Sink your teeth into the ultimate treat: Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes. These little delights are pure decadence, featuring a rich, moist chocolate base, a hidden pocket of creamy peanut butter, and a burst of flavor with every single bite. Whether you’re a chocolate devotee or absolutely nuts for peanut butter, these cupcakes blend the best of both worlds—and that luscious, gooey center is an irresistible surprise every time. If you’re looking for a dessert that stuns at birthdays, potlucks, or any reason to celebrate, you’ve found an absolute showstopper.

Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll be amazed at how a handful of pantry staples come together to make Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes so extraordinary! Every ingredient here does its part to build moistness, flavor, and that signature gooey bite, so don’t skip or substitute if you want maximum deliciousness.

All-purpose flour: Provides structure and a soft crumb for a classic cupcake texture.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Gives that deeply fudgy, dark chocolate flavor every cupcake deserves.
Baking soda: Ensures the cupcakes rise to perfection without being too dense.
Salt: Just a pinch brings out the sweetness and enhances all those chocolatey notes.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens and keeps the cupcakes moist.
Light brown sugar (packed): Adds a lovely hint of caramel and extra gooeyness.
Vegetable oil: Makes for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb.
Large eggs: Bind everything together and add richness.
Sour cream: The secret to ultra-moist cupcakes with a delicious tang.
Milk: Loosens up the batter for an even, smooth texture.
Vanilla extract: Brings warm, cozy sweetness to the whole batch.
Mini peanut butter cups (unwrapped): The candy surprise at the heart of each cupcake—don’t skimp!
Creamy peanut butter: The gooey, nutty core that makes these cupcakes next-level.
Powdered sugar: Lightly sweetens and thickens the peanut butter center.
Heavy cream (for ganache topping): Ensures your ganache is luxuriously smooth and shiny.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips (for ganache): Melts into a dreamy chocolate glaze—optional, but highly recommended!

How to Make Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Step 1: Get Ready to Bake

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. This little act of preparation ensures your Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes will pop out perfectly—no sticking, no crumbling, just pure cakey delight.

Step 2: Make That Gooey Peanut Butter Center

In a small bowl, stir together the creamy peanut butter and powdered sugar until you’ve got a smooth, thick mixture. Roll it into 12 evenly sized balls—the perfect gooey core for each cupcake! Pop them in the freezer for about 10–15 minutes while you whip up the batter. This quick chill keeps the centers extra creamy and fudgy even after baking.

Step 3: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, combine the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Whisking them together first means your cupcakes will rise evenly and you’ll avoid pesky lumps of cocoa or flour.

Step 4: Mix the Wet Ingredients

Grab another bowl for your wet ingredients—oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and creamy. These wet elements are what give the Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes their signature tender crumb and incredible flavor.

Step 5: Bring It All Together

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with your dry ingredients. Gently stir until everything is just combined. Don’t overmix; a light hand means your cupcakes will bake up nice and fluffy.

Step 6: Fill and Flavor

Place a tablespoon of batter into each cupcake liner. Set one frozen peanut butter ball and one mini peanut butter cup right in the center—think of it as your delicious little secret! Cover with the remaining batter until each cup is about three-quarters full.

Step 7: Bake to Gooey Perfection

Slide your pan into the oven and bake for 18–22 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the tops are set and a toothpick inserted at the edge (avoid the gooey center!) comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. That oozy, molten center will thank you.

Step 8: Ganache Glory (Optional but Encouraged!)

If you’re going for chocolate-on-chocolate perfection, gently heat heavy cream until it’s just about to simmer. Pour it over your chocolate chips and let it sit for a minute, then stir until smooth and glossy. Spoon or drizzle the ganache over cooled cupcakes and wait for oohs and aahs.

How to Serve Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Garnishes

A swirl of chocolate ganache on top is classic, but you can also sprinkle chopped peanuts, chocolate shavings, or a light dusting of powdered sugar for a bakery-style finish. For a playful touch, perch a mini peanut butter cup or a drizzle of extra melted peanut butter atop each cupcake!

Side Dishes

Pair these rich cupcakes with a scoop of vanilla or peanut butter ice cream, a mug of hot coffee, or even fresh fruit for a pop of brightness. They’re also lovely with a tall glass of cold milk—because sometimes simple is best.

Creative Ways to Present

Serve Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes on a tiered stand at birthday parties or arrange them in pretty boxes as edible gifts. For extra fun, bake them in colorful liners, or set up a topping bar with sprinkles, chopped candies, and nuts so everyone can customize their cupcake masterpiece.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store any leftover Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They’ll stay incredibly moist, thanks to that peanut butter core. For longer freshness, refrigerate them, especially if your kitchen runs warm.

Freezing

Want to save a batch for later? Arrange the cupcakes in a single layer in a freezer-safe container or wrap them individually in plastic wrap. They’ll freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter when you’re ready for another indulgent treat.

Reheating

For the ultimate gooey experience, warm a cupcake in the microwave for about 10–15 seconds before serving. That gooey peanut butter center will be melty and divine, just like they were fresh from the oven!

FAQs

Can I make Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes without the ganache?

Absolutely! The cupcakes are plenty decadent on their own, with that gooey center and peanut butter cup surprise. If you like, try topping them with a simple peanut butter frosting instead, or enjoy them plain for maximum chocolate-peanut butter flavor.

What if I don’t have mini peanut butter cups?

No problem! You can chop up regular-size peanut butter cups or swirl in extra peanut butter if needed. The key is to keep that irresistible combo of chocolate and peanut butter front and center.

Can I substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream?

Yes, plain Greek yogurt works wonderfully in place of sour cream. It keeps the cupcakes just as moist and tender, and adds a bonus boost of protein.

How do I keep the peanut butter center gooey?

The trick is freezing the peanut butter balls before adding them to the batter. This way, they don’t fully bake through, which preserves their gooey magic even after the cupcakes have cooled.

Can I make Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes gluten-free?

Definitely! Just use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of regular flour. The rest of the recipe stays the same, so everyone can enjoy that gooey, fudgy goodness.

Final Thoughts

Go ahead—treat yourself and your loved ones to a batch of Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes! Every bite is a delightful surprise of rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter. I promise, once you’ve tasted these, you’ll want to make them for every special occasion (or just because you deserve a little gooey indulgence).

Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Recipe

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4.7 from 5 reviews

Author: admin
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Indulge in the decadent combination of rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter with these Gooey Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes. These moist cupcakes are filled with a delightful surprise of gooey peanut butter and topped with a luscious chocolate ganache.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cupcakes:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 mini peanut butter cups (unwrapped)

For the gooey peanut butter center:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

For the chocolate ganache topping (optional):

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

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Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Prepare peanut butter center: In a small bowl, stir together peanut butter and powdered sugar, roll into 12 small balls, freeze for 10–15 minutes.
Mix batter: In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk wet ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
Fill cupcake liners: Spoon batter into liners, place a peanut butter ball and mini peanut butter cup in each, cover with more batter.
Bake: Bake for 18–22 minutes until set. Let cool.
Make ganache: Heat cream, pour over chocolate, stir until smooth. Drizzle over cupcakes.