Peanut Butter Buds

Don’t forget to enter the 12 Days of Cookies FREE GIVEAWAY DRAWING!

The number one rule of creating a spectacular cookie display for any holiday event is VARIETY! Think Chocolate and non-chocolate, nuts and no nuts, something red, something green, something intricately frosted, something oversized… and something really, really tiny!

I imagine everyone is familiar with peanut butter cookies topped with a great big Hershey’s Kiss – they’re one of the most popular Christmas cookies around. Today’s Peanut Butter Buds are the little brothers of those cookies… just as delicious, but super small. Each cookie is barely one bite – perfect for a guilt free snack!

Ingredients (makes 4 dozen mini cookies)

6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1 teaspoon rum

1 cup flour

1/4 cup of sugar (for rolling, not for mixing into the dough)

1 cup of Hershey’s Mini Kisses (or use chocolate chips)

Directions

Step 1) Cream together peanut butter, butter, and sugars. Add egg and rum. Mix well.

Step 2) Stir in salt, baking powder, and flour. Refrigerate for at least two hours (or overnight).

Step 3) Roll chilled dough into small balls, approximately the size of a large marble. Use no more than one teaspoon of dough per ball.

Step 4) Roll each ball in sugar and place on greased cookie sheets, leaving at least one inch of space between cookies. Press a chocolate chip or Hershey’s Mini Kiss into the center of each ball, as shown.

Step 5) Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 7 – 8 minutes, or until bottoms of cookies are just beginning to turn  golden brown.

Step 6) Gently transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before storing.