Inspired by: @iszy
Craving classic, chewy peanut butter blossoms but need a vegan or dairy-free chocolate solution? You're in luck! Many bakers struggle to find a suitable vegan Hershey's Kiss alternative that melts perfectly and delivers that iconic look and taste. Our community member, iszy, has uncovered a fantastic secret weapon: a unique chocolate chunk that not only replaces the traditional kiss but adds a delightful fruity note, elevating this beloved holiday cookie to new plant-based heights.
This article shares how you can recreate these timeless plant-based peanut butter cookies with a twist, ensuring every bite is a perfect blend of nutty and chocolatey goodness, all while being completely dairy-free and easily adaptable to gluten-free preferences.
The Star Ingredient: A Unique Vegan Chocolate Chunk
What makes this particular chocolate for baking so special? It comes in small, customizable bars, often stuck together, allowing you to easily break off the perfect size for your cookies. But its true magic lies in its flavor profile. Unlike many conventional chocolates, this variety boasts a distinctly fruity flavor, adding an unexpected and pleasant dimension to your vegan chocolate chip cookies or, in this case, the classic peanut butter blossom.
Iszy raves about it: "This chocolate is great for baking. It comes in very small bars that are sometimes stuck together. It makes them pretty customizable. They have a more fruity flavor than some other chocolates. This is a really good snacking chocolate, but was also great to bake with!"
Solving the Vegan Kiss Dilemma
The quest for a vegan Hershey's Kiss has long been a challenge for plant-based bakers. As one abillion user commented, "I’ve never seen vegan kisses anywhere!" This highlights a common pain point. While some recipes suggest making your own or using generic vegan chocolate chips, finding a product that mimics the classic shape and melt of a Hershey's Kiss has been elusive. This unique chocolate chunk steps in as an excellent dairy-free chocolate alternative, especially for recipes like peanut butter blossoms where the chocolate plays a starring role on top.
Using these small, fruity chocolate bars provides a customizable and delicious replacement, eliminating the need for hard-to-find specialty items or complicated DIY solutions.
Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe
This recipe is designed to showcase the versatility of our featured chocolate chunk as the perfect "kiss" for your vegan peanut butter blossom cookies. While the base recipe for peanut butter blossoms can vary, we recommend building upon a well-loved foundation.
Inspired by Nora Cooks
For the full base recipe for classic peanut butter blossoms, which can easily be adapted with vegan ingredients, we highly recommend checking out Nora Cooks' popular version here: Nora Cooks Peanut Butter Blossoms. Below, we provide a general outline with key vegan substitutions and how to incorporate our star chocolate.
Yield: Approximately 3 Dozen Cookies
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened (Miyokos Creamery Cultured Vegan Butter)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (Belbake Granulated Sugar)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (Wholesome Organic Dark Brown Sugar)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (Whole Earth Crunchy Peanut Butter Bio)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened plant milk (e.g., Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Milk or Ripple Foods Plant-Based Milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Taylor and Colledge Vanilla Extract)
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (for gluten-free, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (Bob's Red Mill Baking Powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (365 Whole Foods Market Organic Powdered Sugar) for rolling
- Approximately 3 dozen small chocolate chunks (the star ingredient!)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the vegan butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the peanut butter, plant milk, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in the powdered sugar to coat.
- Arrange the coated cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between them.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may still look soft.
- Immediately upon removing from the oven, gently press one of your fruity chocolate chunks into the center of each warm cookie. The chocolate will soften and set as the cookies cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for Perfect Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Don't Overbake: For soft, chewy cookies, take them out when the edges are just set, even if the centers seem a bit underdone. They will continue to cook slightly on the hot baking sheet.
- Press Immediately: The key to getting the chocolate to adhere and slightly melt into that iconic "blossom" shape is to press it into the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Chill the Dough (Optional): If your dough is too sticky to roll, chill it for 15-30 minutes. This is especially helpful if your kitchen is warm.
- Customizable Chocolate: Since the chocolate bars are small and sometimes stuck together, you have control. Break off pieces that are the perfect size for your cookies, ensuring a good chocolate-to-cookie ratio every time.
Variations & Adaptations
- Gluten-Free: As mentioned in the ingredients, simply swap in a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. The original post even highlighted
#glutenfreeas a relevant tag! - Nut-Free: For those with peanut allergies, you can substitute the peanut butter with a seed butter like sunflower seed butter or a different nut butter if allergies allow.
- Chocolate Exploration: While the fruity chocolate is a fantastic discovery, feel free to experiment with other vegan chocolate options if you prefer a different flavor profile. Just ensure they are small enough to act as a 'kiss.'
- Add Sprinkles: For an extra festive touch, add some vegan sprinkles to the warm chocolate tops immediately after pressing them into the cookies.
User Voices: What Our Community Says
The challenge of finding suitable vegan baking substitutes is real, and the abillion community often shares practical solutions. The sentiment "I’ve never seen vegan kisses anywhere!" from a fellow user echoes the very problem this chocolate addresses, making it a truly valuable discovery for plant-based dessert enthusiasts. This recommendation from iszy offers a clear, delicious path forward for anyone looking to perfect their vegan cookie recipes.
Relevant Image Links
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- 7 Easy Vegan Cookie Recipes - Discover a variety of simple vegan cookies for any occasion.
- Easy No-Bake Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake - For more peanut butter and chocolate deliciousness without the oven.
- Healthy and Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Recipe - Another delightful peanut butter and chocolate treat.
- Vegan chocolate chip and walnut cookie recipe - Classic cookies with a vegan twist.
- 11 Easy Christmas Desserts Anyone Can Make! - Perfect for holiday baking inspiration.
- Easy Vegan Chocoholic Cannoli Recipe - Dive deeper into vegan chocolate creations.
Bake Your Own Delicious Vegan Blossoms!
Ready to try this innovative vegan chocolate solution for yourself? Whip up a batch of these delightful vegan peanut butter blossoms today! Share your creations and discoveries with the abillion community by tagging us or leaving a review of your favorite vegan chocolate products. Your insights help others find the best plant-based ingredients for their culinary adventures!
