Cate's Peanut Butter Kisses

I suspect these cookies need no introduction. You may not even need a recipe because you have your Nana’s, mom’s, or your first grade teacher’s. But as these are my daughter’s favorite holiday cookie, I can’t have a holiday cookie countdown without them.

Three things set ours apart a teeny bit:

1. I don’t roll them in sugar. It’s unnecessary and it’s got a freaking Hershey kiss on it, it doesn’t need more sugar.

2. This version produces a cookie on the crunchier side.

3. My daughter insists on gently smooshing the kiss when it’s warm to create what looks more like a blossom. She feels very strongly that it is a necessary improvement: it prevents the Kiss from poking the roof of your mouth and it means you get a bite of chocolate in each bite.

CATE’S PEANUT BUTTER KISS COOKIES

Makes 4 to 5 dozen, depending on the size you make the cookies

What You’ll Need:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (feel free to sub in a cup of whole wheat flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 ounces, 1 stick, unsalted butter at room temperature (I’m not kidding)

1/2 cup (140 grams) peanut butter (such as Skippy. Don’t use health food store stuff, it won’t work)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

48-60 Hershey kisses, unwrapped (depends on how small you make your cookies and how many kisses you eat while unwrapping them. One 11-ounce package will do. )

What You’ll Do:

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. With a hand or stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter until smooth. Add the peanut butter and both sugars and blend at medium speed, stopping reasonably often to scrape down the sides.

3. When evenly blended, add the egg, milk and vanilla. Start at low speed to avoid sploshing and then raise to medium and beat until blended.

4. Add the flour in two batches. Scrape down the sides, blend some more until the dough is uniform and smooth. (This will not take a long time).

5. If the dough seems too soft/greasy, refrigerate for an hour. Otherwise, preheaat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into balls. You can choose to make them tablespoon sized or teaspoon sized. Bake the cookies in the oven for 9 to 13 minutes, depending on the size of the cookie and the heat of your oven. Cookies are done when the dough cracks . Peer inside a crack to make sure the cookie is done. The cookie should be light brown.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately onto a cooling rack. Work fast, lightly push a Hershey’s kiss into the center of the cookie. When it has softened, if you want to be like Cate, you can gently push on the tip of the kiss to flatten it into a 3-d flower shape.

7. Let cool on rack.