Protein Peanut Butter Cups
on Apr 24, 2025
These Protein Peanut Butter Cups taste like a Reese’s Cup. Your favorite dessert but with a little extra protein!
Peanut Butter Cups
My favorite desserts have always been the ones with chocolate and peanut butter. Can you name a better combo than that?
These protein peanut butter cups are quite possibly one of my favorite no bake desserts ever.
I almost always have a batch of energy balls or no bake protein bars in my freezer when I’m craving something sweet.
This time, I decided to switch things up and make a protein filled version of one of my favorite candies: Reese’s Cups.
Ingredients and Notes
These are super easy to make and you may already have all of the ingredients in your pantry already! The full recipe and instructions is at the bottom of this post.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: prefer your Reese’s cups dark chocolate? Feel free to swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate instead.
- Coconut oil: this makes the chocolate smoother to spread.
- Vanilla extract
- Natural creamy peanut butter: the only ingredients should be peanuts + salt.
- Vanilla protein powder
- Salt
- Maple syrup
How to make protein peanut butter cups
Step 1: Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until smooth and completely melted. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 2: Line a muffin tin with parchment paper muffin liners. Pour 1 heaping teaspoon of the melted chocolate into the bottom of the muffin liner, then spread it out to the edges. Repeat this for all 12 muffin cups of a standard sized muffin tin.
Recipe Tip
Make sure to spread the chocolate out to cover the entire bottom. A good way to do this is by tapping the pan on a flat surface or countertop to settle the chocolate.
Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator while you make the peanut butter filling.
Step 3: Place the peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it for 15-20 seconds, until it is runny. Stir in the vanilla protein powder, salt, and maple syrup until combined.
Step 4: Divide the peanut butter filling into 12 discs that are slightly smaller than the width of the muffin liner.
Step 5: Remove the muffin tin from the refrigerator and place the peanut butter discs onto the top of each chocolate cup.
Step 6: If your leftover melted chocolate has hardened, microwave it for another 15-20 seconds to loosen it up. Drizzle the remaining chocolate over the tops of the peanut butter, smoothing the chocolate out over the top in an even layer to the edges.
Step 7: Place the peanut butter cups back in the refrigerator until the chocolate is set.
Joy’s Tip
If you love salty sweet desserts, try sprinkling the tops of the Reese’s cup with flaky sea salt before the final chocolate layer hardens. This is my favorite way to enjoy peanut butter cups!
Storing
Store leftover peanut butter cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. They will keep for around a week in the refrigerator, or 1-2 months in the freezer.
There is nothing better than pulling a homemade peanut butter cup out of your freezer when your sweet tooth hits.
They are one of my favorite protein sweet treats!
Protein peanut butter cups are indulgent tasting and so delicious that you will crave them.
Give these a try and let me know what you think!
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Protein Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients
For the Chocolate
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil, measured solid
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the peanut butter filling
- 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter, the only ingredients should be peanuts + salt
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup vanilla protein powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Line a muffin tin with parchment paper muffin liners.
- Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until melted and smooth.
- Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour 1 heaping teaspoon of the melted chocolate into the bottom of the muffin liner, then spread it out to the edges until it is in a flat layer. Repeat this for all 12 muffin cups.
- Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator while you make the peanut butter filling.
- Place the peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 15-20 seconds, until it is runny.
- Stir in the vanilla protein powder, salt, and maple syrup until combined.
- Divide the peanut butter filling into 12 discs that are slightly smaller than the width of the muffin liner.
- Remove the muffin tin from the refrigerator and place the peanut butter discs onto the top of each chocolate cup.
- If your leftover melted chocolate has hardened, microwave it for another 15-20 seconds to loosen it up.
- Drizzle the remaining chocolate over the tops of the peanut butter, smoothing the chocolate out over the top in an even layer to the edges.
- Place the peanut butter cups back into the refrigerator for one hour, or until set.
- Store leftover peanut butter cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Notes
To make these vegan
To make these protein peanut butter cups, use vegan protein powder and be sure your chocolate chips are dairy free.Storing
Store leftover peanut butter cups in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container. They will keep around a week in the refrigerator, or 1-2 months in the freezer. I prefer mine in the freezer!Nutrition
Can I use chocolate protein powder or would that make them taste weird?
I think that would taste good!
Are the calories stated for the 12 Cups or just 1 cup.
It is for one cup
I don’t have natural PB at the moment can i use regular store shelf, like JIF?
You can, but it’s going to affect the texture of the filling. You may need to adjust the other filling ingredients so that it is not sticky. No stir peanut butter is much thicker than natural peanut butter.
Is there a substitute for coconut oil?
This looks so good. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you.
You can leave it out, but it will make the chocolate a little harder to spread. I have done it though!
I used avacodo oil!
Could you make them in a 9”x13” pan?
Looks amazing, can’t wait to try. What protein powder do you recommend?
Any kind should work! I use a non dairy brand.