I love these cookies. They are a stroke of genius! Too bad they were not my ingenious idea though. I cannot take credit for them, the original recipe comes from Miriam of Overtime Cook. I have been making peanut butter blossom cookies (a peanut butter cookie rolled in sugar and topped with chocolate kisses or chips) for years. But a few years ago Miriam decided to press a piece of Chanukah gelt into the cookie and life has never been the same! I love this idea and was so bummed that I didn’t think of it first! Since then, Chanie of Busy in Brooklyn made olive oil crinkle cookies sprayed with edible gold shimmer and topped with chocolate gelt, and again I was blown away. Finally Miriam was back this year with a new version of her original: melt-in-your-mouth Chanukah cookies and I knew it was time for me to join the party.
My twist on the original is pretty cute. Instead of rolling the cookies in plain white sugar, I rolled them in two different colors or blue crystal sugar before pressing a delicious piece of gelt in each one. I think this really gives them a festive vibe. They would also look gorgeous rolled in gold or silver sugar or even clear crystal sugar. I love that these can be made to match any party decor. Thank you Miriam and Chanie for your inspiration! Here is my non-dairy recipe adapted from Hershey’s.
- ½ cup shortening
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tbs. soy milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1½ cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- crystal sugar for rolling
- 30-40 unwrapped large chocolate gelt
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat shortening with the sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add in the egg and beat until combined.
- Add in the soy milk and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Add in the flour, and baking soda and mix until dough forms.
- Using a 2 tsp. size cookie scoop or regular spoon, scoop batter and roll into balls.
- Roll each ball in crystal sugar, place on parchment lined baking sheet and gently flatten slightly.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes until the edges are slightly browned and cookies is cracked.
- Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes before pressing each chocolate on to the cookies.
- Allow to cool completely, you may place cookies in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to help the chocolate firm up.
Completely festive! I want one now 🙂
I love when you share recipes I can try and make, yum.
You CANNOT go wrong with peanutbutter and chocolate.
Thanks for the shout out! Love the festive blue sugar.
you make everything look so beautiful. Love the blue sugar.
I agree with Tamar, I love that you share something that I can attempt to make. These cookies look so beautiful.
Can I substitute canola oil for the shortening?