Houstonist Bakes: Christmas Goodies!

So, if Thanksgiving is all about pie, pie and more pie, Christmas is all about cookies, for us, for Santa, for everyone we can pawn them off on give them to. Here at Houstonist, we love food, cooking it, eating it, telling you how to make it and where to find it. We'll even let you know if it's all "meh" not so much. Holiday desserts are the best and the calories do not count - they "pause" until the day after New Year's, for real. Yeah, we know, "what's it like living in our world?". Here's the first of several cookie recipes we have lined up for you - and, we'll give you some "cookie swap soiree" pointers soon - be on the lookout!

These little jewels can be made at least two different ways - don't be afraid to mix up a double batch of dough and try either our variations or make up one yourself.

Peanut Butter Kisses

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. real vanilla extract (like the kind from Mexico at Canino's)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
60 or so (1 bag) chocolate kisses or mini peanut butter cups
extra granulated white sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375°. Mix together room temperature butter and peanut butter. When blended add white and brown sugar, cream well (it should be kinda fluffy), then add egg, milk, and vanilla and mix to combine. Combine flour with baking soda and salt and carefully mix in, adding it slowly will keep you from wearing it. Chill the dough for about an hour and roll into 1" balls; roll in granulated white sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake about 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Place a chocolate kiss in the center of the cookies immediately, pressing gently to secure - no worries, a little melty action is quite normal. Move cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

To make Peanut Butter Cup cookies, place the rolled balls of dough into a mini muffin tin (sprayed well with non-stick cooking spray) and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately smush a mini peanut butter cup in the center, once they are all "done", remove them to a wire rack to cool.

HOUSTONIST HINT: Unwrap all of the candy while the dough is chilling, if not, you will be frantically trying to prepare the candy before the cookies are too cooled off to put the candy in. Also, you can try the Almond kisses or whatever flavor you think works with peanut butter cookies.

A single batch makes about 5 dozen little cookies and takes approximately 30 minutes, depending on how many ovens/pans you have to enlist. If you prep half and half (kisses and cups) you can rotate them immediately and put the candy in one while the other is baking.

We'll be bringing you more recipes for cookies leading up to the "big day" - if you have a favorite cookie you don't have a tried and true recipe for, hit us up here - we just may have one we use!