Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all enjoyed a nice Labor Day weekend. Aren't long weekends the best? At least until they come to an end. I spent with the weekend in Vermont with three of my very best friends from high school. I don't see them very often so we always make the most of our time together and have tons of fun. And I always leave them wishing that they would move back to Boston. Maybe someday. Anyways, we did a lot of touristy things, like visiting the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory and the Cabot Cheese store. I will share some of the highlights of the trip in an upcoming blog post. 

For now I will just tell you about these Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes. A few weeks ago I was in Chicago and sampled a good number of cupcakes throughout the trip. Out of all of the cupcakes that I sampled, my favorite flavors were peanut butter and Oreo. This should really come as no surprise- I have never tried a peanut butter or Oreo dessert that I haven't liked. On my way home from Chicago, I decided to combine these two flavors and make one amazing cupcake. These Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes turned out even better than I imagined. The cupcakes themselves are light and full of peanut butter flavor. They are then topped with a creamy Oreo buttercream and garnished with mini Oreos. I am already thinking about other desserts I can make with this combination of flavors!

Peanut Butter Oreo Cupcakes
Cupcake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes, Frosting recipe from Your Cup of Cake

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
4-5 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup oreos, finely crushed

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the peanut butter and mix until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the sour cream. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the buttermilk and then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until combined after each addition.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until the frosting reaches your desired consistency, about 3-4 more minutes. Gently stir in the crushed Oreos. Pipe frosting onto fully cooled cupcakes and garnish with additional Oreos.

Peanut Butter Captain Crunch Cookies

It is somewhat surprising that I would never eat a bowl of sugary cereal for breakfast. There is not a dessert I wouldn't eat, but when it comes to breakfast, I prefer the healthier whole grain cereals. It is not  a bad thing-just interesting. However, when it comes to snacking, I could eat Captain Crunch all day long. Sometimes I bring a small bag to work to have for an afternoon snack, but it never makes it past mid-morning. I love Captain Crunch. A lot. And the idea to add Captain Crunch to regular peanut butter cookies has been in my mind for a while, but for some reason I just got around to making these cookies last weekend. 

I shared these cookies with some friends on Saturday night and everyone loved the extra crunch that  the Captain Crunch gave these cookies. It  takes regular peanut butter cookies to a whole new level, in the best way possible. 

Peanut Butter Captain Crunch Cookies

Recipe adapted from Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups Captain Crunch cereal, slightly crushed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the peanut butter, egg and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated after each addition. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Turn the mixer off. Add the Captain Crunch. Mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. 

Scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are set. Allow the cookies to cool on  the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Ritz Cracker Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bites

Saturday was National S'mores Day. Did you celebrate? To be honest, I forgot all about it until I saw a bunch of s'mores recipes pop up on blogs throughout Friday and the weekend. I couldn't go without making at least one s'mores treat. Since I didn't have a lot of extra time, I decided to bake some S'mores Bites- only three ingredients and super simple to make. However, I realized that I didn't have any graham crackers. Instead I went with Ritz Crackers. FYI- Ritz Crackers make excellent s'mores. 

Originally I thought I would melt some chocolate chips and coat the Ritz Crackers in a thin layer of melted chocolate. But then I came across a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in my freezer and the idea to include them in my s'mores was born. The only thing better than ooey-gooey s'mores is ooey-gooey peanut buttery smore's. 

Ritz Cracker Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bites
Recipe adapted from S'mores Bites

24 Ritz Crackers
12 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
12 large marshmallows, halved

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Align the Ritz Crackers in the center of the baking sheet. Place a marshmallow on top of each cracker, sticky side down. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for a few minutes. Do not walk away. As soon as the marshmallows turn golden brown in color, remove them from the oven. Place a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup on top of each marshmallow and press down slightly. Place another Ritz cracker on top of the Reese's. Serve immediately. 

