You know those cookies that make your whole kitchen smell like the holidays? The ones that have everyone sneaking "just one more" before dinner? That's exactly what happened last December when I pulled my first batch of Christmas blossom cookies out of the oven. Amy came running from her room, Bradley actually looked up from his phone, and John? Well, he grabbed three before they even cooled down properly.
These aren't your typical peanut butter blossoms – though I absolutely love those too (check out my Christmas Peanut Butter Balls for another peanut butter holiday favorite). What makes these special is the festive Christmas tree twist.
We're taking that classic combination of soft peanut butter cookies and chocolate Hershey Kisses, then decorating them to look like tiny Christmas trees with green frosting and colorful sprinkles.
I've been making peanut butter blossoms since my cooking school days, but it wasn't until three Christmases ago that Amy suggested we "make them look more Christmassy." Honestly? Best idea ever.
Now these cookies are a non-negotiable part of our holiday baking tradition. They're perfect for cookie exchanges, leaving out for Santa, or just enjoying with hot chocolate on a cold Nashville evening.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Christmas Blossom Cookies
- Ingredients for Christmas Blossom Cookies
- How to Make Christmas Blossom Cookies
- Personal Tips for Perfect Christmas Blossom Cookies
- Variations to Try with Christmas Blossom Cookies
- Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Blossom Cookies
- Recipes You May Like
- Wrap Up
- Christmas Blossom Cookies
Why You'll Love These Christmas Blossom Cookies
Here's what makes these holiday cookies so special:
Quick and Simple - The dough comes together in about 15 minutes, and you don't need any fancy equipment beyond a mixer and cookie scoop.
Kid-Friendly Fun - Amy loves rolling the dough balls in sugar, and even Bradley helps with the decorating (though he claims it's "just to taste test").
Perfect Texture - These cookies are soft and chewy in the center with slightly crisp edges that give them the best bite.
Holiday Showstopper - The Christmas tree decoration turns a classic cookie into something festive and eye-catching that everyone remembers.
Make-Ahead Friendly - You can freeze the dough or the finished cookies, making holiday prep so much easier.
Crowd Pleaser - I've never met anyone who doesn't love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate, especially during the holidays.
Ingredients for Christmas Blossom Cookies
Here's what you'll need to make these festive treats:
For the Cookies:
- ½ cup Peanut Butter (I use creamy, but crunchy works too)
- ½ cup Butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup Granulated Sugar, divided (100g + 50g)
- ½ cup Brown Sugar (105g)
- 1 large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour (150g)
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 36 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
For Decorating:
- ⅓ cup Green Frosting (store-bought or homemade)
- Holiday Sprinkles (I love the ones with tiny gold stars and colorful "lights")
Quick Tips on Ingredients:
The butter and peanut butter should both be at room temperature so they cream together smoothly. I learned this the hard way when I tried using cold butter once – the dough was lumpy and the cookies didn't spread right.
For the sugar coating, you'll use ½ cup for the dough and ¼ cup for rolling. Don't skip this step! The sugar creates that beautiful crackled appearance and adds a nice sweetness to balance the peanut butter.
Unwrap all your Hershey Kisses before you start baking. Trust me on this one. Trying to unwrap them while your cookies are cooling is not fun, and you need to press them in while the cookies are still hot.
How to Make Christmas Blossom Cookies
Let me walk you through making these festive cookies step by step:
Preparing Your Workspace
- Preheat your oven to 375°F degrees. This temperature is important – too hot and the cookies will spread too much, too cool and they won't get those nice crispy edges.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. I prefer parchment because cleanup is easier, but silicone mats work great too.
Making the Cookie Dough
- Cream the butter and peanut butter together using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until smooth and combined. This takes about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add ½ cup of the granulated sugar, the egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the brown sugar and continue beating until everything is well combined and looks creamy.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a separate medium bowl – whisk together the flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt if you're using unsalted butter.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Don't overmix here! Stop as soon as you don't see any more flour streaks.
Shaping and Baking
- Scoop the dough using a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon) and roll each portion into a smooth ball between your palms.
- Roll each dough ball in the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar, making sure they're completely coated.
- Place the sugar-coated balls on your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. They will spread a bit while baking.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes at 375°F. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the centers no longer look glossy or wet. They might look slightly underdone in the middle, but they'll continue cooking on the hot pan.
- Remove from the oven and immediately press one Hershey Kiss into the center of each hot cookie. Press down gently but firmly – the cookie should crack slightly around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them. This is important! The chocolate needs time to set, and the cookies need to firm up.
Decorating Your Christmas Trees
- Prepare your frosting by placing the green frosting in a piping bag or a zip-top plastic bag with a tiny corner snipped off.
- Pipe the frosting starting at the bottom of each Hershey Kiss and spiraling upward to the tip, creating a Christmas tree effect. Don't worry about being perfect – each tree will look unique!
- Add the sprinkles immediately before the frosting sets. I like to press them in gently so they stick better.
- Let the frosting set for about 30 minutes before storing or serving.
Personal Tips for Perfect Christmas Blossom Cookies
After making these cookies for three years straight, I've learned a few tricks:
Don't Skip the Sugar Roll - Rolling the dough balls in granulated sugar before baking gives them that beautiful crackled appearance and adds a nice texture contrast. The first time I made these, I was in a rush and skipped this step. The cookies were good, but they didn't have that classic blossom cookie look.
Room Temperature Matters - Both your butter and egg should be at room temperature. Cold ingredients won't cream properly, and your cookies will turn out dense instead of light and tender.
Watch Your Baking Time - These cookies can go from perfect to overdone quickly. Set your timer for 7 minutes and check them. They should look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out.
