Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffin

These peanut butter muffins take the best sandwich ever invented and bake it into a tender, cakey form with a sticky, crunchy topping.

The peanut butter gets cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender, just like you’d handle butter for biscuits. This creates pockets of peanut butter throughout the crumb instead of a uniform, dense texture. Buttermilk keeps things moist and adds a slight tang that balances the sweetness.

The finishing move is what sets these apart: hot-from-the-oven muffins get brushed with melted jelly, then dipped into chopped toasted peanuts. That glossy, nutty crown is the whole reason to make these instead of just spreading PB&J on toast.

Pro Tips

• Use a pastry blender (or two forks) to cut the peanut butter and butter into the flour. This “biscuit method” is what gives the muffins their tender, flaky texture instead of a heavy, bread-like crumb.
• Don’t overmix once you add the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined. Lumpy batter makes better muffins than smooth batter.
• Brush the jelly on while the muffins are still piping hot so it soaks in slightly and acts as glue for the peanuts.
• Chunky peanut butter is a must for extra texture throughout the muffin.

Variations

• Use grape jelly for classic PB&J flavor, or try strawberry or raspberry preserves for a fruitier twist.
• Swap buttermilk for regular milk plus a tablespoon of white vinegar if you don’t have buttermilk on hand.
• Fold in mini chocolate chips for a peanut butter cup spin.