Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are the ultimate dessert for any chocolate peanut butter lover. Moist chocolate cupcakes, creamy peanut butter buttercream, rich chocolate ganache drizzle, and Reese’s peanut butter cups come together for the perfect sweet-and-salty bite.
“Don’t stop believin’” in the magic of chocolate and peanut butter. These cupcakes are a delicious reminder that when two classics come together, the result is pure magic!
Made with moist and fudgy chocolate cupcakes, creamy peanut butter buttercream frosting, rich chocolate ganache drizzle, and peanut butter cups, these cupcakes are as timeless as your favorite 80s love ballad.
Crank up the radio and grab your whisk—because these chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are the sweetest encore you’ll ever taste.
If chocolate and peanut butter are your favorite couple, check out my chocolate peanut butter cake, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and mini chocolate peanut butter cheesecakes.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Step 1: Make the cupcake batter. Combine the chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and boiling water. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Pour in the chocolate mixture and mix to combine. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Step 2: Bake the cupcakes. Portion the cupcake batter into cupcake liners and bake the cupcakes.
Step 3: Make the frosting. Whip the butter. Add in the powdered sugar, peanut butter, vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream. Mix the frosting until it is smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Make the chocolate ganache. Heat the chocolate chips and heavy cream and stir until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth.
Step 5: Assemble the cupcakes. Pipe a swirl of the peanut butter buttercream onto the cupcakes. Drizzle the cupcakes with chocolate ganache and decorate with a Reese’s peanut butter cup.
Courtney’s Expert Cupcake Baking Tips
- Use dark cocoa powder or dutch-process cocoa powder for the deepest and richest chocolate flavor. The acidity in the cocoa also helps to active the baking soda in the cupcake batter.
- The chocolate cupcake batter is thin, so use a liquid measuring cup to easily and neatly fill the cupcake liners.
- Cool the chocolate ganache before drizzling it onto the cupcakes so the buttercream does not melt. Cooled ganache will also pipe more easily rather than running down the cupcakes.
- Chill the peanut butter cups in the refrigerator for a few minutes before cutting in half to create clean cuts. Chilling the peanut butter cups can also help prevent fingerprints in the chocolate when you are decorating the cupcakes.
- Check out my posts on tips for making the best cupcakes, best buttercream frosting, and my favorite cupcake baking supplies for even more helpful tips and tricks.
Frequently Asked Questions
To remove air bubbles and make the frosting smooth and creamy, melt ½ cup of the frosting in the microwave for 15 seconds. Pour the melted frosting back into the buttercream and mix on low speed for a few minutes.
I haven’t tested this recipe as a cake, but I have an easy and delicious chocolate peanut butter cake recipe you should definitely check out! It uses the same peanut butter frosting, chocolate ganache, and peanut butter cups as these cupcakes with a moist chocolate cake. The measurements are specifically formulated for a layer cake.
The chocolate cupcake batter is very thin in this recipe. The best, easiest, and cleanest way I have found to portion the cupcake batter is to use a liquid measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners about ¾ full. If the batter looks uneven, use a teaspoon to move some of the batter around to get even cupcakes.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- ¼ cup (45 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (22 g) dark cocoa powder or dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (180 ml) boiling water
- ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) baking soda
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 (2) large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ¾ cup (195 g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
Chocolate Ganache
- ¼ cup (45 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream
Additional Ingredients
- 6 (6) Reese's peanut butter cups (halved)
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the semisweet chocolate chips, dark cocoa/dutch-process cocoa powder, and boiling water until the chocolate chips are melted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until well combined. Add in the vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, and whisk until the cupcake batter is well combined and smooth (the batter will be thin).
- Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling about ¾ full. Use a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a spout to easily fill the liners.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when gently touched. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy. Add in the creamy peanut butter and mix until combined.
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined.
- Add in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix for several minutes to smooth out the buttercream.
Chocolate Ganache
- Combine the semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the peanut butter buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cooled chocolate cupcakes.
- Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to drizzle the chocolate ganache onto the frosted cupcakes and add half of a Reese's cup to each cupcake.
Notes
- Room temperature: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Nutrition
Made This Recipe?
Please leave a comment with a star rating to let me know how you enjoyed the recipe!
About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
Can I make the cupcakes into a birthday cake x❤️
Hi Patricia! I recommend checking out my recipe for chocolate peanut butter cake for the best measurements for a cake! https://cakemehometonight.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-cake/
These are the best cupcakes, even when you don’t let the buttercream warm up to room temp.. soooo good 100% recommend. Directions are easy to follow. All of your cupcakes are delicious 😋
Hi Rachel! So glad you love this recipe!! Thanks so much for the positive review!
Looks like there’s peanut butter drizzle, is that just peanut butter or is some added? Not sure peanut butter by itself would harden.
Hi Tiffany! For these cupcakes, I made a chocolate ganache drizzle. If you would like to do a peanut butter drizzle, I recommend melting a few tablespoons of peanut butter and adding a tiny bit of coconut oil.
Hi your cupcakes look amazing ,want to know is the does the peanut butter frosting stable in on hot weather?
Hi there! Thank you! Any buttercream frosting that has butter can and will melt in hot temperatures (unfortunately).
I made this recipe for work and everyone absolutely loved it. I was told next use a whole Reese’s cup, which made me laugh. It made 12 regular sized cupcakes. I will make them again in the future. Thanks!
Thanks for making the recipe, Jen! So glad everyone at worked loved the cupcakes! I’m all about adding a whole Reese’s cup! Love that!
Tried this recipe 4 times and the buttercream is amazing. The cupcake flavor is wonderful but each time I follow the directions exact and my cupcakes come out with so many holes It looks like craters or something lol. And I usually end up with 10 instead 12. What could I be doing wrong?
Hi there! Thanks for trying the recipe. I’m not sure why there would be holes in the cupcakes. It is a very thin batter, so air pockets are less likely to form than a thick cupcake batter. Unfortunately, I also don’t know why the recipe is only making ten cupcakes for you. The liners should be about 2/3 to 3/4 full and have plenty of batter for 12 liners. Unless the liners you are using are larger than a standard cupcake liner. My apologies that I don’t have clear answers to these questions! 🙂