The Real Reason Your Peanut Butter Blossoms Are Falling Apart

Peanut butter blossoms (aka peanut blossoms), the iconic peanut butter cookie rolled in granulated sugar and baked to perfection before adding a sweet Hershey's chocolate kiss to the center, has been around since 1957. A result of Pillsbury's famed Bake-off contest, according to the Post-Gazette, the creator of peanut butter blossoms did not take home the big prize for her entry — she was actually just a runner up. 

But since that fateful day, these cookies have definitely developed a cult-like following for those who love them. In fact, these cookies are so delicious and made so frequently, their fans helped to catapult them to number seven on Pillsbury's popularity list, resulting in a spot in Pillsbury's Bake-Off Hall of Fame, which was created to celebrate the brand's 50th anniversary. 

What's not to love about these perfectly concocted cookies? Salty peanut butter and sweet chocolate eaten together is one of those immaculate combinations, and peanut butter blossoms are a great example of this truth. Beyond the Butter notes that these cookies should be "soft" and "chewy" when you bite into them. But have you ever made peanut butter blossom dough and found that their texture was off, and instead they were a hot mess, crumbling and falling apart? Same. Why does this happen and what can you do to fix it?

According to baking site Creme de la Crumb, if you find your cookies to be crumbly, it is because you've used too much flour. The site notes that it's an easy mistake to make, especially for us rookies who might think moist-looking cookie dough is a problem. But the article cautions not to second guess the recipe and add more flour. This will result in your crumbly cookie. 

If too much flour isn't the issue, then Creme de la Crumb suggests it could be due to using margarine instead of unsalted butter or overcooking. Baking Kneads adds that overmixing and the fridge can also dry out our cookie dough. So, what do you do if you discover you are guilty of one of these baking sins?  

Luckily, there is a path forward to cookie redemption, and you can save your peanut butter blossoms if you find them to be too crumbly. Per Madhuram's Eggless Cooking  adding oil or milk can rescue your dry cookie dough. Baking Kneads says to do so one teaspoon at a time and also recommends adding water and egg whites to your culinary arsenal of liquids you can use to moisten up cookie dough. Moreover, the piece says to not be shy about abandoning your traditional mixing method and tools and instead use your hands to mix your dough to ensure it doesn't get overmixed.