Peanut Blossoms

My mom makes great cookies. They are always soft and delicious. One of my favorites are some peanut butter cookies with Hershey's kisses on top that won the 9th Pillsbury bake-off in 1957. I'll post the recipe below, but you can also find it at this link on Pillbury's website. For the past few years or so I have really stunk at making cookies. They have been anything but soft and delicious (although I do have the sweetest husband who eats them everytime and never complains). Tonight I FINALLY made a good batch! I swear I once knew how to make good cokies, but somehow my abilities have completely disappeared. What are your tips for making good cookies? Here are the things I've learned:

• If your cookies spread out make sure the dough is not too warm. I put mine in the fridge for a few minutes before putting the cookies on the pan.
• Also try to use a cool pan. I have been using one pan when I make cookies and it was so hot it melted the dough and made the cookies spread out even before I put them in the oven.
• Shortening is better than butter if you're trying to keep the cookies from spreading out. If you do use butter and you're trying to soften it, don't melt it! Use real butter or at least "real" margarine. The "healthy" margarine does not work well in cookies.
• If you like soft, chewy cookies, set the timer for 1-2 minutes less than it says in the recipe. It stinks to open up the oven and see that the cookies are already crispy even though you put them in for the minimum amount!

Peanut Blossoms

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
Sugar
48 Hershey's® Kisses® milk chocolates, unwrapped

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, shortening, peanut butter, milk, vanilla and egg; mix with electric mixer on low speed until stiff dough forms.
2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with 1 milk chocolate candy, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge; remove from cookie sheets.