Press the Kiss Immediately - Don't wait even 30 seconds! The cookies need to be hot so the chocolate melts slightly and adheres to the cookie. I learned this when I got distracted answering Amy's question about sprinkles, and by the time I pressed the Kiss into that batch, the cookie cracked.
Get Creative with Decorations - While I love the classic green tree look, Bradley once suggested we do some with red frosting to make them look like cardinals. They turned out adorable!
Make It a Family Activity - Rolling the dough balls is perfect for little hands. Amy has been helping with this step since she was six, and it's become one of her favorite parts of Christmas baking.
Variations to Try with Christmas Blossom Cookies
Want to switch things up? Here are some ideas I've tested:
Almond Extract Twist - Replace half the vanilla extract with almond extract for a different flavor profile. John really likes this version.
Colored Sugar - Roll the dough balls in red or green colored sugar instead of white for extra festive flair.
Different Chocolates - Try using Rolos, caramel-filled Hershey Kisses, or even peppermint Kisses for variety.
Chocolate Dough - Add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients for chocolate peanut butter blossoms.
Mini Size - Use a smaller cookie scoop and mini Hershey Kisses to make bite-sized versions perfect for cookie trays.
Skip the Decorating - Honestly? These are delicious as plain peanut butter blossoms if you're short on time. The Christmas tree decoration is fun, but the cookies taste amazing either way.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Room Temperature Storage - Keep your finished Christmas blossom cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days. They're best within the first 2-3 days when they're at peak softness.
Freezing Baked Cookies - These freeze beautifully! Place cooled, decorated cookies in a single layer in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Freezing Cookie Dough - This is my favorite make-ahead trick. Roll the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time. Don't roll in sugar until you're ready to bake!
Make-Ahead Decorated Cookies - You can bake and decorate these up to 3 days before you need them. Just store them in a single layer (or with parchment between layers) so the decorations don't get smudged.
Last Christmas Eve, I had frozen dough ready to go, and we baked fresh cookies while the kids were getting ready for bed. The whole house smelled amazing, and leaving warm cookies out for Santa made the evening feel extra special.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Blossom Cookies
Yes! Bake and decorate the cookies up to 3 days in advance, storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for best freshness.
Absolutely! Roll the dough into balls, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.
Use sunflower seed butter or soy nut butter as a 1:1 replacement for peanut butter to make these cookies allergy-friendly.
The cookies need to be hot so they're soft enough to accept the Kiss without cracking, and the heat slightly melts the chocolate so it adheres properly to the cookie.
Recipes You May Like
If you're loving these Christmas blossom cookies, here are some other holiday treats my family can't get enough of:
- Christmas Snowball Cookies - These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies are another Nashville holiday tradition in our house.
- Grinch Cookies Recipe - Bradley's favorite! These bright green cookies are fun to make and even more fun to eat.
- Mint Oreo Truffles - If you love the chocolate-mint combo, these no-bake treats are perfect for your holiday cookie tray.
Wrap Up
There's something special about Christmas blossom cookies that goes beyond just taste. Sure, they're delicious – that soft, chewy peanut butter cookie with melted chocolate is hard to beat. But they're also about the memories.
They're about Amy carefully placing sprinkles on each tree while her tongue sticks out in concentration. They're about Bradley pretending he's too cool to help but somehow ending up with frosting on his shirt. They're about John stealing the "imperfect" ones that we can't put on the cookie tray.
These cookies have become part of our Nashville Christmas traditions, right alongside driving around to see the lights and watching Christmas movies in our pajamas. I hope they become part of your traditions too.
Give these Christmas blossom cookies a try this holiday season! They're easier than they look, taste amazing, and make your kitchen smell like Christmas magic. And don't forget to save this recipe on Pinterest so you can find it again next year when the holiday baking season rolls around.
Happy baking, and here's to creating sweet holiday memories with the people you love!
Christmas Blossom Cookies
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 36 cookies 1x
Description
You know those cookies that make your whole kitchen smell like the holidays? These festive peanut butter blossom cookies are decorated to look like tiny Christmas trees with green frosting and colorful sprinkles. They're soft and chewy in the center with slightly crisp edges, combining classic peanut butter cookies with chocolate Hershey Kisses in the most delightful way.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Peanut Butter (creamy or crunchy)
- ½ cup Butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup Granulated Sugar, divided (100g + 50g)
- ½ cup Brown Sugar (105g)
- 1 large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour (150g)
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 36 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
- ⅓ cup Green Frosting (store-bought or homemade)
- Holiday Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F degrees.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Cream the butter and peanut butter together using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of the granulated sugar, the egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the brown sugar and continue beating until well combined and creamy.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Scoop the dough using a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon) and roll each portion into a smooth ball.
- Roll each dough ball in the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar, making sure they're completely coated.
- Place the sugar-coated balls on prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes at 375°F until the edges are set and centers no longer look glossy.
- Remove from oven and immediately press one Hershey Kiss into the center of each hot cookie.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Place green frosting in a piping bag or zip-top plastic bag with a tiny corner snipped off.
- Pipe the frosting starting at the bottom of each Hershey Kiss and spiraling upward to the tip, creating a Christmas tree effect.
- Add the sprinkles immediately before the frosting sets.
- Let the frosting set for about 30 minutes before storing or serving.
Notes
Don't skip rolling the dough balls in sugar - it gives them that beautiful crackled appearance. Press the Hershey Kiss immediately while cookies are hot so the chocolate melts slightly and adheres properly. Both butter and egg should be at room temperature for best results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 12mg
