Recipe: Chocolate peanut butter crunch muffins

I took the basic recipe for a Chocolate Almond Loaf Bread I'd made at Christmas and added a bit of a twist. I didn't have any amaretti to crumble on top for some crunch and to provide the almond flavoring of the title. So I took the last two peanut butter wafer cookies I had in my cupboard — those addictive things that are crisp and coated in chocolate, with the layers of peanut butter filling — and crushed them instead. And let me tell you, it was a fine substitution! Truly, these were exceptional — moist and tender, with the contrasting crispness of the cookie crumbs on top. The flavor was extraordinary — rich and luscious. I tried the first one while it was still warm, so the chocolate chips were even melted. Bake these, and fall in love with them...

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup 2 percent milk
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1-3/4 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 2 chocolate-covered peanut butter wafer cookies, crushed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter; add eggs and mix well.

Combine milk and vinegar; pour into batter and combine well.

Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and divide batter among the muffin cups.

Sprinkle the wafer cookie crumbs over the tops of the muffins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until a tester inserted into the muffins comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins.

This recipe was written by Mary Bilyeu and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on May 10, 2011.