Chocolate Stuffed Peanut Butter Blossoms

I am on a serious mission to clean the candy out of the cupboards.  And let me tell you, good things are coming out of it!  I had some Hershey's Kisses, and decided to make peanut butter blossoms.  They are such a classic cookie that people only seem to make around Christmas...not me.  This was one of the treats I made for my dad's birthday.  And this is no ordinary peanut butter blossom.  One Hershey's Kiss is not enough chocolate for me, and I am never satisfied with a bite-size cookie.  My version is three times larger, stuffed with more Hershey's Kisses, and drizzled with milk chocolate.  Scrumptious!

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together shortening and peanut butter (I used butter flavored shortening).

Beat in the sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Mix in the egg, milk, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Gradually beat into the wet ingredients.

Unwrap the Hershey's Kisses.

Take a scoop of dough and place three Kisses on it. 

Take another scoop of dough and place it on top of the Kisses.  Seal the edges together by pressing and cupping in your hand until the Kisses are enclosed in the dough.

Roll the cookie in sugar and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for ten minutes.  Immediately remove from the oven, and place a Kiss in the center of each cookie.

While the cookies are cooling, melt some milk chocolate chips in the microwave.

Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled cookies (I used my trusty ketchup bottle).

Everyone loved these bad boys.

Chocolate Stuffed Peanut Butter Blossoms
Yield: 13-14 cookies
56 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped
1/2 C. shortening
3/4 C. peanut butter
1/3 C. granulated sugar
1/3 C. brown sugar
1 egg
2 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 C. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
sugar for dusting
1/4 C. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375˚F.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening and peanut butter. Beat in 1/3 cup sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg, milk and vanilla, mixing until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
Take a scoop of dough and place three Kisses on it.  Take another scoop of dough and place it on top of the Kisses.  Seal the edges together by pressing and cupping in your hand until the Kisses are enclosed in the dough.  Roll in a bowl of sugar.  Place on the prepared cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Immediately remove from the oven and place unwrapped chocolate Kisses into the center of each cookie, slightly pressing.  While the cookies are cooling, melt milk chocolate chips in the microwave.  Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled cookies. 
Source: Inspired by Hershey's