Gluten-Free Double Chip Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Tender yellow cake cupcakes loaded with crunchy peanut butter, mini chocolate chips, and butterscotch bits, topped with a crumbly peanut butter streusel. The combination of chocolate and butterscotch against rich peanut butter creates a kid-friendly dessert perfect for lunchboxes, bake sales, or casual gatherings. This box-mix shortcut keeps prep minimal while delivering homemade flavor through quality add-ins.
Ingredients
- 1 cup crunchy peanut buttercreamy peanut butter1:1flavor
mild change
- ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 package (15.25-16.5 oz) yellow cake mix
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chipsdark chocolate chips1:1flavor
neutral
- ½ cup butterscotch-flavored baking chips
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 350°F and line muffin pan with paper cups.
- 2
Combine peanut butter, brown sugar and cake mix in large bowl; beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- 3
Reserve half cup of peanut butter mixture and set aside.
- 4
Add water, melted butter and eggs to remaining peanut butter mixture; beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
- 5
Stir in chocolate chips and half cup butterscotch chips into batter.
- 6
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each halfway full.
- 7
Combine reserved peanut butter mixture and remaining butterscotch chips in medium bowl.
- 8
Sprinkle about one teaspoon streusel mixture over each cupcake.
- 9
Bake 23-28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- 10
Cool 10 minutes in pan, then remove to wire rack.
Tips
Reserve the first peanut butter mixture before adding wet ingredients; this two-texture approach prevents the streusel from sinking during baking.
Fill muffin cups only halfway to leave room for rise and prevent overflow from streusel topping.
Good to Know
Airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Refrigerate up to 1 week.
Prepare batter and fill muffin cups up to 4 hours ahead; refrigerate covered. Bake just before serving for best texture.
At room temperature or slightly warm. Pairs with cold milk, coffee, or hot chocolate.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the peanut butter mixture reservation step to avoid losing the signature streusel topping.
Do not overfill muffin cups to avoid streusel falling off during bake.
Substitutions
neutral
FAQ
Can I make these dairy-free?
Substitute butter with coconut oil or dairy-free butter in equal amount. Check cake mix for dairy; use certified dairy-free mix if needed. Chips may contain milk; seek dairy-free varieties.
What if I don't have butterscotch chips?
Use equal amount of white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or toffee bits. Adjust sweetness to preference as butterscotch adds caramel notes.
Can I freeze these cupcakes?
Yes. Cool completely, freeze unfrosted in airtight container up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature 1-2 hours before serving. Do not freeze frosted cupcakes.