Fudgey Peanut Butter Chip Muffins

Fudgy chocolate muffins with peanut butter chips lean closer to dessert than to breakfast, but the oats and applesauce in the batter give you just enough cover to call it a snack. Soaking the oats in applesauce for a few minutes is the move that delivers the soft, fudgy crumb. The oats hydrate and disappear into the batter, while the applesauce keeps the texture moist without adding extra fat.

A quarter cup of cocoa powder gives the muffins their dark color and chocolate backbone, but the real magic is the bag of peanut butter chips folded in just before the batter hits the cups. They soften without melting completely, leaving little pockets of warm peanut butter through every bite. The optional pinch of cinnamon sharpens the chocolate without making the muffin taste spiced.

Fill the cups three-quarters full so they dome properly. Less and the tops stay flat; more and they spill over the rims as they rise.

Pro Tips

• Use quick oats, not old-fashioned. Quick oats break down into the batter; rolled oats stay chewy in the finished muffin.
• Don’t overbake. The pick should come out almost clean with a few moist crumbs. A clean pick means a dry muffin.
• Cool 5 minutes in the pan before turning out, then cool fully on a rack so the bottoms don’t sweat.

Variations

• Swap peanut butter chips for chocolate chips for a double-chocolate version.
• Stir in a half cup of chopped roasted peanuts for extra crunch.
• Drizzle warm muffins with melted peanut butter instead of dusting with powdered sugar.