My easy Reese’s cupcakes recipe is the most delicious combo of all things chocolate and peanut butter. I start with a tender chocolate cupcake base, then bake Reese’s peanut butter right inside! Decorated with a homemade caramel frosting, Reese’s Pieces, and mini peanut butter cups, these cupcakes look as good as they taste.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Reese’s Candies and Caramel Buttercream
When I set out to make Reese’s cupcakes, I wanted to get that melt-in-your-mouth texture and flavor the candies are known for. So these aren’t just a standard chocolate peanut butter cupcake. I used Reese’s brand peanut butter baking chips to get the real-deal flavor! The chocolate cupcakes are easy to whip up, with Greek yogurt to make them wonderfully-tender. I love the way the bits of peanut butter burst through the chocolate with every bite!
To finish these up after baking, I made a quick buttercream frosting infused with caramel sauce. The most fun part of this cupcake recipe is decorating with real Reese’s Pieces candy, and a mini peanut butter cup too. My kids asked me to make these for their Halloween party, and everyone loved them!
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Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Equipment
- Cupcake Tin
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Reese’s Chocolate Cupcakes:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 5 ounces plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 10 ounces Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips *
Caramel Buttercream Frosting:**
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup caramel sauce
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Decorate:
- Reese’s Pieces ***
- Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups ***
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Fill a cupcake tin with liners.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Whisk to combine.
- In another mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together on low speed.½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Blend in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.2 large eggs
- Add the Greek yogurt and vanilla, scraping the bowl to be sure everything is combined. Beat on medium speed for 60 seconds.5 ounces plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, a third at a time, and mix for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl periodically to be sure everything is combined.
- Add in the Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips and stir to combine.10 ounces Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips
- Fill lined cupcake wells to the three-quarters level.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- Beat butter using an electric mixer until soft and fluffy.¾ cup unsalted butter
- Add vanilla, caramel sauce, and salt, mixing until combined.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ⅓ cup caramel sauce, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Stir in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed, scraping the bowl after each addition.4 cups powdered sugar
- Add heavy cream. Beat on medium-high speed for at least 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Adjust the final consistency by adding a little more cream or powdered sugar.
Decorate:
- Transfer the buttercream frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip.
- Pipe swirls of frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, and decorate with Reese’s Pieces and Mini Peanut Butter Cups as desired. Enjoy!Reese’s Pieces, Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups
Notes
- Using room temperature dairy will make mixing much easier, and create a smoother batter.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Combine wet and dry ingredients just until you get a mostly-wet batter–a few dry bits are okay.
- Instead of a piping bag, place frosting in a resealable bag and cut off the tip of one corner. You can also frost simply with a butter knife, icing spatula, or small rubber spatula.
How to Make Reese’s Cupcakes Step by Step
Prep: Gather the list of ingredients for this Reese’s peanut butter and chocolate cupcake recipe. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Then fill a cupcake tin with liners.
Combine Dry Ingredients: Place a fine mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl. Sift ¾ cup of all-purpose flour, ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt into the bowl. Then whisk to combine. Sifting the dry ingredients helps break up lumps, and ultimately creates an airer texture. Sifting isn’t necessary, but it’s a simple way to improve these cupcakes!
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, beat together ½ cup of softened unsalted butter and ¾ cup of granulated sugar on low speed. Blend in 2 large eggs (one at a time), scraping down the bowl after each addition. Then add 5 ounces of plain Greek yogurt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl to be sure everything is combined. Beat the mixture on medium speed for about 60 seconds.
Combine the Cupcake Batter: Next, add the dry mixture to the wet mixture (about a third at a time), and mix for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl periodically to be sure everything is combined. Combining a little at a time just helps everything incorporate smoothly and evenly. Finally, stir 10 ounces of Reese’s peanut butter chips into the chocolate cupcake batter.
Bake the Cupcakes: Use a tablespoon or cookie scoop to distribute the batter into the lined cupcake wells. Fill each one about three-quarters of the way up. This leaves room for rising. Bake chocolate peanut butter cupcakes at 350℉ for 18-20 minutes. To make sure they’re done, insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If it comes out dry, it’s done; if it comes out with wet batter, they need to bake a few more minutes.
Cool: After baking, let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. If they’re still warm while frosting, the buttercream will melt and spread.
Make the Caramel Frosting: While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream. Use an electric mixer to beat ¾ cup of softened unsalted butter, until soft and fluffy. Then add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, ⅓ cup of caramel sauce, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, mixing until combined. Next, stir in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time (4 cups total), mixing on low speed, scraping the bowl after each addition. Then add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, and beat on medium-high speed for at least 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Adjust the final consistency as needed. If it’s too thick or stiff, stir in a little more cream. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar.
Frost the Cupcakes: Transfer the caramel buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip. Alternatively, you can place the frosting in a resealable bag, and cut off a tip of the corner. Once the cupcakes have fully cooled, pipe swirls of caramel frosting onto the chocolate cupcakes. There’s no need for a fancy finish. You can also frost these simply with an icing spatula or butter knife!
Decorate: Finally, decorate each frosted cupcake with Reese’s Pieces and mini Peanut Butter Cups as desired. A little drizzle of liquid-y peanut butter or caramel sauce would look great too!
How to Store
Store Reese’s peanut butter chocolate cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge for 4 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. For best results, store unfrosted cupcakes, then frost before serving.
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