Heart Shaped Peanut Butter Blossoms for Valentine’s Day

Last week I shared a post with an image of peanut butter blossom cookies made with heart-shaped chocolates instead of chocolate kisses. As peanut butter cookies are a hot commodity around here, I knew a batch of Heart Shaped Peanut Butter Blossoms were in my future.

The recipe I originally pinned used a bagged cookie mix. While I’m not against shortcuts, I don’t usually keep those kinds of things on hand. But I did have all I needed to whip up some from the recipe my Mom gave me awhile back.

You might want to consider making a double batch, as these were so good, they didn’t last wrong. Fill a mug with some of these cookies and drop off a sweet Valentine’s Day treat.

Heart Shaped Peanut Butter Blossoms

1/2 C shortening (like Crisco sticks)
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 C sugar, plus more for rolling
1 egg
2 T milk
1 T vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 C flour
heart shaped chocolates, unwrapped (I used Dove)

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Cream together shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, and the 1/2 cup sugar.
• Beat the egg, milk, and vanilla, into the sugar mixture.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, salt, and flour.
• Slowly add dry ingredients to the sugar mixture, about 1/3 at a time.  Beat on low until stiff dough forms.
• Form dough into small balls (roughly 1″).  Roll each ball in granulated sugar until lightly coated.
• Place sugared balls 1-2″ apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes, until just starting to brown (cookies will continue to cook as they cool).
• Immediately press a heart-shaped chocolate into the top of each cookie (cookie will “crack” a bit around the edges).
• Remove cookies to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely for at least an hour.  The chocolate will “melt” when pressed into the cookie, but if you don’t disturb them, they will retain their shape and re-harden when completely cooled.

What are your favorite Valentine’s Day recipes?