Introduction

These peanut butter muffins are rich, moist, and full of flavor, perfect for breakfast or a satisfying snack. Adding chocolate chips gives them an indulgent touch, making them a favorite for both kids and adults alike.

The image shows a group of golden-brown chocolate chip muffins with a rough, cracked top surface sprinkled with coarse sugar crystals and large, dark chocolate chunks. Some muffins are whole, standing tall with visible white paper liners at their bases, while others are broken in half, revealing a soft, moist, light tan inside dotted with melted chocolate pieces. The muffins are placed directly on a white marbled surface with scattered chocolate chunks around them. The texture looks crumbly and tender with a slightly crispy top. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups (354ml) buttermilk
½ cup (118ml) vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (270g) creamy peanut butter (not natural)
2 cups (340g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a spoon to mix evenly, then set aside.
Step 2: In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and peanut butter until smooth and well combined.
Step 3: Gradually add the dry ingredients and 1 ½ cups of chocolate chips into the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. The batter will be very thick.
Step 4: Cover the bowl with a towel and let the batter rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
Step 5: For bakery-style muffins, line only 6 wells of a 12-count muffin pan with liners (every other well). Spoon 6-8 heaping tablespoons of batter into each liner. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining chocolate chips and sanding sugar.
Step 6: Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF (220ºC). Then reduce the temperature to 350ºF (175ºC) and continue baking for 16-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan. Repeat this process with the remaining batter, increasing the oven back to 425ºF for the initial bake.

Tips & Variations

Use creamy peanut butter to ensure a smooth batter and moist muffins. Natural peanut butter can be used but may affect texture.
For a nut-free version, omit the peanut butter and use sunflower seed butter or extra oil.
Try mixing in chopped nuts or replacing chocolate chips with butterscotch or white chocolate for different flavor profiles.
Resting the batter before baking helps improve texture and rise, so don’t skip that step.

Storage

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze muffins in a sealed bag or container for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm gently in a microwave for 15-20 seconds or in a 350ºF oven for 5-7 minutes.

How to Serve

A close-up of a muffin broken in half, showing its soft, light brown, crumbly inside with melted dark brown chocolate chips scattered throughout. The muffin top is rough and crunchy with chunky dark brown chocolate pieces and a few shiny white sugar crystals on top. The muffin is wrapped in a white paper liner that is slightly peeled back, resting on a white marbled textured surface with more muffins blurred in the background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use natural peanut butter instead of creamy?

Natural peanut butter can be used, but it may change the muffin’s texture and moisture level. Creamy peanut butter is recommended for the best results.

Why do I only fill half the muffin pan with liners?

Filling every other muffin well allows the muffins to spread evenly and rise taller, giving a bakery-style appearance with nicely shaped tops.

Peanut Butter Muffin Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 109 reviews

These Peanut Butter Muffins are rich, moist, and bursting with creamy peanut butter flavor combined with semi-sweet chocolate chips for an indulgent treat. Perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert, they feature a tender crumb and bakery-style texture, made easy with simple pantry ingredients and straightforward steps.

Author: Maya
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 bakery-style muffins (from 12-count pan using every other cup) 1x
Category: Baking
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 ½ cups (354ml) buttermilk
½ cup (118ml) vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (270g) creamy peanut butter (not natural)

Add-ins

2 cups (340g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Sanding sugar for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir well with a spoon until thoroughly combined, then set this dry mix aside.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and creamy peanut butter until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.
Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients and 1 ½ cups of the chocolate chips to the wet ingredients. Stir gently just until all ingredients are combined. The batter will be very thick and slightly lumpy—do not overmix.
Rest Batter and Preheat Oven: Cover the bowl with a towel and let the batter rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
Prepare Muffin Pan: For bakery-style muffins, line a 12-count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, filling every other muffin cup. Fill each liner with 6 to 8 heaping tablespoons of batter. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top of each muffin and lightly dust with sanding sugar to provide a sweet crunch.
Bake Muffins: Place one 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 (175ºC) and continue baking for another 16 to 19 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean when done.
Cool and Repeat: Allow the muffins to cool in the pan on a wire rack. Repeat the baking process with the remaining batter, increasing the temperature back to 425ºF at the start of each new batch for the initial short bake.

Notes

Using every other muffin cup for baking produces bakery-style tall, domed muffins with crisp edges.
Resting the batter for 15 minutes helps hydrate the flour and thicken the batter for a tender crumb.
If you prefer, you can omit chocolate chips for a pure peanut butter flavor or replace with chopped nuts.
Do not overmix the batter to keep muffins light and fluffy.
Muffins are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Ensure the peanut butter used is creamy and not natural to avoid oil separation in the batter.

Keywords: peanut butter muffins, chocolate chip muffins, bakery style muffins, easy breakfast recipe, homemade muffins