Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

You'll feel like a kid again when you bite into one of these Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes. The peanut butter cupcakes have a strawberry jelly filling, peanut butter frosting, and a dollop of jelly on top!

(This recipe for Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes was originally published in March 2010, but was updated with new photos 2019).

When I say I've been wanting to make these peanut butter and jelly cupcakes forever, I mean forever. Or for at least as long as Martha Stewart has had them on her website. And when my mom gave me Martha's cupcake book and they were in there, I immediately marked the page to remind myself to make them. So, finally I just did it. It was 100% worth it and I think it's safe to say these were well worth the wait. They're the stuff peanut butter lovers dream of.

I made these for a dinner at home with my sister and her husband. For someone who is an absolute cupcake fanatic, it's been quite a while since I made cupcakes and I actually got sad realizing I couldn't remember the last time I baked cupcakes. Now that these are in my life, I feel like my cupcakes mojo has returned!

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY CUPCAKES RECIPE

I switched up the recipe from Martha a bit, including adding more jelly! The little dollop on top is nice, but when I hear "peanut butter and jelly cupcakes," I want more jelly (and that's coming from someone who isn't a "slather the jelly on" kind of girl), so I also cored out the cupcakes and plopped a little spoonful into the middle. Kind of like a jelly donut, but in cupcake form.

The original recipe suggested using natural peanut butter for the cupcakes and said not to use natural for the frosting. But I used "not-natural" for both and wouldn't have had it any other way. I admit that most of the peanut butter we eat in my house is "not natural" and I'm OK with that.

Start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Then reduce the speed to low and mix in peanut butter.

Add eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Mix in vanilla. Then gradually add in flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add in sour cream.

Divide batter evenly among muffin tin with liners, filling them about ¾ of the way. Bake for about 19-22 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool for a few minute in the pan before moving to wire racks to cool completely.

There's nothing like baking with peanut butter because it makes the kitchen smell soooo good.

Once your cupcakes are cooled, core out a little hole in the middle. Just enough for a little jelly! I didn't want to overwhelm with filling, so I just added ½ tsp, but if you like a little more jelly, feel free to add up to a tsp! Here's an affiliate link to my favorite cupcake corer, which makes this process SO easy.

Now make the frosting. Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar together on medium-speed, until light and fluffy. Add salt and peanut butter and beat to combine. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Basically you're making whipped cream. Fold cream into peanut butter mixture. You can use the frosting right away or refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days.

Frost the cupcakes! And leave a little well in the middle of the frosting for some strawberry jelly. .

I just want to let you know, if you're a fan of peanut butter and jelly, you really absolutely need to make these cupcakes. Or if you hate jelly, make them anyway and cover the whole cupcake with peanut butter frosting. OR add a dollop of fluff instead of jelly! OK, I might be making peanut butter and fluff cupcakes next!

These cupcake are deliciously moist and perfectly sweet. I guess they would have been a bit less sweet if I had used natural peanut butter, but I obviously had no problem with the sweetness. We're over here eating cupcakes, people!

The frosting? It's to die for. It's basically like eating peanut butter right out of the jar. But peanut butter that is so much richer and full-flavored than anything you've ever had before. I mean, peanut butter with cream cheese and whipped cream mixed in? Who would ever do such a thing? YOU should. Trust me.

While I made these cupcakes for four full-grown adults, I also think kids would go crazy for these! They would make a fun birthday party treat for any kid who's crazy about peanut butter. They brought back happy feelings of childhood for me!

I wish a peanut butter and jelly cupcake was an acceptable substitute for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because then I wouldn't feel so guilty about eating one for lunch every day. Maybe if I used whole wheat flour instead of white?

We legitimately ate a plate full of buffalo chicken dip and then had a cupcake later that evening. And some vodka sodas throughout the day. It felt like the Super Bowl or something. But it was just a normal Sunday afternoon. Now that my sister and Adam live right down the street from me, I have a feeling these Sundays are going to happen more and more often. And I'm perfectly OK with that.

Especially if it means more peanut butter and jelly cupcakes.

What kinds of cupcakes bring back memories of childhood for you?

If you love these peanut butter and jelly cupcakes, you need to try these Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies or these XL Peanut Butter Cookies with Sprinkles. I can't wait to try these Peanut Butter and Jelly Toaster Pastries from Desserts with Benefits!