RED VELVET PEANUT BUTTER HUGS

Aren't they gorgeous!! I bet many of you have made Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies. I make them a few times a year and many batches at the holidays as seen here.

                 Changing it up & making these red velvet was one of the best things I ever did. 
                                                              So pretty and so yummy.

I am a huge Red Velvet fan and doesn't it just scream Valentines Day. While my favorite Valentines cookies are sugar ones with pink frosting, these are a fav of my family with the peanut butter and hint of cocoa, these babies just melt in your mouth and what a great way to say "I LOVE YOU!"

The Red decorating sugar which you can find in the baking aisle makes them extra pretty.

What you'll need

Red Velvet Peanut Butter Hugs
INGREDIENTS:
1 bag Hershey's HUGS Kisses
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon red food coloring
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1/3 cup red sugar plus 1 tsp. sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter, peanut butter, and sugar in stand mixer for about 2 minutes on medium speed. Turn mixer to low and add in egg, milk, vanilla, and red food coloring. Mix for about 30 seconds, then turn mixer to medium high and blend until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl sift cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt. With mixer on slow add flour mixture to sugar mixture and beat until just combined. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Pour red sugar onto small plate or bowl. (I use metal cake pans for this) Roll dough ball in sugar and place on prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
While baking unwrap Hershey's Hugs. Once cookies are done baking, remove from oven and immediately press a chocolate Hug into the center of each cookie. The cookie should crack around edges. Allow cookies to cool to room temperature.

Love goes out to my Grandma Catherine Winkler today! It is her 93rd birthday. You may remember reading my tribute to her HERE called She's A Doll!!
HUG someone today and Happy Tasty Tuesday!!

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xoxo

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