Mocha Peanut Butter Muffins!

Joe doesn't like eggs. It's quite a bummer for me given that I'd consider eggs one of my favorite foods. I love them fried, poached, deviled, scrambled, you name it. I am, however, learning to deal with it. I say that totally lovingly. He would be absolutely fine if I made myself eggs while he had toast and peanut butter (his morning staple), but I feel bad not eating what he eats. I'll get over that eventually and just start making myself eggs, but in the meantime I'm getting creative.

This Saturday he's spending the day with his friend Sean, which includes taking the train to Lawrence, MA. I think it's great that he has these "guy days" with Sean (they've been friends since they were kids), but it definitely bums me out to not be around him. This is also something I'm getting used to (I have all SORTS of solo weekend plans for the summer and am also hoping for more girl days with the ladies). That said, I want to make him breakfast before he leaves this Saturday, partly because I want to do something sweet for him and partly because I want him to think of me all day. Sneaky, I know.

He eats a lot of peanut butter, as I've alluded, and he loves coffee. The other day when I was asking him about foods (he also doesn't like strawberries [or most other berries], seafood, had never had fajitas until I made them, etc.) and he asked if I could make mocha muffins like they have at the grocery store. Now I've never made mocha muffins, but I figured I'd try searching the internet and see if I could find a good recipe. The one I found is perfect for him: Mocha Peanut Butter muffins!

I'll go ahead and post the recipe now, but I'll definitely update with a review afterward:

2 cups all purpose flour (can use some whole wheat too)
1/2 stick butter, room temperature

4 Tbsp. applesauce
1/2 cup peanut butter, divided
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup brewed coffee, room temp
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl mix the butter, applesauce, 1/4 cup peanut butter and sugar with a hand or stand mixer. Add the eggs, vanilla and room temperature coffee. In a separate bowl mix the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the dry mix to the wet mix. Stir only until incorporated. Add about 1/3 cup mix to each muffin tin, filling almost all the way to the top. Top with about 1 tsp of peanut butter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a fork inserted comes out clean. Cool for about 5 minutes in the pan then finish cooling on a wire wrack.

I'm super excited to make them and report back about how they turn out! Fingers crossed!!