Peanut Butter Nutella Blossoms

One of the classic American cookies I used to make back in the states was the Hershey's peanut butter blossom. A delicious soft peanut butter cookie with a Hershey kiss on top.  While I didn't make them too often, distance makes the heart grow fonder.  As soon as I no longer had access to Hershey kisses, I suddenly wanted them.  That, and peanut butter is way less common over here, so anything with peanut butter in it is a good thing.  Then one night, I suddenly woke up, poked the husband awake, and whispered - "Nutella peanut butter blossoms" and fell back asleep.  (Yes, I dream of things like peanut butter and chocolate).  And so a delicious recipe was born.


While I was originally thinking these would be a delicious substitute for the classic in their absence, I have to admit these may actually now be a replacement.  I think they are worth making even if you are in the states and have access to Hershey kisses.  They are easy to make, and even more delicious than they look.  I may have made them twice last week... oops.

Nutella Peanut Butter Blossoms

adapted from Hersheys peanut butter blossoms. 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter - softened
1/3 cup sugar (plus additional for rolling)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tb milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
13 oz jar of nutella

Preheat oven to 375f or 190c.
1. In a medium sized bowl, cream peanut butter and butter together.  (I usually use a handmixer).
2. Add in both sugars, and mix well.
3. Add in milk, egg and vanilla extract, and mix well.
4. Add in baking soda, salt, and 1/2 cup flour and mix well.  Then add in remaining cup of flour and mix.
5. Roll balls of dough, about an inch wide (Note - this is pretty small!) and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.  Roll each ball of dough in bowl of sugar.  Using a 1/2 tsp measure spoon (or whatever you find), press an indentation into each cookie, as pictured above.
6. Bake for 6 minutes
7. WHILE baking, prepare the Nutella: fill a piping device with the jar of Nutella (normally I'd use a zip lock bag, but I love this device from Lekue I received as a present).  When there is a minute left on the cookies, microwave the nutella for 30 seconds.  (If you're using a zip lock bag, cut off the corner tip after this).
8. Pull cookies out of the oven - the sides should just start looking golden.  Pipe blossoms of Nutella onto the indentation on each cookie.  Bake cookies an additional 2 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
Or eat warm, they are even more delicious this way.