Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unwrap all 36 chocolate kisses and set them aside in a small bowl so they are ready to go.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the vegetable shortening and creamy peanut butter together until smooth.

Add the 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and the packed light brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Mix in the room-temperature egg, milk, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.

Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually blend the dry ingredients into the wet peanut butter mixture until just combined.

Pour some extra granulated sugar into a small bowl. Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls, roll them between your hands to make them round, and then drop them into the sugar, rolling to coat completely.

Place the coated dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies look puffy and slightly golden on the bottom edges.

Immediately upon removing the pan from the oven, gently press an unwrapped chocolate kiss directly into the center of each hot cookie. The edges will crackle.

Let the cookies sit on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully moving them to a wire rack. Allow them to cool completely undisturbed until the chocolate sets.