The ultimate in muffin decadence: Peanut butter filled chocolate muffins. These simple, double-chocolate muffins are studded with semisweet chocolate chips and filled with a surprise peanut butter cheesecake filling. Can you think of a better way to start the day?
I originally published this recipe last year, photos have been updated.
Is it a muffin, or is it a cupcake?
I wrestled with this question for far too long, particularly while photographing these rich, chocolate beauties with their peanut butter surprises peeking out from soft edges and from beneath still-molten chocolate chips.
They’re sweet, they’re chocolaty, and I definitely would not be disappointed to be offered one of these to satiate my sweet tooth after a meal. Signs started to lean toward cupcake, and even my family members referred to them as such.
But ultimately, I decided that what really makes a cupcake a cupcake (at least in my head) is a sweet, sugary crowning of frosting. Meticulously swirled or carelessly slabbed on top with an ill-wielded butter knife or icing spatula, it’s frosting that makes a cupcake a cupcake, and these have none.
So, muffins they are. I’ll admit, though, it’s kind of a cheat, because while there’s no frosting on top of these peanut butter filled chocolate muffins, there’s something of a frosting inside.
Maybe you can already tell by the bright spots and tiger stripes swirled on their surfaces (I’m afraid these muffins aren’t very good at keeping secrets), but that soft chocolaty crumb gives way to a creamy peanut butter cheesecake filling.
Let’s try to keep that between us, though, because if you call these peanut butter filled chocolate muffins, it’s far more acceptable to devour one or two for breakfast.
There are two parts to this recipe — the peanut butter filling and the chocolate batter. Both are equally easy, but you’ll prepare the 5-ingredient filling first, and try to hold back from eating all of it before the muffin batter is ready.
When portioning my muffin batter, I like to use an ice cream scoop just enough to cover the muffin cup about ⅓ of the way full, and then use a 1 ½ Tbsp-sized cookie scoop (this one is mine, affiliate) to drop in the filling, top it all off with another scoop from my ice cream scoop, and then use a spoon to smooth the batter over the filling.
You can use a toothpick to swirl the peanut butter and chocolate together, if you like that look.
These peanut butter filled chocolate muffins remind me a bit of Reese’s cups for obvious reasons, but with a much softer, fluffier chocolate “shell”, and a slightly more breakfast-appropriate feel.
While the cheesecake filling keeps these muffin tops for rising quite as proudly as some of my other muffin recipes, most of them ended up much rounder than I expected, and any deflation is a small price to pay for the peanut butter surprise inside.
Enjoy!
And I hope you’re not tired of chocolate because I just realized that every recipe I have prepared for this week is… chocolate.
Whoops.
Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup peanut butter (145g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ½ tsp vanilla
Muffins
- ½ cup canola oil vegetable oil would also work
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ½ cup milk
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup sour cream (150g)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- ½ cup cocoa powder (50g)
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners (or lightly grease and flour).
- Prepare Peanut Butter Filling first by microwaving cream cheese and peanut butter at 10 second intervals until it is easily stirred and combine.
- Stir in granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In large bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, and milk. Stir in eggs and vanilla until well-combined.
- Gently fold in sour cream until just-combined.
- In separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Fold flour mixture gently into wet mixture, folding until just barely combined. Stir in 1 ½ cup chocolate chips.
- Scoop chocolate muffin batter into prepared muffin tin, filling only ½ full.
- Scoop heaping spoonfuls (I used a heaping 1 ½" cookie dough scoop) peanut butter mixture on top of the chocolate batter, then cover with a layer of chocolate batter so that muffin cup is filled ⅔ TO ¾ of the way full.
- Repeat until all batter has been dispersed.
- Sprinkle tops of muffins with remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake on 350F for 22-25 minutes (toothpick inserted in center should come out mostly clean, with a few crumbs.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase anything through these links I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please view the disclosure policy for more information.
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Original photo:
Originally published 8/21/15 — photos & text updated 1/30/17
Nia
Has anyone made this into a cake? I’m thinking of trying a bunny cake with the filling. I have made the muffins and everyone loved them.
Nia
Bundt
Mia
Light and delicious, my family devoured them. I was able to make 24 muffins and substituted the choc chips for peanut butter chips. Can’t wait to make them for my staff. Cream cheese blueberry will be next
Danielle
Hi Sam!
