go overboard with the sugar, though!
Too much will make the dough tough.

Also, don't make the balls too big.
Here's a Kiss for scale.
The recipe says this makes 48 cookies,
and it really should.


Place these dough balls on two cooking sheets,
then pop them into the oven.

I like to unwrap my Kisses while the cookies are baking
to give a sense of urgency to the whole procedure,
like I'm trying to disarm a ticking bomb or something.


 Cook these about 12 minutes;
the cookies should look dry and cracked when they're ready,
NOT brown.


Pull 'em out, and place a Kiss carefully on top.


Even with my expertise, I sometimes cook a few too long.
This cookie was at the bottom back of the oven.


THIS is what you want.


Follow these directions,
and you should end with scrumptious Peanut Butter Blossoms!


Yum!

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