Peanut Butter Sombreros

Call them sombreros, blossoms, or thumbprints, these peanut butter cookies with chocolate centers are a cookie jar classic for a reason. A brown sugar and peanut butter dough gets rolled into balls, coated in granulated sugar, then baked in two stages: first without the chocolate so the cookies set up, then with a chocolate piece pressed into the warm center for a final 3 minutes.

That two-stage bake is what makes these work. The chocolate softens just enough to sink into the cookie without melting flat. You get a truffle-like center sitting in a ring of chewy, sugar-crusted peanut butter cookie.

The dough uses shortening instead of butter, which keeps the cookies thick and puffy rather than spreading thin. Brown sugar adds chewiness and a caramel depth that plain white sugar can’t match.

Pro Tips

• Press the chocolate piece in firmly but gently after the first 6 minutes. The cookie should give slightly but not crack
• Do NOT overbake after adding the chocolate. Three minutes is all you need. The cookies will look underdone but they firm up as they cool
• Cool on the baking sheet for a full 2 minutes before moving. The cookies are fragile when hot and the chocolate is still molten
• One sheet at a time in the oven gives even heat. Baking two sheets creates hot spots

Variations

• Use Hershey’s Kisses for the classic blossom look
• Try white chocolate or dark chocolate pieces for a twist on the flavor pairing
• Swap creamy peanut butter for crunchy if you want more texture in the cookie itself