Peanut Butter Pumpkin Blossoms

Instructions

1. In a stand mixer or large bowl, beat the butter until it is smooth.
2. Add the peanut butter, 1/4 cup white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat well, scraping sides.
3. Add the pumpkin and vanilla. Beat.
4. Add the flour but don't mix it in. Use a small spoon to stir the baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice into the flour.
5. Beat the flour into the dough until just combined, scraping sides and bottom of bowl.
6. Cover the bowl and freeze for 15 minutes (or refrigerate for 30 minutes).
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.
8. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls. Remember, 1 inch is not very big! I actually measured my first one so that I could get a feel for it.
9. Add 3/4 cup sugar to a bowl or plate. Roll the balls in the sugar.
10. Place the shaped dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 and 1/2 inches apart. If your oven is not ready, stick the pan in the fridge or freezer. (If there is any time lapse at all while you are shaping the dough, try to remember to chill the dough. It's delicate and needs to go into the oven cold.)
11. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, or until the edge feels set when you touch it. Don't over bake! Unwrap kisses while the cookies bake.
12. Take the cookies out and immediately push 1 kiss into each cookie. You have to do it right away so that the kiss melts a little bit, that way they will stick to the cookie as they cool. Leave the cookies on the hot pan for at least 5 minutes so they have time to set up.
13. Let cool on a wire rack.
14. This recipe makes about 55-60 cookies. Don't eat them all at once!