Description

A classic Wilson family holiday cookie traditionally made with Hershey’s kisses but made with peanut butter cups for ease in cookie tins for shipment and cookie swaps.

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, plus more for rolling the dough (optional)
1/2 cup (100 grams) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (119 grams) creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (192 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
About 24 mini Reeses peanut butter cups, unwrapped

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Instructions

In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, peanut butter, and butter with an electric hand beater until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended, about 1 minute.
Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until a thick cookie dough forms. Transfer the dough to plastic wrap or waxed paper and chill for 30 minutes before baking.
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and roll in a small bowl of sugar if you’d like. Place about 2-inches apart on the baking sheet. Press gently with the heel of your hand to flatten just a bit to a thick disc.
Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately press one reeses candy in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack allowing to cool to room temperature before packaging to allow to chocolate to set.
Cookies will last, wrapped individually and left at room temperature, for up to 5 days.

Notes

This dough can be made ahead and frozen for up to two weeks. I like to portion the prepared dough into balls for baking (not yet rolled in sugar), and freeze until solid on a baking sheet. Once frozen, store in a zip lock bag. I like to thaw the dough balls in the refrigerator overnight before baking though you can bake them from frozen for an additional 3 or so minutes (just keep a keen eye).