I baked these soft, tender muffins with swirls of rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter—an irresistible mash-up of two classic flavors that feels indulgent yet perfect for breakfast or snacks.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Muffins

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I love how effortless this recipe is—mixing separate chocolate and peanut butter batters and swirling them creates a beautiful marble effect with every bite. They’re moist, slightly sweet, and showcase the perfect blend of chocolatey and nutty goodness without being overly dense.

ingredients

(Here’s a tip: Check out the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)

1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup cocoa powder
⅓ cup creamy peanut butter

directions

Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined—don’t overmix.
Divide batter in half: transfer one half to a smaller bowl, and in the other bowl stir in cocoa powder until uniformly chocolatey.
Spoon plain batter into muffin cups until each is about ⅓ full, then top with chocolate batter to the same level.
Drop small spoonfuls of peanut butter on top of each muffin cup.
Use a toothpick to swirl gently through the batters and peanut butter, creating a marble effect.
Bake 18–20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in plain batter (away from swirls) comes out clean.
Let muffins cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely or serve warm.

Servings and timing

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 18–20 minutes
Total time: Around 30 minutes

Variations

Nut-free: Swap peanut butter for sunflower seed butter.
Extra crunch: Stir in chopped peanuts or chocolate chips into the batter.
Healthier swap: Use whole-wheat pastry flour and reduce sugar to ½ cup.
White chocolate twist: Replace cocoa layer with white chocolate chips mixed into the batter.

storage/reheating

Store: I keep cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Freeze: I wrap muffins individually and freeze up to 2 months—thaw at room temp or microwave briefly.
Reheat: I warm them in a 350 °F oven for 5–7 minutes or microwave for about 15 seconds to bring back that fresh-baked feel.

FAQs

Can I make mini muffins instead of regular?

Absolutely—I use a mini muffin tin and bake for about 12–14 minutes, checking for doneness accordingly.

Can I use natural peanut butter?

Yes, but natural peanut butter tends to be looser—I chill it slightly before dropping it on muffins so it doesn’t sink too much.

What if I don’t have liners?

No problem—I grease the muffin tin thoroughly. I watch bake time closely as edges might brown faster without liners.

Can I mix the batters together completely instead of swirling?

You can, but I love the marbled look—this technique also gives contrasting pockets of flavor in each bite.

Are these dairy-free?

They’re not as written because of milk. I’ve replaced milk with almond or oat milk and used dairy-free chocolate and plant-based peanut butter with great results.

Conclusion

I love these Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Muffins for their rich taste, beautiful marbling, and ease of preparation. They’re perfect for satisfying chocolate and peanut butter cravings any time of day, and I’m confident they’ll become a staple in my baking rotation.