Kitchen

[LeaLeander]

These are the cookies with a Hershey Kiss pressed on the top; I've found recipes that are pretty much the same except some call for shortening and some for butter.

Anyone have any insight about how the finished products differ with different types of fats? I prefer chewier cookie rather than crispy.

[K9Wife]

Hi there - I have a very simple recipe I use for these cookies. I buy the refrigerated sugar cookie dough and add 1/2 cup peanut butter to it. I just mix it up with my Kitchenaid mixer. I take the mixed dough and roll into balls about 1 inch thick, then roll the balls in sugar and bake according to the cookie dough directions. Add Hershey kiss immediately upon removal from oven. I know this isn't a homemade version but they are really good and chewy.

[Madisson]

Never tried making these with margarine. For me, butter wins everytime!

[Mominohio]

I get better results with shortening. I only use Crisco. In my opinion it makes them thicker, fuller, more substantial.

In general, I find butter to be less desirable in most cookies as they spread more, get thinner, and perhaps crisper. I prefer a thicker, chewy cookie for most recipes, and I feel shortening does this.

[Dorothy11]

Shortening is a highly processed product that is not healthy. It is vegetable oils that have been hydrogenated to turn them to solids, in other words, changing unsaturated fat to saturated trans fats. A great deal of chemical processing takes place. Aside from that, shortning adds no flavor to your baked goods. While butter should be consumed in moderation, it is a natural poduct that adds wonderful flavor to baked goods. Shortening is engineered to have a higher melting point than butter, which can change the texture of a cookie, but this has more to do with baking temperature. For thicker cookies, decrease the oven temperature. I only use butter for baking.

[ahoymate]

On 11/15/2014 pas4116 said: Shortening is a highly processed product that is not healthy. It is vegetable oils that have been hydrogenated to turn them to solids, in other words, changing unsaturated fat to saturated trans fats. A great deal of chemical processing takes place. Aside from that, shortning adds no flavor to your baked goods. While butter should be consumed in moderation, it is a natural poduct that adds wonderful flavor to baked goods. Shortening is engineered to have a higher melting point than butter, which can change the texture of a cookie, but this has more to do with baking temperature. For thicker cookies, decrease the oven temperature. I only use butter for baking.

ITA! Don't use margarine or any shortening. Butter is best for baking.

[LeaLeander]

Thank you. I agree Crisco is terrible but figure a few cookies made with it per decade (I never bake and seldom eat others' baked goods; sweets aren't my thing) won't kill me. I'm mainly fearful that butter will make the cookie too crisp and am trying to replicate the way my aunt made them; she died in 1996 but prior to that used to send a tin of these every year; it was the special thing she made for me.

I was unpacking my Bedford Falls village and came across a gift tag from her on one of the figurines' boxes; she gave me ""The old Granville House"" to get me started on the village. Seeing her elaborate handwriting and signature made me nostalgic for a batch of the peanut blossoms.

[lolakimono]

There is butter flavored Crisco, if you want to split the difference.

[sunshine45]

only butter for baking for me.

[debcakes]

I have never made these but with choc. chips, I have found that I like to use half butter, half plain Crisco. Good texture and taste. Butter alone, too thin. Crisco alone, too dry.