Peanut Butter Cup Truffle Brownies

My love of chocolate and peanut butter strikes again, this time in the form of brownies. Rich and decadent brownies with mini peanut butter cups folded into the batter, to be exact. I don't know about you, but I could never get sick of the chocolate and peanut butter combination. Especially when we are talking about something as good as these brownies.

Dan declared these peanut butter cup truffle brownies one of his favorite things to ever come out of my kitchen. So there you have it- I am not the only one to sing praises about these brownies. I have made many different brownie recipes over the years, but these are now the current favorites. Of course I am always trying to improve and find the best recipes out there, but for now this one is way up there.

Peanut Butter Cup Truffle Brownies
Recipe from Bake! by Nick Malgieri

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
10 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups mini peanut butter cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9 inch  baking pan with aluminum foul and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Add the butter to a medium sized saucepan set above medium heat. Melt the butter and continue to cook until the butter begins to sizzle. Add the chocolate to the pan. Gently shake until the chocolate is submerged in the butter. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combined the brown sugar, flour and salt. Mix until just combined. Add two eggs. Beat until incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add the remaining two eggs. Beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla.

Stir the butter and chocolate mixture until smooth. Add to the bowl of the stand mixer and combine with a rubber spatula. Gently fold in the peanut butter cups.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow the brownies to cool completely on a wire rack. You might want to stick the brownies into the freezer before cutting in order to make the process a little easier. 

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

These cupcakes taste like Reese's Pieces. Does it get any better? I have mentioned my love of chocolate and peanut butter numerous times on the blog. I don't think there could be enough recipes with these two ingredients in my recipe index. My boyfriend, who doesn't like peanut butter and made me frost a few of the cupcakes with vanilla bean frosting, might disagree. But he is crazy. 

These Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes uses one of my very favorite chocolate cupcake base recipes. It is the same recipe I used for my Dark Chocolate Spider Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache. I love it because it is a one bowl recipe. No mixer required. Anytime a recipe can be made in one bowl, which ultimately means less dishes, the recipe is a winner in my book. But these cupcakes are also moist and flavorful. That is why I keep coming back to this base recipe over and over again. I also love the base I used for my Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream if I have a little more time and am looking for a slightly richer chocolate flavor. You really can't go wrong with either.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Cupcake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Add the eggs, warm water, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla. Mix until fully incorporated and smooth.

Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes are cooling, beat the butter using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar. Gradually increase the speed and mix for another 3-4 minutes. Add the peanut butter, vanilla and salt. Beat until fully combined and frosting reaches your desired consistency. Frost fully cooled cupcakes.

Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cookies

I first made these Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cookies during the holiday season and have loved them ever since. Really what is not to love? Soft peanut butter cookies filled with butterfinger chunks and chocolate chips- sounds good to me. Butterfingers are always one of the candy bars I can't resist at Halloween and they are the perfect addition to these cookies. Of course you could leave them out altogether but I wouldn't recommend it. You would still end up with tasty cookies but you really would be missing out. 

I also love how this recipes results in perfectly round cookies every single time I make them. I love opening the oven to find round cookies- it really it the small things in life that excite me. In my book, this recipe is a winner not only because of the amazing flavor combination, but also because of the beautiful cookies it produces. 

Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cookies
Recipe from Picky Palate

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups crushed butterfinger chunks
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the peanut butter, egg and vanilla. Mix until fully combined after each addition. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. With the mixer on slow speed, slowly add the dry ingredients.

Turn the mixer off. Add the crushed butterfinger and chocolate chips. Mix with a spatula until combined.

With a medium sized ice cream scoop, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown along the edges. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bars

I am getting really anxious for the summer and warmer weather. Although New England has teased us with a few nice days, it never seems to last long enough. I cannot wait until I put my winter jacket away for good. Bring on the warm weather, flip flops and ice cream. Even though Mother Nature might not be ready to officially call it summer, these Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bars definitely reminded me of what is still to come. 

