Peanut Butter Crackles & Cups

This is a recipe that I was given many years ago by a co-worker. Now, you can find a similar recipe printed on the back of every package of Hershey Kisses but they are called Peanut Butter Blossoms. It's still a favorite in our family (especially my kids)! I have some suggestions in this post on how to add some variety and then there is another cookie you can make with this dough that is my husband’s favorite!

Ingredients:


1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar (for rolling)
Unwrapped Hershey Kisses or small peanut butter cups*

Directions:

Blend butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll into granulated sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees until very lightly browned (10 minutes). Remove from oven and quickly press kiss firmly into the top of each cookie. Cool.

For the Peanut Butter Cup Cookies: Use the same dough but instead of placing in on a cookie sheet use a mini muffin pan (use smaller portions of dough to fill each hole of the pan a little more than half way). When the dough is done baking, remove from oven and quickly press the mini peanut butter cups firmly into the top of each cookie. Cool.

*You can get creative by using the many varieties of Kisses Hershey's now offers (my personal favorite is the Hugs). Once for my birthday, my co-worker made me a huge version of this cookie with one of the giant Hershey Kisses on top :)