Description
These Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are a delightful blend of rich chocolate and creamy peanut butter, perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth in a classic, homemade treat. Easy to make with simple ingredients, they are a great alternative to store-bought versions and can be prepared in just about an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Base
- 16 ounces chocolate chips (divided; approximately 2½ cups or chopped chocolate)
- 3 teaspoons coconut oil (divided, optional)
Peanut Butter Filling
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (shelf-stable preferred)
- 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. Alternatively, use 12-cup mini cupcake liners for smaller peanut butter cups to ease removal and portion control.
- Assemble Chocolate Base: Place 1 cup of chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until mostly melted. Stir continuously off heat until fully melted. Stir in 1 teaspoon coconut oil until glossy and smooth.
- Form Chocolate Base: Spoon about ½ tablespoon of melted chocolate into each muffin cup and spread into a thin, even layer with the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge or freezer for 5 minutes to set.
- 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 at medium speed until smooth. For natural peanut butter, add 1-2 tablespoons more powdered sugar to achieve a firm, dough-like consistency.
- Shape Peanut Butter Discs: Remove the muffin tray from the fridge. Shape about 1 tablespoon of the peanut butter mixture per cup into small discs slightly smaller than the chocolate base. Place these discs on top of the hardened chocolate layers.
- Melt Remaining Chocolate: Put the remaining 1½ cups chocolate chips in a clean heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until mostly melted, then stir off heat until fully melted. Add remaining 2 teaspoons coconut oil and mix until smooth and glossy.
- Cover Peanut Butter: Pour about 2 teaspoons of the melted chocolate over each peanut butter disc, smoothing with the back of a spoon and allowing excess chocolate to drip down the sides. Make sure the peanut butter is fully encased.
- Harden Peanut Butter Cups: Place the tray back in the refrigerator for about an hour to set completely, or use the freezer for 10-15 minutes to speed up the process.
- Store and Serve: Once hardened, carefully remove the peanut butter cups from the liners. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For best flavor, allow cups to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For a firmer peanut butter filling using natural peanut butter, add extra powdered sugar as indicated.
- Coconut oil is optional but helps achieve a smooth, glossy finish on the chocolate.
- Using silicone liners makes removal easier and reduces the chance of breaking the cups.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge to maintain freshness and texture.
- Allowing the cups to come to room temperature before eating enhances the flavor and mouthfeel.
