Peanut Butter Cups Recipe
on Jun 07, 2023, Updated Apr 08, 2024
These peanut butter cups are fool proof, perfect every time, and easy to make. Anyone can make these copycat Reese’s cups from scratch.
Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Homemade peanut butter cups are my favorite dessert to keep in my freezer for a quick treat.
These copycat Reese’s cups are made with basic pantry ingredients and anyone can make them. There’s a reason why peanut butter cups are one of the most popular candy recipes!
Why you’ll love this Peanut Butter Cups Recipe
- sweet and salty: salty sweet desserts take your taste buds to the next level. If you have never tried sea salt flakes on your chocolate desserts you are in for a treat!
- no bake: the best part about making these? They are no bake! All you have to do is melt chocolate, mix, and build. They set in the fridge or freezer in minutes.
- only 20 minutes to prep: you only need a few minutes of your time to prep a batch of this yummy dessert!
Peanut Butter Cup Ingredients
- peanut butter: no stir creamy variety
- powdered sugar
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- vanilla extract
- salt
- sea salt flakes: these are optional, but we love topping with these for a salty sweet flavor that makes these taste out of this world delicious
Peanut Butter Cup Recipe variations
Peanut Butter: Substitute the peanut butter for creamy almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for a nut free version. Keep in mind that some nut butters are runnier than others, so you may need additional powdered sugar to thicken the filling.
Chocolate Chips: You can use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate chips for this recipe.
Sugar: Don’t want to use powdered sugar? Try adding cane sugar or granulated sugar until the peanut butter mixture is no longer too sticky. You can also try using crushed graham cracker crumbs or crisp rice cereal for some added crunch.
How to make Peanut Butter Cups
Step 1: Melt the chocolate. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second increments, stirring each time, until smooth. Be careful not to burn the chocolate or it will seize up. Stir the vanilla extract into the melted chocolate.
Step 2: Line a muffin tin with liners and place 1 ½ teaspoons of the melted chocolate into each muffin liner. Tap the pan down onto the counter top to flatten the chocolate. Place the muffin tin in the fridge or freezer until set. (around 10-15 minutes)
Step 3: Mix together the peanut butter, powdered sugar and salt in a bowl until combined.
Once the first chocolate layer has hardened, remove the muffin tin from the freezer.
Step 4: Distribute the peanut butter mixture evenly into the 12 muffin cups. Tap the pan onto the counter top again to flatten the peanut butter layer.
- Tip: If your chocolate has hardened, you can microwave it for another 10 seconds to help loosen it up. Just be careful not to burn the chocolate.
Step 5: Drizzle the remaining melted chocolate over the tops, tapping the pan down as you go to flatten the final chocolate layer. Top the peanut butter cups immediately with flaked sea salt before the chocolate hardens.
Peanut Butter Cup storage
- in the refrigerator: store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks
- in the freezer: store in an airtight container for 2-3 months
Storing in the freezer is my preferred method, as they last longer and it makes a great the perfect sweet treat that I can grab quickly when a craving hits. I eat mine straight from the freezer, but for a softer bite you can allow it to thaw for a few minutes before eating.
More recipes you’ll love
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
- Chocolate Chip Cookies without Brown Sugar
- Protein Peanut Butter Cups
- Cake Mix Cookies
- Energy Balls
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Cake Mix Brownies
Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy no stir peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Sea salt flakes, for topping
Instructions
- Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second increments, stirring each time, until smooth. Be careful not to burn the chocolate or it will seize up
- Stir the vanilla extract into the melted chocolate
- Line a muffin tin with liners
- Place 1 ½ teaspoons of the melted chocolate into each muffin liner
- Tap the pan down onto the counter top to flatten the chocolate
- Place the muffin tin in the fridge or freezer until set (10-15 minutes)
- Mix together the peanut butter, powdered sugar and salt in a bowl until combined.
- Once the first chocolate layer has hardened, remove the muffin tin from the freezer
- Distribute the peanut butter mixture evenly into the 12 muffin cups
- Tap the pan onto the counter top again to flatten the peanut butter layer
- If your chocolate has hardened, you can microwave it for another 10 seconds to help loosen it up
- Drizzle the remaining melted chocolate over the tops, tapping the pan down as you go to flatten the layer
- Top the peanut butter cups immediately with flaked sea salt before the chocolate hardens
- Place in the fridge or freezer to chill until the chocolate is set