I stumbled across your blog yesterday, and when I saw this recipe, I just HAD to give them a try! I’m happy to report that they turned out beautifully! They look very much like what you’d get at a bakery, and they’re so moist and soft! And of course, the peanut butter center is a pleasant surprise. ^_^ Thank you!! I’ll definitely be making these again, and I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. Take care 🙂
Danielle
Sam
I’m so glad to hear they were such a hit! Thank you for commenting, Danielle! <3
Sunshine baker
These were ok, but I was a bit disappointed that the peanut butter flavor wasn’t more present. The kids loved them though. Maybe next time I would do half chocolate chips and half peanut butter chips to boost the peanut butter flavor. The recipe made 24 muffins with the he yellow scoop and they baked for about 20 min.
Joy
Fantastic recipe!!! My family loved these muffins & I plan to make them again soon. When putting batter in the muffin tins, I somehow ended up with a few extra spoonfuls of peanut butter batter. So, I baked it without the chocolate batter-yum!
Sam
So glad to hear that you enjoyed! Thanks for coming back and letting me know how they turned out, Joy!! 🙂
Kathy
Thanks for the recipe! Made these tonight for a picnic dessert! They turned out wonderful and are so delicious! I will be trying more of your recipes! The recipe was easy to follow!
Nia
I made these yesterday. Everyone loved them. This recipe is perfect as is. I would definitely make them again. Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad you loved them, Nia! Thank you for commenting to let me know how they turned out! 🙂
Jess @ Sweetest Menu
These look AMAZING Sam! Chocolate and peanut butter are my weakness so these muffins are everything! Pinning!
Sam
Thank you so much, Jess!! 🙂
Ellen
I am fairly new to your awesome blog, so these are new to me. I love peanut butter and chocolate, that makes this recipe a must make! Just one little question- I would like to use less chocolate chips in the batter and wonder how much less could I add without causing a problem? Thank-you and love your recipes! P.S. I think the updated photos do make them look even more tempting!
Sam
Hi Ellen! You can use as few chocolate chips as you would like, it shouldn’t cause a problem at all (though making them slightly less chocolaty may be considered a small problem 😉 )
You could easily get away with 1 cup of chocolate chips or even none at all, it won’t affect the overall muffin.
I’m so glad you are enjoying the blog, and I hope you love the muffins!! 🙂
Jackie
I made these for my grandchildren last week and they were a hit!! Now they are asking me to make the double chocolate muffins but put marshmallow cream in the middle instead of peanut butter. ??. Do you think that would work? And would I still use the egg in the filling??
Sam
Jackie I’m so glad to hear that you & your grandchildren enjoyed the muffins! As for the marshmallow cream, I’m not entirely sure how that would work, unfortunately. Marshmallow can be funny to bake with and can harden, it might be better to add it after the muffins are baked (like perhaps cut a small hole in the top down to the center and pipe the filling in). I’m sorry I’m not more certain about how it would work to bake with the marshmallow cream!
Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat
I made these muffins the other day and they were absolutely delicious! I don’t normally like peanut butter but even I liked them in these muffins. I sent them in with my fiance to work and everyone was very pleased. Awesome post!
Sam
That’s awesome, Shelby!!! I’m glad you and your fiancé (and his coworkers!) liked them, thank you so much for letting me know how they turned out 🙂
Beeta @ Mon Petit Four
WOW!! These look so incredible, Sam!! I am such a peanut butter fan, and the fact that you’ve got this little hidden surprise of PB in this deliciously fluffy, moist chocolate muffin is perfection. No one will be missing any frosting with these beauties <3
Sam
Thanks so much, Beeta! I thought they were perfect without frosting, too! 🙂
Mira
Love chocolate and peanut butter and these muffins look gorgeous! Pinning!
Sam
Thanks so much, Mira! 🙂
Mir
Oh, my good lord. I love anything stuffed with PB. These muffins are probably my holy grail of muffinhood. Amazing, Sam!
Sam
Haha, thank you, Mir! I’m glad you like them!
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen
OH YUMM! These look incredibly delish, Sam. Chocolate muffins with peanut butter sounds like best combination ever! YUM!
Sam
Thanks so much, Anu!