These fluffernutter cupcakes are the BEST! A toasted browned butter graham cracker cupcake is topped with creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting and a homemade peanut butter swirled marshmallow.
What is Fluffernutter?
Fluffernutter refers to the flavor combination of peanut butter and marshmallow. There’s lots of fluffernutter recipes all over the internet from cookies to bars to rice krispie treats. Fluffernutter is one of my favorite flavor combos, but I wanted to do something different and came up with these toasted graham fluffernutter cupcakes and they are DANG GOOD.
How to Make Homemade Marshmallows
Making marshmallows at home seems intimidating but it really couldn’t be easier. It takes just 5 ingredients and the hardest part is waiting for them to set up before eating them.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the gelatin and 1/2 C of cold water. Whisk them together and let sit for the gelatin to bloom. Meanwhile, add the sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 C of water to a medium saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 240 degrees F. When the sugar syrup is almost at 240, start whipping the gelatin mixture with the whisk attachment on low speed.
When the sugar syrup reaches 240 degrees, remove it from the heat and with the mixer on low, carefully pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl. Once it’s all added, turn the mixer up to medium speed. Whip for 4-5 minutes, then turn it up to high and whip until medium stiff peaks. Add the vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) and mix until combined.
For plain vanilla flavored marshmallows, just lightly oil an 8 inch square pan and spread the mixture into an even layer. Dust with powdered sugar and let sit at room temperature for at least 6 hours, up to overnight. For these peanut butter marshmallows, melt the peanut butter in the microwave until it reaches a pourable consistency. Pour 1/3 of the marshmallow mixture in the prepared pan, then swirl in 1/3 of the melted peanut butter. Repeat until you have 3 layers, then dust with powdered sugar and let sit to firm up. When ready to serve, slice into 16 squares.
Ingredients
- Gelatin. Any unflavored gelatin will work. I use Knox.
- Light Corn Syrup. The corn syrup acts as a stabilizer and helps prevent the sugar from crystallizing when making the sugar syrup.
- Peanut Butter. Grab the classic creamy JIF style peanut butter for this, the natural kind that separates won’t work as well.
- Butter. I recommend using a high quality salted butter, like Kerrygold. I have found that higher quality butters brown more evenly and is less likely to burn.
- Vegetable Oil. The cupcake recipe calls for a small amount of oil. It helps keep the cupcakes moist and bouncy. Any neutral oil will work.
How to Make Toasted Graham Fluffernutter Cupcakes
Brown the Butter.
In a medium saucepan, brown the butter by heating it until it melts and then continuing to cook it until the solids separate from the fat and become golden brown and toasty. This will take about 5-7 minutes over medium heat. At first, the butter will start to crackle and pop, but once it starts to brown it will quiet down and foam up. That’s how you know it’s ready.
Swirl the pan around to see the browned bits, then remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature. You can do this ahead of time and let the butter come to room temp on the counter. Or, to speed up the process, transfer the hot browned butter to a small bowl and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. It should be soft and spreadable, not rock hard.
Make the Toasted Graham Cupcakes.
Preheat the oven to 350 and line 2 cupcake pans with 16 total cupcake liners.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the room temperature browned butter, and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until well combined. With the mixer on low slowly drizzle in the oil and mix another 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, crushed graham crackers, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk in 3 total additions. So, add half of the dry ingredients, all of the buttermilk, and then the remaining dry ingredients. Doing it this way ensures that the ingredients incorporate evenly without risking over mixing. Use a large 3 TBSP cookie scoop to portion the cupcake batter into the prepared pan. They should be about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool completely while you make the frosting.
Make the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese for 7-10 minutes or until completely smooth with no lumps of cream cheese remaining. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and peanut butter and mix until combined.
Add the powdered sugar half at a time, mixing on low for 3 minutes after each addition. Add heavy cream 1 TBSP at a time until you reach your desired consistency. I like it to be soft and creamy, but firm enough to hold its shape when piped. Again, be sure to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything gets evenly incorporated.
Fit a piping bag with a large round tip and fill it with the frosting. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake in one large dollop like a hershey’s kiss by holding the piping bag straight up in the center and applying pressure without moving the piping bag. Once the frosting reaches the edge of the cupcakes slowly pull up and then quickly away from the top.
