Christmas has fully exploded in our house. We at least wait until Thanksgiving is over to pull out the Christmas box from the attic, but really not a minute longer. We trimmed the tree, put up the lights, decorated inside and out, pulled out the holiday books, and heated up warm apple cider.

Now we're onto holiday baking. Peanut butter blossoms are high on my nostalgic list of holiday cookies, right next to iced sugar cookies. These gluten-free peanut butter blossoms deserve a spot on your cookie platter this season. Santa said so.

What is a peanut butter blossom?

Peanut butter blossoms are a classic American cookie - soft puffy peanut butter cookies with a Hershey's chocolate kiss nestled right on top.

The invention of peanut butter blossoms has been traced back to a woman named Freda Smith who baked them for the Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1957. While it only took third place, the recipe was such a national hit that it was included on the back of every bag of Hershey's kisses.

Andronico's: Ingredients for gluten-free peanut butter blossoms

For my gluten-free peanut butter blossoms, I've made a few changes to that original recipe. Most notably, swapping the shortening for butter for a more flavorful cookie, and using a blend of gluten-free almond and tapioca flours. These changes produce a peanut butter blossom that's both soft and chewy with crisp edges and a deep nutty flavor. 

All of the ingredients for these classic gluten-free peanut butter blossoms come from my local Bay Area Andronico's Community Market. They carry high-quality grocery essentials like organic eggs, butter, and sugar, as well as an array of Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flours, including almond flour and tapioca flour. Making it my one-stop shop, I can also grab a bag of classic Hershey's chocolate kisses.

Here are all the ingredients you need to make these gluten-free peanut butter cookies:

• Super-fine blanched almond flour: Almond flour is the base flour for this cookie, its sweet nuttiness complements the peanut butter and it also adds loads of moisture. 
• Tapioca flour: Tapioca flour rises in the oven, creating fluffiness to the cookies and lends to the chewiness. 
• Baking soda & salt
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar: I recommend organic light brown sugar, as it has a higher molasses content and leads to a chewier cookie
• Creamy no-stir peanut butter
• 1 large egg
• Whole milk
• Vanilla extract
• Hershey's Chocolate Kisses

How to make gluten-free peanut butter blossoms

1. Cream the butter and sugars, then mix in the peanut butter, egg, milk, and vanilla. 
2. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. 
3. Chill dough for 1 hour. 
4. Scoop dough into balls and roll in sugar. 
5. Bake 11-12 minutes.
6. Top hot cookies with a chocolate kiss and let cool!

What kind of peanut butter to use?

For the best gluten-free peanut butter blossoms, use smooth no-stir peanut butter. I recommend O Organics No Stir Peanut Butter. You can use organic or otherwise, but just be sure it's no-stir. For a consistent bake, you want the oils in the peanut butter evenly spread throughout rather than separated on top.

Are Hershey's Kisses gluten-free?

Yes! Classic silver-wrapped Hershey's kisses are safe for a gluten-free diet. You can also sub different variations of Hershey's kisses on these cookies, but you'll need to check the package to see if it's safe first.

Why are my peanut butter blossoms dry?

If your peanut butter blossoms turn out dry, there are two main culprits. First, too much flour. For the best results, measure your ingredients by weight rather than volume. This is especially true for gluten-free baking where you're using multiple flours. Too much or too little of one flour can make a big difference. 

The second culprit is overbaking. Be sure to take the cookies out just as the edges set and the tops begin to crack. The inside will look slightly underbaked, but rest assured, it will continue baking as it cools. 

Why did my peanut butter blossoms spread too much?

If your peanut butter blossoms spread too much, the culprit is either too little flour (see above on measuring by weight) or the type of peanut butter you used. Look for no-stir creamy peanut butter. If your peanut butter is too runny, your dough may also be too soft and your cookies will spread too much.

How to get chocolate kisses to stick to the cookie?

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press the chocolate kiss into the center. As the cookie cools, the heat from the cookie will melt the chocolate but it will not lose its shape. Just be sure to let the chocolate cool and firm up before stacking them for storing.

I tested multiple methods of inserting the chocolate kiss: freezing the kiss before pressing it into the cookie, letting the cookie cool 5 minutes before pressing the kiss on top, freezing the cookie with the kiss on top, and baking for 2 minutes with the kiss on top. None of those extra steps made a difference from the simplest method of just pressing the kiss right into the warm cookie as soon as it came out of the oven. No fuss needed!

How to make gluten-free dairy-free peanut butter blossoms

To make gluten-free dairy-free peanut butter blossoms, replace the butter with plant butter or refined coconut oil and the milk with plant milk of your choice. Since Hershey's chocolate kisses are not dairy-free (even the dark chocolate ones!), swap out the kisses for a beloved dairy-free dark chocolate peanut butter cup. Hint: Andronico's carries Lily's dark chocolate peanut butter cups, which are dairy-free.

Storing peanut butter blossoms

These gluten-free peanut butter blossoms are great for holiday gift-giving. They store well and last a long time without tasting stale. Let baked peanut butter blossoms cool completely until the chocolate kisses firm up before storing them in an airtight container for up to a week.

Alternatively, freeze fully baking peanut butter blossoms in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer and defrost for an hour before serving. 

To have fresh make-ahead peanut butter blossoms on demand, freeze the dough right after you roll the chilled cookie dough balls in sugar. Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet in the freezer for an hour to firm up before transferring them to a freezer bag. Store for up to 6 months in the freezer. Bake the dough straight out of the freezer, adding an extra minute or two to the bake time.

More peanut butter chocolate recipes

Chocolate and peanut butter are a well-loved classic duo. Here are a few of my favorite recipes. 

• Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
• Flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
• Gluten-Free Skillet Cookie with Peanut Butter
• Edible Gluten-Free Peanut Butter M&M Cookie Dough

And if you're into that nutty chocolate combo, here are a couple more recipes you may love!

• Gluten-Free Tahini Snack Cake with Chocolate Buttercream
• Flourless Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Cookie Bars
• Tahini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins