I made Reese Peanut Butter Cupcakes featuring a pillowy chocolate cupcake crowned with super creamy peanut butter buttercream and a hidden mini Reese’s cup.
I always chase that perfect peanut butter combo, and these Reese Peanut Butter Cupcakes had me at hello. The cupcakes are soft and fluffy, their tender crumb thanks to all purpose flour, while the swirl of creamy peanut butter frosting totally steals the show.
I call it my Reeses Frosting secret even though it gets messy and I always eat one too soon. People say they’re too rich, but most times they vanish before I can argue.
My little mistakes make them oddly better, and honestly I made way too many the first time. You’ll want to taste one immediately.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: Mostly carbs, gives structure and chew, little fiber, not very nutrient dense.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Adds chocolate bitterness, some antioxidants, low sugar, small fiber and minerals.
- Large egg: Protein rich, adds moisture and lift, provides fats and important vitamins.
- Creamy peanut butter: High in protein and healthy fats, calorie dense, salty sweet flavor, very filling.
- Unsalted butter: Gives richness and tenderness, mostly saturated fat, few nutrients, makes cupcakes decadent.
- Powdered sugar: Pure sweetness, mostly simple carbs, raises blood sugar quick, smooth creamy frosting texture.
- Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: Sweet and salty candy, adds chocolate and peanut flavor, lots of sugar and fat.
- Hot brewed coffee or water: Coffee enhances chocolate flavor without extra calories, adds depth, no sugar unless added.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 large egg room temp
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk room temp
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot brewed coffee or hot water
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (250 g) creamy peanut butter
- 3 to 4 cups (360 to 480 g) powdered sugar sifted
- 2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 60 ml) heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine salt
- 12 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- 2 ounces (55 g) semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips optional for drizzle
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and make sure your egg and buttermilk are at room temp so they mix better.
2. Whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a large bowl.
3. In another bowl whisk 1 large room temp egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla until combined. Add the wet to the dry and stir until just combined, dont overmix.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup hot brewed coffee or hot water until batter is smooth and slightly thin; hot liquid blooms the cocoa and deepens the chocolate flavor.
5. Divide batter among liners about two thirds full, bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Dont try to frost warm cupcakes.
6. Make the peanut butter buttercream: beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup creamy peanut butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add 3 to 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, then add 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of fine salt. Beat until smooth and pipeable, adjust sugar or cream to get the right stiffness.
7. If frosting is too soft pop it in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes, if too stiff add a splash more cream. Pipe or spread the buttercream on completely cooled cupcakes.
8. Press one mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup into the top of each frosted cupcake (use all 12).
9. Optional finish: melt 2 ounces semisweet chocolate or chips in 15 to 20 second microwave bursts stirring between, or use a double boiler, then drizzle over cupcakes. Sprinkle flaky sea salt if you like a sweet-salty pop.
10. Storage tips: keep at room temp for 1 day in an airtight container, refrigerate up to 4 days (bring to room temp before serving), and always taste the batter or frosting and tweak salt or sweetness if needed.
Equipment Needed
1. 12-cup muffin tin and paper liners (or silicone cups)
2. 2 mixing bowls (one large for dry, one medium for wet)
3. Whisk and a rubber/silicone spatula for folding batter
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a strong arm and wooden spoon if you dont have one)
5. Measuring cups and spoons plus a liquid measuring cup (kitchen scale is handy but optional)
6. Heatproof measuring cup or small saucepan for hot coffee/water and for melting chocolate
7. Wire cooling rack to cool cupcakes before frosting
8. Piping bag with a round tip or an offset spatula for spreading the buttercream
9. Small bowl and spoon for mixing chocolate drizzle and flaky sea salt for finishing (optional)
FAQ
Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour
- Cake flour — swap 1:1 for a softer, lighter crumb, but sift it first cause it’s airy and batter may be thinner.
- Whole wheat pastry flour — swap 1:1 for a nuttier, denser cake, you might need a tablespoon more liquid.
- Gluten free 1:1 blend (with xanthan gum) — use cup for cup, expect a slightly different texture but similar rise.
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar — use 1:1, adds moisture and a caramel note, press it in to measure.
- Coconut sugar — use 1:1, milder sweetness and caramel flavor, color will be a bit darker.
- Honey or maple syrup — use about 3/4 cup syrup for 1 cup sugar, reduce other liquids by ~2 tablespoons and keep an eye on browning.
- Buttermilk
- Milk + vinegar or lemon — for 1/2 cup buttermilk stir 1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon into 1/2 cup milk, let sit 5 minutes.
- Plain yogurt thinned — whisk 1/2 cup plain yogurt with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water until pourable, use 1:1.
- Kefir — swap 1:1, similar tang and consistency.
- Creamy peanut butter
- Natural peanut butter — swap 1:1, might be looser so add a bit more powdered sugar if frosting gets thin.
- Crunchy peanut butter — swap 1:1 for extra texture, chop big chunks if you want more bite.
- Sunflower seed butter — swap 1:1 for a nut free option, flavor and color will change but works the same in frosting.
Pro Tips
1) If you need room temp eggs or buttermilk fast, stick the cold eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 5 to 10 minutes, and put the buttermilk jar in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. Saves time and your batter mixes way smoother.
2) For a silky, non-grainy peanut butter frosting, really cream the butter and peanut butter first, then add sifted powdered sugar slowly, and only add the cream a little at a time till you get pipeable stiffness. If it gets too soft pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes then re-whip, if it gets too stiff add a splash more cream. A tiny pinch of salt brings the peanut flavor forward, dont skip it.
3) Want deeper chocolate without changing the recipe, stir in a teaspoon of instant espresso powder with the hot liquid, it makes the cocoa pop without tasting like coffee. Also chop your chocolate small and microwave in 15 second bursts stirring between, overheat it and it seizes, so stop when there are still a few soft bits and stir them out.
4) For cleaner decorating, give the cupcakes a thin crumb coat of frosting and chill them briefly before final piping, crumbs wont ruin the look. If you need long storage, freeze unfrosted cupcakes wrapped tightly, thaw at room temp, then fill and frost for freshest texture.
Reese's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes Recipe
I made Reese Peanut Butter Cupcakes featuring a pillowy chocolate cupcake crowned with super creamy peanut butter buttercream and a hidden mini Reese's cup.
12
servings
773
kcal
Equipment: 1. 12-cup muffin tin and paper liners (or silicone cups)
2. 2 mixing bowls (one large for dry, one medium for wet)
3. Whisk and a rubber/silicone spatula for folding batter
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a strong arm and wooden spoon if you dont have one)
5. Measuring cups and spoons plus a liquid measuring cup (kitchen scale is handy but optional)
6. Heatproof measuring cup or small saucepan for hot coffee/water and for melting chocolate
7. Wire cooling rack to cool cupcakes before frosting
8. Piping bag with a round tip or an offset spatula for spreading the buttercream
9. Small bowl and spoon for mixing chocolate drizzle and flaky sea salt for finishing (optional)
Ingredients
-
1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour
-
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
-
1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
-
1 teaspoon baking powder
-
1 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
-
1 large egg room temp
-
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk room temp
-
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1/2 cup (120 ml) hot brewed coffee or hot water
-
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter softened
-
1 cup (250 g) creamy peanut butter
-
3 to 4 cups (360 to 480 g) powdered sugar sifted
-
2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 60 ml) heavy cream or milk
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
Pinch of fine salt
-
12 mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
-
2 ounces (55 g) semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips optional for drizzle
-
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and make sure your egg and buttermilk are at room temp so they mix better.
- Whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a large bowl.
- In another bowl whisk 1 large room temp egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon vanilla until combined. Add the wet to the dry and stir until just combined, dont overmix.
- Stir in 1/2 cup hot brewed coffee or hot water until batter is smooth and slightly thin; hot liquid blooms the cocoa and deepens the chocolate flavor.
- Divide batter among liners about two thirds full, bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Dont try to frost warm cupcakes.
- Make the peanut butter buttercream: beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup creamy peanut butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add 3 to 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, then add 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of fine salt. Beat until smooth and pipeable, adjust sugar or cream to get the right stiffness.
- If frosting is too soft pop it in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes, if too stiff add a splash more cream. Pipe or spread the buttercream on completely cooled cupcakes.
- Press one mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cup into the top of each frosted cupcake (use all 12).
- Optional finish: melt 2 ounces semisweet chocolate or chips in 15 to 20 second microwave bursts stirring between, or use a double boiler, then drizzle over cupcakes. Sprinkle flaky sea salt if you like a sweet-salty pop.
- Storage tips: keep at room temp for 1 day in an airtight container, refrigerate up to 4 days (bring to room temp before serving), and always taste the batter or frosting and tweak salt or sweetness if needed.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 115g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 773kcal
- Fat: 41.5g
- Saturated Fat: 14.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.13g
- Polyunsaturated: 4.2g
- Monounsaturated: 18.3g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
- Sodium: 346mg
- Potassium: 182mg
- Carbohydrates: 74.3g
- Fiber: 3.1g
- Sugar: 60.3g
- Protein: 8.8g
- Vitamin A: 300IU
- Vitamin C: 0.5mg
- Calcium: 30mg
- Iron: 1mg
