Description
Delicious homemade chocolate peanut butter cups made with creamy peanut butter and smooth melted chocolate. This easy-to-make recipe features layers of rich chocolate encasing a sweet and slightly salty peanut butter center, perfect for a satisfying treat or gift.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Layer
- 16 ounces chocolate chips (divided; approximately 2½ cups)
- 3 teaspoons coconut oil (divided, optional)
Peanut Butter Filling
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (shelf-stable is best)
- 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 sizes.
- 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 with a few chunks left. Stir continuously off heat to fully melt. Add 1 teaspoon coconut oil and stir until glossy.
- Form Chocolate Base: Spoon about ½ tablespoon of melted chocolate into each muffin cup, spreading into a thin, even layer. Chill in fridge or freezer for 5 minutes to harden.
- Prepare Peanut Butter Filling: In a medium bowl, mix ½ cup creamy peanut butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon salt using a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth. For natural peanut butter, add extra powdered sugar if needed to thicken. Mixture should be firm and shapeable like soft cookie dough.
- Shape Peanut Butter Discs: Remove muffin tin from fridge/freezer. Use about 1 tablespoon peanut butter mixture per cup, shaping into discs slightly smaller than the chocolate base. Place discs on top of hardened chocolate layer.
- Melt Remaining Chocolate: Place remaining 1½ cups chocolate chips into a clean heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until mostly melted. Stir off heat to fully melt. 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 spoon and letting excess drip down sides to fully encase the peanut butter.
- Harden Peanut Butter Cups: Return the tray to the fridge to harden for about 1 hour, or freeze for 10-15 minutes to speed setting.
- Store and Serve: Once hardened, remove peanut butter cups from liners. Store in airtight container in refrigerator up to 5 days. Allow to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before eating to enhance flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use shelf-stable creamy peanut butter for best texture; adjust powdered sugar if using natural peanut butter.
- Chilling each chocolate layer helps create distinct layers and prevents mixing of peanut butter and chocolate.
- Coconut oil helps achieve a smooth and glossy chocolate coating but is optional.
- For smaller peanut butter cups, use mini cupcake liners and adjust peanut butter amount accordingly.
- Store peanut butter cups in fridge to keep chocolate solid and fresh.