This recipe was adapted from Tracey's Super Simple S'mores Bars. The recipe itself lives up to its name as they are certainly simple to make. Here is a quick rundown of the recipe. First, a crust mixture is prepared and pressed down into the bottom of an 8x8 baking pan. The crust includes graham cracker crumbs, an essential part of any s'mores treat. A layer of peanut butter cups is placed on top of the crust, followed by a layer of marshmallow creme and any remaining graham cracker crumbs. Feel free to use Hershey Bars if you prefer to mimic a more traditional s'mores bar. However, I love peanut butter and look for any excuse to include it in a recipe. I will leave that decision up to you.

Peanut Butter Cup S'mores Bars

Recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (from about 5 graham crackers)

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

16 peanut butter cups, unwrapped

1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme (such as Fluff)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang of paper on two sides so that bars can be lifted after baking. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

Using a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg, continuing to beat until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla. With the mixer on slow speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.

Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan. Gently press the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the baking pan. Unwrap the peanut butter cups and place them in a 4x4 pattern over the bottom layer. Spread the marshmallow creme over the peanut butter cups (This step will be a little tricky due to the stickiness of the marshmallow creme. Don't worry if it is not an even layer. The marshmallow creme will melt during baking). 

Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown in color. Transfer the baking pan to a wire rack and allow the bars to cool completely. Cut into squares before serving. I put the baking pan into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes prior to cutting the bars in order to make the process easier. 

Peanut Butter Cup Rice Crispy Treats

Every time I go to Target, I love to walk down the candy aisle and see if there is anything new. What, you don't do that too? Anyways, I found these mini peanut butter cups there a while ago and have been waiting for the opportunity to bake with them. When I came across this recipe from Your Cup of Cake, I knew I had to try it. Chocolate and peanut butter is one of my favorite combinations and these rice crispy treats did not disappoint. 

These babies are not your average rice crispy treats. There is a lot of peanut butter inside them. You can leave out the peanut butter in one or both of the rice cereal layers, but I chose to keep it all in. The more peanut butter, the better. And I love that you can see the mini peanut butter cups on the outside of each one. Even more peanut butter!

Now that I do more baking, I need to find ways to get all of these baked goods out of my house. Having a few rice crispy treats is a good thing, having thirty of them is not. This week that meant sending them into work with my mom and my boyfriend. If you have any ideas as to where I should send my future baked goods, just let me know. In the meantime, enjoy this recipe :)

Peanut Butter Cup Rice Crispy Treats

Recipe from Your Cup of Cake

1st Layer:

3 cups of crispy rice cereal

1/2 of a 10.5 oz bag of mini marshmallows

2 tbsp of softened butter

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2nd layer:

1/2 cup of softened butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/4 cups of mini peanut butter cups

3rd layer:

3 cups of crispy rice cereal

1/2 of a 10.5 oz bag of mini marshmallows

2 tbsp of softened butter

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4th layer:

1 cup + 2 tbsp peanut butter

2 cups of chocolate chips

_____________________________________

Butter a 9 x 13 baking pan and set aside.

1st layer: In a large microwavable bowl, combine the peanut butter, marshmallows, butter and vanilla. Microwave in intervals of 45 seconds, stirring between each time, until mixture is smooth.  Add rice cereal and stir until combined. Dump mixture into the 9x13 baking pan and spread out evenly. Make sure to press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan. 

2nd layer: Microwave the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla to the mixture and stir until well combined. Dump over the cereal mixture in pan and spread out evenly. Take mini peanut butter cups and spread out evenly over the peanut butter layer. Make sure to press the peanut butter cups into the peanut butter. 

3rd layer: Prepare this layer the same way as you did the first layer. 

4th layer: Melt peanut butter and chocolate chips over low heat on the stovetop until smooth. Make sure to stir the mixture constantly to avoid burning the chocolate. After cooling for a few minutes, pour this mixture on top of the cereal layer. Tilt pan to evenly distribute the chocolate over the top of the cereal layer. 

Carefully put plastic wrap over the top of the baking pan and place in the refrigerator to firm. Cut into bars of your own size choice and enjoy!