Description
These homemade chocolate peanut butter cups are a delicious, easy-to-make treat that combines rich, smooth chocolate with a creamy peanut butter filling. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth with a classic flavor combination, these cups are made from scratch using simple ingredients and can be customized to your taste preferences.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Base
- 16 ounces chocolate chips (divided; approximately 2½ cups), semi-sweet or milk 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, or use 12-cup mini cupcake liners if you prefer smaller peanut butter cups.
- Assemble Chocolate Base: Place 1 cup of chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each until mostly melted with a few chunks remaining. Stir continuously to fully melt with residual heat. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and stir until glossy.
- Form Chocolate Base: Spoon about ½ tablespoon of the melted chocolate into each muffin cup, spreading it evenly with the back of a spoon, then chill in the fridge or freezer for 5 minutes to harden.
- Prepare Peanut Butter Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Use a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth and well combined. For natural peanut butter, add 1-2 tablespoons more powdered sugar to thicken. The mixture should be firm enough to shape like soft cookie dough.
- Shape Peanut Butter Discs: Remove the muffin tin from the fridge/freezer. Use about 1 tablespoon of peanut butter mixture per cup and shape into small discs slightly smaller than the chocolate base. Place each disc on top of the hardened chocolate layer in the muffin cups.
- Melt Remaining Chocolate: Place the remaining 1½ cups of chocolate chips into a clean heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring frequently until mostly melted with some chunks remaining. Stir well to fully melt with residual heat. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of 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 the back of a spoon to fully encase the peanut butter and allowing excess chocolate to drip down the sides.
- Harden Peanut Butter Cups: Return the muffin tin to the fridge to harden for about 1 hour or place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to speed up the setting process.
- Store and Serve: Once hardened, remove the peanut butter cups from the muffin tin and liners if desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before eating for optimal flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use shelf-stable peanut butter for a firmer filling; natural peanut butter may require additional powdered sugar.
- The addition of coconut oil helps create a shiny, smooth chocolate coating and makes melting easier.
- Chocolate cups can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Microwave times may vary depending on your appliance; stir often to prevent burning.
- Silicone liners are recommended for easier removal, but paper liners work fine too.
