Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes Recipe

I packed everything I love about Reese’s into a soft chocolate cupcake with a cloud of creamy peanut butter buttercream on top. One bite and it’s clear why these disappear fast.

I’m obsessed with these Reese’s chocolate peanut butter cup cupcakes because they hit that sweet spot between rich, fluffy, and completely over the top. I love the soft chocolate cupcake, especially with unsweetened cocoa powder giving it that deep, not-wimpy flavor.

And the frosting? Ridiculous.

Creamy peanut butter turns it into this thick, smooth, salty-sweet swirl that I could honestly eat straight from the bowl. But piled on a cupcake with Reese’s on top, it’s even better.

Big candy-bar energy. No tiny, polite dessert vibes here.

Just chocolate, peanut butter, and the kind of cupcake I always want first.

Ingredients

• Flour gives the cupcakes structure, so they’re soft but not crumbly.
• Sugar brings sweetness and helps that tender, bakery-style bite.
• Cocoa powder makes the chocolate flavor deep, not just sweet.
• Milk keeps the batter smooth and the cupcakes nice and moist.
• Oil makes them extra soft, even the next day.
• Egg helps hold everything together without making things heavy.
• Vanilla adds that cozy, homemade flavor you’d totally miss.
• Sour cream keeps the crumb rich, moist, and a little tangy.
• Butter makes the frosting creamy, fluffy, and totally lick-the-spoon good.
• Peanut butter is the star, bringing salty-sweet Reese’s energy.
• Powdered sugar sweetens the frosting and helps it pipe beautifully.
• Heavy cream loosens the frosting so it’s smooth, not stiff.
• Plus, a pinch of salt keeps all that sweetness in check.
• Mini Reese’s on top make every cupcake feel like a treat.
• Basically, chocolate drizzle makes them look fancy with almost no effort.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 12 to 16 mini Reeses peanut butter cups for topping
• Optional: 4 ounces semi sweet chocolate for drizzling

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.

2. In a bowl whisk together 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

3. In a separate bowl whisk 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup sour cream until smooth.

4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, scraping the bowl so there are no streaks but avoiding overmixing.

5. Divide batter evenly among the liners and bake 16 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool cupcakes in the tin 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. For the peanut butter buttercream, beat 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened) with 1 cup creamy peanut butter and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

7. Gradually add 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar, beating until combined and adjusting sweetness and texture. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk as needed to reach a smooth, pipeable consistency.

8. Fill a piping bag fitted with your preferred tip and pipe or spread the peanut butter buttercream onto cooled cupcakes.

9. Top each cupcake with a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup (12 to 16 total), pressing gently into the frosting.

10. Optional: melt 4 ounces semi sweet chocolate and drizzle over the cupcakes, then allow chocolate to set before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. 12 cup muffin tin
2. Paper liners
3. Mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
4. Whisk
5. Rubber spatula
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Piping bag and tip (or an offset spatula)
10. Small saucepan or microwave safe bowl for melting chocolate

FAQ

Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: substitute with a 1-to-1 cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend (ensure it contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 teaspoon per cup if needed).
• Large egg: use a flax egg for each egg by mixing 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes until gelled.
• Milk: swap with equal parts buttermilk for extra tang and tenderness, or use unsweetened almond or soy milk 1:1 for a dairy free option.
• Powdered sugar: make your own by processing 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a food processor or blender until very fine; yields about 1 cup.

Pro Tips

1. Bring the egg, milk and sour cream to room temperature before mixing. Cold dairy or eggs can make the batter seize up and lead to denser cupcakes, while room temp ingredients give you a lighter crumb.

2. Be gentle when combining wet and dry ingredients. Stir until you no longer see streaks of flour, then stop. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake chewy instead of tender.

3. Taste and texture check the frosting as you go. Add powdered sugar until it is stable enough to hold shape, then thin with a teaspoon of cream at a time to reach a pipeable consistency. If it gets too sweet, a pinch more salt or a few drops of lemon juice will brighten and balance it.

4. Warm the peanut butter slightly if it is stiff. Fifteen to twenty seconds in the microwave softens it enough to beat smoothly with the butter without making the frosting oily. Let it cool a bit if it gets too warm before adding powdered sugar.

5. Finish and store thoughtfully. Press the mini Reese cups into the frosting just before serving so they stay crisp. Keep cupcakes chilled if your kitchen is warm, and bring them to room temperature for 20 minutes before eating for best flavor.