One of the first cookbooks I poured myself over was a little
compilation called "Muffin Mania." My mom picked up this book
and among my grandmother, my mom and I, we probably baked every
muffin in the book. The peanut butter muffins were a special
hit with my younger brother, especially if they were made with
crunchy peanut butter and had a dab of grape jelly baked into
the middle.
I haven't a copy of this prized cookbook and, since my mom
died, I don't know where her copy disappeared to. So when I
came across a recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip muffins
in my King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion cookbook, I knew I
had to try the recipe. Now that I have baked this recipe, I can
tell you with all certainty, that these are not the same
muffins I made from Muffin Mania all those years ago. These
ones are much richer, more crumbly and are loaded with peanut
butter. They have a tendency to stick to the roof of your
mouth! If you like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, then you'll
adore these muffins.
Best enjoyed with a steaming cup of coffee.
18 large muffins
3-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose or cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups peanut butter
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease 18 muffin cups
or use paper liners.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder,
baking soda, and salt. Stir in chips. Set bowl aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together
with a hand-held or stand mixer until light and fluffy and
almost white in color. Scrape down the bowl to make sure all
the butter is incorporated, then beat in the peanut butter. Add
the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix
in the vanilla and sour cream and mix until incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until the
batter is smooth.
Fill muffin cups and bake for 18 to 24 minutes, until a cake
tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove them from
the oven, cool in the pan for five minutes, then remove the
muffins from the pan to finish cooling on a rack. (Muffins left
in the pan to cool will become tough from steaming.)
