Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Name: Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 42 min
Ingredients: 1¾ cups all-purpose flour ((210 grams)); 1½ teaspoons baking powder; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; 1¼ cups light brown sugar ((275 grams)); ½ cup sour cream ((120 grams)); ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter ((177 grams)); ¾ cup whole milk ((180 ml)); ⅓ cup vegetable oil ((80 ml)); 1 large egg; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 cup creamy peanut butter ((264 grams)); ½ cup unsalted butter (softened (113 grams)); 2 cups confectioners’ sugar ((240 grams)); 1 teaspoon salt; 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream ((90 ml))

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Perfect for any occasion or for the peanut butter lover in your life, these peanut butter cupcakes are so soft, moist, and tender! Peanut butter flavored cupcakes topped with fluffy and creamy peanut butter flavored frosting, these cupcakes are a delightful treat that everyone will love.

The combination of sweet and salty really makes these cupcakes stand out. They are such a dream and are beyond easy to make with simple ingredients. While peanut butter tends to make baked goods dry, these cupcakes are beyond moist, thanks to the sour cream, milk, brown sugar, and oil added to the batter. Trust me, everyone will ask for more once you make a batch of these. Want another delicious cupcake recipe? Try my banana cupcakes recipe, strawberry cupcakes recipe, or black bottom cupcakes recipe.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make peanut butter cupcakes.

Leavening agent — make sure the baking soda and baking powder are fresh. If they have expired, your cupcakes will be dense and not rise properly.

Peanut butter — some brands of peanut butter are sweeter than others. Depending on the brand you use, you can decrease the salt to ½ teaspoon or start with a small amount and add more to taste. I normally use JIF and a teaspoon of salt balances the sweetness nicely. Make sure you use smooth peanut butter and not chunky.

Sour cream — the sour cream adds moisture to the cupcakes without making the batter too thin. Sour cream also adds a delicious tangy flavor to the batter and tenderizes the cupcakes. See my post on how to make sour cream if you do not have any.

Sugar — I like using light brown sugar as it keeps the peanut butter cupcakes moist and has caramel flavor notes. If you do not have brown sugar, see my guide on DIY brown sugar.

Milk — using whole milk for the batter adds way more flavor than using skim milk so I recommend using whole.

Oil — using vegetable oil is the secret to achieving a soft and moist crumb.

Vanilla extract — I recommend using real vanilla extract over artificial for the best flavor. If you want to try making vanilla extract at home, try my homemade vanilla extract recipe.

Powdered sugar — if you’ve run out of powdered sugar for the peanut butter frosting, see my guide on how to make powdered sugar.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Set of two photos showing dry ingredients whisked together and peanut butter added to the brown sugar.

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, sour cream, peanut butter, milk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract.

Set of two photos showing wet ingredients added to dry ingredients then scooped into a lined muffin tin.

3. Create a well in the flour mixture and pour in the peanut butter mixture. Whisk until completely combined.

4. Divide the cupcake batter evenly between the paper liners (about ¼ cup per well). Bake for 22 minutes and let cool.

Set of two photos showing powdered sugar added to a mixer and frosting piped over a cupcake.

5. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the peanut butter and butter. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined. Then turn the mixer on low, add the confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup at a time, until completely combined. Add the cream and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

6. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe it onto the cooled cupcakes.

A plate with a peanut butter cupcake with the paper liner peeled opened with more cupcakes in the back.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

If you only have one muffin pan, you can bake the cupcakes in batches. Just let the first batch cool for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Line again and bake as instructed.
Make sure you let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting, or the peanut butter frosting will just melt off the top of the cupcakes.
Make sure not to overfill the liners, as the cupcakes do rise quite a bit, and you don’t want them to overflow.
The egg should be at room temperature to ensure it incorporates into your batter evenly. If you forgot to take your egg out of the fridge ahead of time, you could quickly bring it to room temperature by placing it in a large bowl and covering it with warm tap water for 5 minutes.
Avoid overmixing as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to tough peanut butter flavored cupcakes.
Make sure to measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake that will lead to dry and dense cupcakes. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
You can top the frosting off with some fun garnish, such as a peanut butter cup, peanut butter chips, or chopped peanuts. A drizzle of chocolate ganache is a great garnish as well.
Make sure your brown sugar isn’t lumpy. See my post on how to soften brown sugar if your brown sugar has hardened or has lumps in it.

A small plate with a peanut butter cupcake where half is eaten with a fork beside the cupcake.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store these cupcakes?

Keep the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you do not have a large enough container for the frosted cupcakes, you can place the cupcakes under a large overturned bowl to keep the frosting looking perfect. If you are concerned about squishing the frosting, leave the cupcakes unfrosted until ready to serve.

Can I freeze these cupcakes?

You can! Unfrosted cupcakes freeze beautifully. Once the cupcakes are at room temperature, transfer them to a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Store for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting and serving. You can also freeze the frosting separately for a month. Allow it to thaw, then re-whip it before piping.

If you love this recipe try these out!