Buckeye Muffins

Wake up to buckeyes in muffin form! Your favorite chocolate muffin gets dolled up with a dot of peanut butter cheesecake on top.

This is going to come as a surprise, but we are venturing out of town again this weekend. This time however it is not very far, just a little south towards Cincinnati to explore Butler County! While we have lots of exploring to do, you better believe we are still going to be keeping tabs on the football games tomorrow, including Ohio State who is playing Iowa.

These are just regular chocolate muffins made less regular by a dollop of peanut butter cheesecake baked into the top to resemble, you guessed it (am I a broken record to you guys yet?) a buckeye! Now that’s a muffin top that I can appreciate.

Two years ago: Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Burrito Bowls

Three years ago: Seattle & 99 Bottles of Root Beer on the Wall

Four years ago: Grilled Mac & Cheese Sandwiches

Six years ago: Chocolate Root Beer Bundt Cake

BUCKEYE MUFFINS

Makes 12

Ingredients:

FILLING

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

4 oz. cream cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

MUFFINS

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

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

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12-count muffin pan with non-stick spray, set aside.
2. For the filling: In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Scrape bowl and add the egg and beat until creamy. Scrape bowl, add peanut butter, and beat one minute or until thoroughly mixed. Transfer to a zip top bag and set aside.
3. For the muffins: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl (or pyrex measuring cup) mix the buttermilk and vanilla. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until just incorporated. Alternate adding in the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, mixing just until combined.
6. Fill your muffin pans about 3/4 of the way full and smooth the top as best as possible.
7. Snip the corner off of the ziptop bag filled with the peanut butter mixture and pipe a dollop onto the top of each muffin.
8. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the muffin a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Source: The Spiffy Cookie original