My Almond Butter Blossoms are a delicious variation of the classic peanut butter blossom cookies we all know and love.
They have a soft and chewy cookie base made with a heaping cup of almond butter giving them a rich and nutty flavor. And before I get any further, you can totally make them with peanut butter too! I recommend a smooth and creamy variety such as Jif or Skippy for best results.
Some of my other holiday favorites are: these Ritz Cracker Christmas Cookies , Pecan Pie Cookies , Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies , and these Chocolate Peppermint Cookies .
These almond butter blossom cookies feature the signature chocolate kiss pressed into the center of each cookie after baking. It slightly melts into the cookie since the cookies are still warm so it creates this smooth and creamy contrast to the nutty cookie base.
The cookies get rolled in granulated sugar prior to baking which helps add a subtle crunch and glistening appearance, making them festive for the holiday season.
They are a must make for the holiday and a quintessential Christmas cookie in my book!
Why this recipe works
- The combination of the almond butter cookie and the chocolate is a delicious blend of flavors.
- They are a holiday favorite!
- Can easily be made with peanut butter if you’re not an almond butter fan.
- Perfect for parties and Christmas time.
- Freezer friendly.
Why I used Shortening vs. Butter in these cookies
- In most of my cookie recipes, I use butter. But in my blossoms I always love using shortening and I’ll tell you why!
- Shortening helps to create a cookie that is tender and slightly crumbly. Shortening is 100% fat and butter contains water, so the lack of water results in a more tender cookie.
- The shortening also has a higher melting point than butter, so the cookies are able to hold their shape, spread less, and creates a more uniform cookie.
- Butter has a rich flavor, and since I want the almond butter (or peanut butter) flavors to shine, the shortening allows those flavors to be more pronounced.
Ingredients needed
For the ingredient measurements and entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Almond butter (or peanut butter!): this is the star of the show! Choose a smooth and creamy variety, I love using Barney smooth almond butter for these blossoms or Jif or Skippy for the peanut butter option.
- Shortening (Such as Crisco): helps to create a tender cookie.
- Sugars : combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar is used. Brown sugar adds moisture and a slight molasses flavor, while granulated sugar contributes to the cookie’s structure.
- Eggs : Acts as a binder and helps in leavening the cookies.
- Milk : I often add milk to my peanut butter and almond butter cookies. The addition of milk adds moisture and helps to improve the overall texture of the cookies. Peanut butter or almond butter can make cookie dough dry, especially if they lack oils, so the milk is my secret weapon!
- Vanilla Extract : Adds flavor depth and enhances the other ingredients.
- Flour : all purpose flour works well. Be sure to spoon and level the flour to get an accurate measurement.
- Chocolate kisses: Placed in the center of each cookie after baking; they melt slightly into the warm cookie .
- Other ingredients needed: Baking Soda, Baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
How to make Almond Butter Blossoms:
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- In a stand mixer or hand mixer , mix almond butter, shortening, dark brown sugar and white sugar together. Once nicely mixed, add in eggs, milk & vanilla. Mix well.
- In a separate large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Then stir into the almond butter mixture.
- Roll dough into small balls, and then coat in the granulated sugar.
- Bake in the oven for 11-13 minutes. Immediately after removing from the oven, press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. Let cool completely.
More cookie recipes to love!
- Pecan Pie Cookies
- Ritz Cracker Christmas Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Buckeye Cookies
- Hot Cocoa Cookies
- Maple Cookies
Variations
- Different Types of Chocolate : Instead of the classic chocolate kiss, try using different types of chocolate such as dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, or even flavored chocolate like mint or orange. Miniature peanut butter cups or chocolate chunks can also be a delicious alternative.
- Nut Butters : Substitute almond butter with other nut butters like peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for a different flavor profile.
- Flavor Add-Ins : Enhance the dough with more spices like nutmeg, or ginger. Adding a dash of almond extract can also elevate the flavor.
- Stuffed Cookies : Before baking, stuff the cookie dough balls with a small amount of jam, caramel, or additional almond butter for a surprise filling.
- Toppings and Drizzles : After baking, drizzle the cookies with melted chocolate, caramel, or a simple icing. Sprinkles or crushed nuts can also be added for extra texture and flavor.
- Gluten-Free : Substitute traditional ingredients with gluten-free flour blends if needed.
- Holiday Themes : For festive occasions, use colored sugar for rolling or top the cookies with holiday-themed chocolate candies.
- Crunchy Texture : Add chopped nuts, oatmeal, or crushed pretzels to the dough for a bit of crunch.
Storage
- Cool completely and store in an air tight container for up to 1 week.
- Freeze almond butter blossoms in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
Other cookie recipes you will enjoy
Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
S’mores Cookie Recipe
Best Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Megan from The Broke Girl Table.
Almond Butter Blossom Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup almond butter, creamy
- 1 cup Vegetable shortening (I used Crisco)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup white sugar (granulated)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup milk (I used whole milk)
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup white sugar (for rolling the cookie dough in before baking)
- 1, 11 oz. bag of milk chocolate kisses
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a large bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. salt
- In a stand mixer/hand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the almond butter, shortening, dark brown sugar and white sugar together for ~3-4 minutes on medium speed. 1 cup almond butter, creamy, 1 cup Vegetable shortening (I used Crisco), 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1 cup white sugar (granulated)
- Once nicely mixed add in the eggs, milk & vanilla. 2 large eggs, room temperature, 1/3 cup milk (I used whole milk), 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- Gradually add the dry ingredients on low speed.
- Mix until combined.
- Roll the dough into small balls (you can use a 2 Tbsp. cookie scoop) and then coat in granulated sugar. 1/3 cup white sugar (for rolling the cookie dough in before baking)
- Place on the prepared baking sheets and repeat with remaining cookie dough. This recipe yields ~32-35, 2 Tbsp. cookies, or you can make smaller and reduce the baking time by about 1 minute.
- Bake in the oven for ~11-13 minutes or until cookies are just set and slightly golden.
- Immediately after removing from the oven, press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. Rest on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes then gently transfer to a wire cooling rack. 1, 11 oz. bag of milk chocolate kisses
- Let cool completely, errr if you can wait! ENJOY!
Video
Notes
- Adapted recipe from All Recipes
- Recipe can be made with creamy peanut butter instead of almond butter if preferred.
- Storage: Cool completely and store in an air tight container for up to 1 week. Freeze almond butter blossoms in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
