Peanut butter blossoms are one of my favorite holiday cookies and I didn’t even make any this past Christmas. It was time to rectify that! So I made them for Valentine’s Day, well they are in my freezer awaiting Valentine’s Day. I am not the only one around here who likes peanut butter blossoms. A couple years ago when we had a holiday cookie exchange at my house I left my plate of cookies on the counter, never a good idea in this house. Before everyone left I went back in the kitchen to discover that the kisses were all missing from my peanut butter blossoms! Jack’s handy work!!
I set off to make my delicious cookies and decided to tinker around with my recipe. I wanted to use something other than shortening. It isn’t exactly healthy so I got rid of it and used my trusty coconut oil instead. I also used dark chocolate because that is what I like, besides it’s good for your heart, right?! These are still cookies so they aren’t really healthy, just a little less evil!
Hopefully these yummy dark chocolate hearts will stay in my cookies! Since they aren’t as tall as kisses hopefully Jack won’t yank them off, plus I will keep them hidden away (though he has found my hidden stash in the garage freezer)! I hope you enjoy these as much as we did and will again soon. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Valentine Blossoms
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. coconut oil, similar in texture to softened butter, NOT MELTED
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter (unfortunately the good homemade stuff just won’t work)
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
Small bowl of sugar for dipping
36 dark chocolate hearts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookies sheets with Silpat or parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl cream together the coconut oil and peanut butter, then add in the sugars and mix well. Add the vanilla and egg and mix well. Slowly add in the flour mixture and stir until everything is combined. Scoop out the dough and roll into generous one inch balls. Roll the balls in sugar and place on the cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Once you remove them from the oven press the chocolate heart in the center of the cookie, this is when it will flatten and crackle at the edges. Let sit for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Yields 3 dozen
Feeding My 3 Sons 
pretty and I love your changes 🙂 Curious if the coconut flavor came through? I’m all over replacing shortening with coconut oil, but they made chocolate chip cookies taste coconutty and that got a thumbs-down from my coconut-hating husband. Arrrgh.
I did not notice a coconut flavor, just peanut butter. Of course if you don’t like coconut maybe you would notice it, not sure. From what I have read some coconut oils are less intense than others. Ah, I used to be a coconut hater too! Then I woke up and smelled the coconut, haha!
I love the way you play a game of hide and find with Jack…i do hope he doesn’t yank them off ha ha. I like the idea of using coconut oil instead of shortening. I’ve never tried it but now i know I can try it if I want. Thanks for sharing. I made that soup…I am checking for photos to share. Lookout!!! I have just shovelled snow and 30 minutes later I realize I’ve to do more shovelling. Enjoy your better weather!!!
Isn’t it nice of Mother Nature to give you the opportunity for a nice cardio workout?! I think the cookies are safe in the freezer until Valentine’s Day. I hope you liked the soup. Stay warm!