Top each cupcake with a peanut butter marshmallow. Optional – drizzle the top with extra melty peanut butter. Serve immediately, or place in an air tight container for up to 12 hours. After that, place them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Fluffernutter Cupcakes FAQs
- Can I make these cupcakes gluten free? I have tested this, and unfortunately the cupcakes didn’t bake properly when subbing a 1 to 1 gluten free flour replacement.
- Can I use store bought marshmallows? Yes, but the homemade ones are so much better and truly not difficult to make.
- Can I omit the cream cheese in the frosting? If cream cheese frosting isn’t your thing, just use 10 TBSP of butter and leave out the cream cheese all together.
Toasted Graham Fluffernutter Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 18 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 18 minutes
- Yield: 16 Cupcakes 1x
Description
Browned butter graham cracker cupcakes topped with fluffy peanut butter cream cheese frosting and a homemade peanut butter swirled marshmallow.
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter Marshmallows
- 2 Packets (4 tsp) Unflavored Gelatin
- 3/4 C Cold Water, divided
- 3/4 C (150 g) Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 C (170 g) Light Corn Syrup
- 2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (or pure vanilla extract)
- 1/3 C (85 g) Creamy Peanut Butter
For the Toasted Graham Cupcakes
- 1/2 C Salted Butter, + about 1 TBSP
- 1 1/4 C (250 g) Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 C (55 g) Vegetable Oil
- 2 Lg Eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 C (190 g) All Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 C (55 g) Crushed Graham Crackers
- 3/4 C (175 mL) Buttermilk, at room temperature
For the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 C Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
- 4 oz (1/2 a block) Full Fat Cream Cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 C Creamy Peanut Butter
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 5 C (600 g) Powdered Sugar
- 3–4 TBSP Heavy Cream
Instructions
For the Peanut Butter Marshmallows
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the gelatin and 1/2 C of cold water. Whisk them together and let sit for the gelatin to bloom.
-
Meanwhile, add the sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 C of water to a medium saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 240 degrees F. When the sugar syrup is almost at 240, start whipping the gelatin mixture with the whisk attachment on low speed.
-
When the sugar syrup reaches 240 degrees, remove it from the heat and with the mixer on low, carefully pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl. Turn the mixer up to medium speed. Whip for 4-5 minutes, then turn it up to high and whip until medium stiff peaks. Add the vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) and mix until combined.
-
Melt the peanut butter in the microwave until it reaches a pourable consistency. Pour 1/3 of the marshmallow mixture in the prepared pan, then swirl in 1/3 of the melted peanut butter. Repeat until you have 3 layers, then dust with powdered sugar and let sit to firm up. When ready to serve, slice into 16 squares.
For the Toasted Graham Cupcakes
- Brown the butter by cooking it over medium heat in a medium saucepan for 5-7 minutes, or until the solids separate from the fat and turn a golden brown color. Let cool to room temperature.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 and line 2 cupcake pans with 16 total cupcake liners.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the room temperature browned butter, and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until well combined. With the mixer on low slowly drizzle in the oil and mix another 1-2 minutes.
-
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.
-
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, crushed graham crackers, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk in 3 total additions. So, add half of the dry ingredients, all of the buttermilk, and then the remaining dry ingredients.
-
Use a large 3 TBSP cookie scoop to portion the cupcake batter into the prepared pan. They should be about 3/4 of the way full.
-
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool completely while you make the frosting.
For the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese for 7-10 minutes or until completely smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
-
Add the vanilla and peanut butter and mix until combined.
-
Add the powdered sugar half at a time, mixing on low for 3 minutes after each addition. Add heavy cream 1 TBSP at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
-
Fit a piping bag with a large round tip and fill it with the frosting. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake in one large dollop like a hershey’s kiss by holding the piping bag straight up in the center and applying pressure without moving the piping bag. Once the frosting reaches the edge of the cupcakes slowly pull up and then quickly away from the top.
-
Top each cupcake with a peanut butter marshmallow. Optional – drizzle the top with extra melty peanut butter.
If you loved this recipe for my Toasted Graham Fluffernutter Cupcakes, be sure to leave a star rating and review below and tag @buuckfarmsbakery on TikTok and Instagram. To save this recipe for later, click on the Pinterest icon on the recipe card above, or on any of the images throughout this post.
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