Christmas Baking - Peanut Butter Blossoms

These cookies are quick, easy and look like they are store-bought.

Recipe adapted from 100 Best Cookies 2010:  Better Homes and Gardens

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup of shortening

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Chocolate blossoms or kisses

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat shortening and peanut butter until well combined (about 30 seconds).

Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda.  Again beat until well combined--use a spatula to mix in batter that gets stuck to the sides of the bowl.

Add in and beat the egg, milk and vanilla.  Add about half the flour in small increments and then stir in the rest with a spoon (batter gets too thick to use mixer for all the flour).

Shape cookie dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll peanut-butter dough balls in the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar (place sugar in a bowl for rolling).

Place cookie balls about two inches apart on cookie sheets.

Bake for about 12 minutes or until cookie is firm and bottom is slightly browned.

Place chocolate blossoms firmly in center of cookies immediately after removing cookies from oven.

Makes about four dozen cookies.  Cookies can be stored at room temperature for three days or frozen for up to three months.