Description
Delicious homemade chocolate peanut butter cups made with creamy peanut butter, rich chocolate, and a hint of vanilla. These easy-to-make treats have a smooth chocolate base, a sweet and salty peanut butter filling, and are fully encased in glossy chocolate. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth with a classic flavor combination.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Base
- 16 ounces chocolate chips, divided (approximately 2½ cups)
- 3 teaspoons coconut oil, divided (optional)
Peanut Butter Filling
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (shelf-stable recommended)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
Instructions
- Prepare Pan: Line a 6-cup muffin tin with silicone or paper liners, or use 12-cup mini cupcake liners for smaller peanut butter cups.
- Assemble Chocolate Base: Place 1 cup of chocolate chips into a small heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each until mostly melted but with a few chunks remaining. Stir continuously off heat until fully melted. Add 1 teaspoon coconut oil and mix until glossy.
- Form Chocolate Base: Spoon about ½ tablespoon of the melted chocolate into each muffin cup, spreading into a thin layer with the back of a spoon. Chill in fridge or freezer for 5 minutes to harden.
- Prepare Peanut Butter Filling: Mix ½ cup creamy peanut butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl using a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth and combined. For natural peanut butter, add 1-2 tablespoons more powdered sugar to thicken. Should be firm enough to shape like soft cookie dough.
- Shape Peanut Butter Discs: Remove muffin tin from fridge/freezer. Use about 1 tablespoon peanut butter mixture per cup and shape into discs slightly smaller than chocolate base. Place discs on top of chocolate base in muffin cups.
- Melt Remaining Chocolate: Place remaining 1½ cups chocolate chips in a clean heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until mostly melted with a few chunks remaining. Stir off heat to melt fully. Add remaining 2 teaspoons coconut oil and stir until smooth and glossy.
- Cover Peanut Butter: Pour about 2 teaspoons of melted chocolate over each peanut butter disc, smoothing with back of a spoon and allowing excess to drip down sides to encase the peanut butter fully.
- Harden Peanut Butter Cups: Return tray to fridge for about 1 hour or place in freezer for 10-15 minutes to set quickly.
- Store and Serve: Once hardened, remove peanut butter cups from liners if desired. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow to sit at room temperature 5-10 minutes before eating for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use shelf-stable peanut butter for best texture; if using natural peanut butter, increase powdered sugar to thicken filling.
- Chilling the chocolate base before adding the peanut butter filling helps create a clean layer separation.
- You can substitute coconut oil with another neutral oil or omit it, but it helps smooth the melted chocolate.
- Let peanut butter cups come to room temperature before eating for a softer bite and enhanced flavor.
- Store peanut butter cups in the fridge up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze and thaw before eating.
