Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
  • 1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar (for rolling)
  • 36 pieces Hershey's Kisses (unwrapped)

Instructions:

  1. Prep and Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap all 36 Hershey’s Kisses and set aside (Tip: chill them in the freezer for 10 minutes to prevent excessive melting).
  2. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Cream Fats and Sugars: In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
  4. Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Do not over-mix this stage.
  5. Combine Wet and Dry: Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until just combined. Stop mixing the moment you see no dry flour streaks.
  6. Chill the Dough: Cover the dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
  7. Shape and Coat: Place the extra 1/4 cup of granulated sugar in a shallow dish for rolling. Using a small scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), form the dough into uniform balls. Roll each ball lightly in the sugar until coated.
  8. Arrange and Bake: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, ensuring they are about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
  9. Bake: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 350°F (175°C). The cookies are done when the edges are lightly set but the centres still look soft and slightly underbaked.
  10. The Fiddly Bit (Adding the Kiss): Immediately transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Quickly and gently press one unwrapped chocolate kiss directly into the centre of each warm cookie. If the cookie cracks slightly, gently push the edges back together.
  11. Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling. The chocolate will set as the cookies cool.