These fluffy Peanut Butter Muffins are soft, moist, and loaded with peanut butter flavor. It’s a quick and easy muffin recipe you can whip together and enjoy as a healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox.
Recipe Highlights:
- Fast, easy, approachable muffin recipe for peanut butter lovers!
- Makes a great grab-and-go breakfast, after-school snack, or healthy dessert.
- Customize the flavor based on difference ingredient additions like chocolate chips or jam!
If you love peanut butter recipes, check out Peanut Butter Granola, Homemade Peanut Butter Cups, and Peanut Butter Oat Bars.
Ingredient Notes:
This peanut butter muffin recipe is made with simple ingredients and you might already have everything you need on hand:
- white whole wheat flour – the light texture of whole wheat white flour really works here while still adding some whole grains. You could also try half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour.
- baking soda + baking powder – we need both leavening agents to create lift. Make sure both are fresh and not expired.
- fine sea salt – to enhance that peanut butter flavor.
- ground cinnamon – adds a little spice that compliments the peanut butter.
- natural peanut butter – use your favorite smooth peanut butter with nothing added except ground peanuts. OR, try another type of nut butter like almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter for a nut-free muffin.
- maple syrup – pure maple syrup balances the dense, richness of peanut butter. Honey can also work, but the muffins will be darker.
- applesauce – unsweetened applesauce adds moisture and texture. You could also try mashed banana or plain Greek yogurt for extra protein.
- large egg – OR use a flaxseed egg. Both ways have been tested and both work great.
- vanilla extract – for that subtle sweet vanilla flavor.
- unsweetened cashew milk – I like cashew milk, but your favorite non-dairy milk will work, including unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk. Use soy milk, hemp milk, or oat milk for a nut-free recipe. I do not recommend protein milks here, as I haven’t tested it and it could affect the recipe.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
Which Peanut Butter to Use?
Muffins with peanut butter wouldn’t be complete without the main ingredient, peanut butter! The best peanut butter to use is natural unsalted peanut butter with just one ingredient – peanuts!
Natural peanut butter has a tendency to separate if not used for a while. Simply give it a good stir to mix in the oil back into the ground peanuts. You can even use one beater from an electric hand mixer and give it a quick blitz.
QUICK TIP: if you only have salted peanut butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Nothing makes me happier than a healthy peanut butter muffin recipe that comes together in a matter of minutes. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
1
Mix Dry Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or use parchment paper liners or silicone liners.
In a medium bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
2
Whisk Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk peanut butter and maple syrup until combined. Then add the applesauce, egg, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth.
3
make muffin batter
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir a few times, then add in milk and stir gently until just combined. Over-stirring or stirring too quickly will result in tough muffins, so go slow.
4
Bake
Divide batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the muffin cups about ⅔ full. Top with crushed peanuts or dark chocolate chunks.
Bake muffins for 15-20 minutes, until the top of the muffin is lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Ways to Add Flavors:
The base of this peanut butter muffins recipe is really simple. I did this so you can easily come up with your own flavors. Here are some suggestions:
- Chocolate Chips: toss in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (or even add some peanut butter chips) for that classic chocolate and peanut butter flavor.
- Jelly: swirl in 1/4 – 1/3 cup raspberry or blueberry jam and add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
- Almond Extract: add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to bring out the natural nutty flavor.
How to Store & Reheat
Peanut butter muffins are extra delicious and we want to enjoy every last bite. Here’s are my best storage and freezing tips:
Storage: Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days or one week in the fridge.
Freeze: Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap the cooled muffins individually in plastic wrap, then transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Transfer to the fridge to thaw overnight or thaw at room temperature.
Reheat: If you prefer warm muffins, warm through in a toaster oven for 5 minutes or pop one in the microwave for 5-10 seconds (20-40 seconds if frozen).
Recipe Tips
Here are some baking tips so you get the best peanut butter muffins:
- Use room temperature ingredients – allow the eggs and milk to come to room temperature for a cohesive batter.
- Warm the peanut butter – slightly warming the peanut butter for 5-10 seconds in the microwave helps it blend more easily. This is especially true if you peanut butter has separated.
- Avoid overmixing – overmixing leads to dense, tough muffins. Stir the peanut butter muffin batter together until just combined.
- Portion with an ice cream scoop – use a large ice cream scoop or cookie scoop for even sized muffins every time.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use chunky peanut butter?
Yes! Chunky peanut butter works great and will add a nice, fun texture to every bite.
Can I make these muffins gluten-free?
Absolutely! I believe a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend would work with similar results. My favorite brand is Bob’s Red Mill.
How can I make taller, domed muffins?
One special trick to achieve bakery-style muffins is to bake the muffins at a high temperature (425 degrees F) for 5 minutes, then drop the oven temperature down to 350 degrees F for the remaining baking time.
Is it better to use a muffin liner or cooking spray?
Muffin liners will create a soft, cakelike exterior texture whereas only using cooking spray will create a smooth, crisp muffin exterior.
If you make this Peanut Butter Muffins recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too.
Peanut Butter Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour, or sub half all-purpose flour, half whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter, nothing added
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large egg, can sub 1 flaxseed egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease 12-cup muffin pan or use silicone liners.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, powder, salt & cinnamon; set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together peanut butter and maple syrup, add applesauce, egg, vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
- Combine: Add dry ingredients to bowl of wet ingredients; stir a few times then add in milk and stir gently until just combined.
- Bake: Distribute batter into 12-cup muffin pan, filling about ⅔ full, topping with crushed peanuts if you’d like. Bake muffins for 15-20 minutes, until tops are lightly golden and inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Leave a Reply