Memory Making Christmas Delights Peanut Butter Blossoms

It is cookie baking time again. You know that time of year when practically everyone is baking delicious treats to share with their families for the upcoming Christmas holiday.

My family's all-time favorite Christmas cookie, and we have a lot, but Peanut Butter Blossoms are the number one cookie during the holidays. I kid you not, about two weeks before Christmas, we bake about six dozen.

This six dozen does not last throughout the holiday season. No joking, these disappear in about one week. So a couple of days before Christmas, we head back into the kitchen and bake another four dozen.

There is something just so delicious about mixing peanut butter and chocolate. Now we know we can bake cookies anytime during the year, and even if we do, for some reason, they do not taste quite as special any other time. Could be they are missing that magic Christmas spirit.

Ingredients needed:

48 Hersey's milk chocolate candy kisses.

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup addiction sugar for rolling dough in

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

(Tip...Buy a large bag of candy kisses. Somehow they seem to

disappear during the unwrapping process.)

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in a 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. (TIP if you feeling festive you can add a few drops of red or green food coloring into the dough to add a pop of color to your cookies.)

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into the center of each cookie; the cookie will crack around the edges.

(Tip if you want even more festive cookies carefully add sprinkles to the candy kisses while warm. The kisses will take on a decorated Christmas tree look.)

Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes 48 cookies. (The last Tip enjoy a few while still warm the melting chocolate and warm cookie is a little heaven on earth.)

My girls and I usually get together and form an assembly line for the cookie baking process. One unwraps the candy kisses. The other mix the ingredients together. Another begins rolling the dough into balls and continues rolling into the extra sugar.

No kitchen Christmas cookie baking would be complete without a kitchen dance-off. It is a fun and silly family tradition that adds a lot of laughs and even more great family memories.

Over the years my little family has grown. My son now engaged to be married has added a daughter-in-law to be who fits in very well-during our Christmas cookie baking adventures.

This year we are adding a very special addition to this group of crazy women. My two-year-old granddaughter. I believe she will come in quite handy this year during the cookie baking.

I think she will make an excellent dough baller as we have been practicing with her playdough for quite some time now. However, I do not think cookie ball rolling is going to be the job she will want assigned to.

Guess I had better pick up the jumbo-sized bag of candy kisses because this little sweetheart will surely be popping them in her mouth anytime she gets an opportunity.

Remember these are usually a big hit over the holidays and also make a great addition to your cookie gift platters for your extended family and friends.

Happy holidays all, I hope you have as great a time baking these as my family does.