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 ΒΎ 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 Β½ 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!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ΒΎ cups all-purpose flour
- ΒΎ Tbsp baking powder
- Β½ tsp salt
- ΒΌ tsp baking soda
- ΒΎ cup (1 Β½ sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 β cups granulated sugar
- β cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 large eggs
- Β½ cup sour cream
- Β½ tsp vanilla extract
- Β½ cup strawberry jelly or jam
- 1 batch peanut buter frosting (recipe below)
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- β cp confectioners' sugar
- Β½ tsp salt
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- Β½ tsp vanilla extract
- Β½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin tins with papers (you'll need 18)
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer or in a large bowl with a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and mix in peanut butter.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Mix in vanilla.
- Gradually add in flour mixture and beat until just combined. Fold in sour cream.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin tin with liners, filling each about ΒΎ of the way.
- Bake for about 19-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in tins for a few minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely.
- Once cupcakes are cooled, core out a hole in the center of the cupcake using either a cupcake corer or knife. Fill whole with about Β½ tsp of jelly (you can use a full tsp if you like more).
- Frost cupcakes and add a dollop of jelly on top of the frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and confectionersβ sugar together on medium-speed, until light and fluffy. Add salt and peanut butter and beat to combine. Mix in vanilla.
- In a separate large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed, whisk cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold cream into peanut butter mixture. You can use right away or refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Recipe lightly adapted from Martha Stewart
Carolyn Jung says
Glad you loved the PBJ cupcakes as much as I did, along with my husband and all his co-workers. They're pretty darn irresistible, that's for sure. π
Fun and Fearless in Beantown says
I have a confession to make. My bf HATES peanut butter. I know. Its a tragedy. So I'm thinking that if I made these cupcakes, I'd have to eat them all, right? Tough job but somebody's got to do it!
Ohmygoshi says
YUM!! Thanks for passing this along! It's most def going on my list of cupcakes to make!
Amy says
delicious! and what could be better than buffalo chicken dip for "dinner" and these cuppies for dessert! love it!!
Quinn says
Love the shirt with the cupcake! Too cute!
[email protected] says
Wow, I've never heard of PB cupcakes but I'm ready to try them. I think I found a project for the weekend.
That Kind Of Girl says
I am: 1) vicariously in love with this recipe; 2) seriously considering "eat every day as though it were the Super Bowl" one of my goals for 2010.
Kelly says
Oh wow, believe it or not I've never seen these amazing creations before and now I kind of want one now...are you sure they aren't the same nutritionally as a pb & j sandwich?
Nora Weston says
Hi! So glad I found your blog. π It's lots of fun! I'm going to make these with my kids on Saturday. Thanks for posting this one,
Take care, Nora
Shannon says
holy crap, i think those would be dangerous. i mean, i know they would, YUM. that frosting, i'm going to dream about it tonight π
Nicole says
You look so cute in your shirt! Do you think I could get away with eating one (or more) of these cupcakes for lunch since it's technically peanut butter and jelly? HAHAHA! Awesome recipe! I know natural peanut butter is better for you. But, if I had it my way, I would eat the 'non-natural' kind all day long...DELISH!
Kimberly says
Oh my! These sound pretty much amazing. Maybe I will whip them up for Easter - my two little nephews would love PB&J cupcakes!
Sophie @ yumventures says
I have died and gone to heaven! These sound like the most amazing things EVER!!
Amy says
OK. I have to make these! Thank you!
April says
These look AMAZING. Must try...
Katie says
i love a good pb&j sandwich, and putting it in cupcake form sounds amazing!!!
Nikki says
I have been looking everywhere for a good buffalo chicken dip recipe! I think you guys should post yours =]
Beth and Adam says
They were unbelievable! I love the fluff idea.... Adam and I were also thinking some kind of fudge in the middle would be amazing! I'm definitely going to be making these soon!
Culinary Cory says
These look and sound amazing. Sometimes splinting recipes can be a little tricky and it looks like you pulled it off well. Thank goodness for your sister. π
Abby says
I've been looking for a pb and j cupcake recipe forever, or at least one that sounded good. I thought of making pumpkin cupcakes and putting in pb instead of pumpkin, but that may turn out bad. I hope these are as great as they sound!!