Description
These Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins combine rich cocoa and creamy peanut butter swirls for a decadent bakery-style treat. Moist and fluffy with a perfect balance of chocolate and peanut butter flavors, these muffins are ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (84g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cup (300g) granulated sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cup (360ml) buttermilk
- 1/2 cup (118ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Additional
- 2/3 cup (167g) creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir these together evenly and set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate, larger mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until all ingredients are incorporated. The batter will be thick, so avoid overmixing.
- Rest the batter and preheat oven: Cover the bowl with a towel and let the batter rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
- Prepare muffin pan: Line a 12-count muffin pan with liners in every other cup—this means you will fill only 6 muffin wells to create bakery-style muffins. Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into each lined muffin cup.
- Add peanut butter swirl: Microwave the peanut butter until melted and soft. Drop about 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter into each muffin cup on top of the batter. Use a toothpick to carefully swirl the peanut butter into the batter. Then, add an additional 4 to 6 tablespoons of batter over the peanut butter, covering it completely. Top each muffin with another 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter and swirl again with a toothpick.
- Bake muffins: Place the muffin pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF (220ºC). After 7 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF (180ºC) and continue baking for another 12 to 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.
- Cool and repeat: Allow the muffins to cool in the pan. Repeat the baking process with the remaining batter, starting the oven again at 425ºF (220ºC) and adjusting as described.
Notes
- Using the muffin liners in every other cup allows for higher, bakery-style muffins with better rise and shape.
- Resting the batter helps improve the texture and moisture of the muffins.
- Adjust baking times slightly based on your oven’s calibration and your preference for muffin moistness.
- For an extra peanut butter flavor, feel free to add chopped peanuts on top before baking.
- Allow muffins to cool fully to set the peanut butter swirl nicely.
