Entertaining a crowd? My rule of thumb is "Keep it simple."
So, when my sister Pam visited recently, I immediately thought of these yummy peanut butter cookies with chocolate kiss centers. She and her family stayed with Bob and I while in town to celebrate my mom's birthday, filling our typically empty nest and making it eight for dinner instead of the usual two.
Although these guest-worthy delights look impressive, they're ever-so-easy. Sure, they're made from scratch but you need only four ingredients for the cookie dough: condensed milk, peanut butter, Bisquick and vanilla. And mixing them is a real breeze if you have a stand mixer - talk about a kitchen tool I can't do without!
Once mixed, you pinch off the dough to make one-inch balls, roll them in sugar and bake for 6 - 7 minutes in a preheated oven. As soon as they're done, you press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie, let them cool briefly and serve. How's that for simple?
Since these treats can be ready in a flash, I like making the dough ahead, keeping it in the fridge, and shaping and baking the cookies just before serving. That can be a fun activity in itself if you have little ones around.
Even better, whether fresh baked or pulled from the cookie jar, these choco-licious goodies appeal to all ages. In my case, that meant everyone from 14 to 58 was happy with the results, especially the cook because she could focus on her family without being caught in the kitchen. Hallelujah!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place the condensed milk and peanut butter in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with a hand or stand electric mixer until combined. Add Bisquick and vanilla and mix well.
Pour a light layer of sugar on a plate. Shape dough into one-inch balls and roll in sugar. Put on a baking stone or a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam, leaving about two inches between cookies. Flatten cookies with a fork using a crisscross design.
Bake 6 - 7 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. Then move to wire racks to cool.
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