Peanut butter cookie muffins

Freshly baked peanut butter cookie muffins

Peanut butter is one of my favourite flavours of all time; I just love it so much, so so much! I don't know why it is such a magical food to me but I can't get enough of it (until I read the back of the jar and remember one tablespoon is 150 calories, then I quickly shove the jar to the back of the pantry.) It's a bit of a love/hate relationship. This little creation I came up with is the combination of half cookie, half muffin in a bid to satisfy both cravings. Crunchy on the outside and soft and substantial in the middle, these muffins are robust enough to constitute a full meal, which means you can get away with having this for breakfast occasionally. Slightly over baked to get a full golden crust encasing the entire cake, they are best eaten when still warm. While these muffins are a bit of a cheat's meal, they are low GI, which means they will keep you fuller for a much longer time than your average muffin and it would be a pretty tricky feat to eat more than one.

Peanut Butter Cookie Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of crunchy peanut butter
• 100 grams of salted butter
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar + extra for topping and base
• 3/4 cup of low-fat milk
• 3/4 cup of oats
• 1 cup of plain flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 1 egg
• butter for tops and greasing pan

Method:

1. Microwave the butter on low heat for 10 seconds until softened and very slightly melted. Add the 3/4 cup of sugar and peanut butter and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until creamy.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
3. Heat the milk in a small jug until warm and pour into the peanut butter mixture, mixing well. Allow this to cool before adding to flour.
4. In a separate bowl, sift flour and baking powder and add the oats.
5. Make a well in the centre of the flour and oats mixture and add the peanut butter mixture.
6. Gently mix ingredients all together until combined but not overworked as the flour can go tough and make the muffins like rocks in the centre.
7. Grease a 12-hole muffin tin with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar.
8. Fill each muffin hole with your muffin mixture and top with a small knob of butter and more brown sugar.
9. Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 25 - 30 minutes until very golden brown and crunchy.
10. Immediately remove to a wire rack to cool, and after 5 minutes, cover with a tea towel.