Homemade Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

peanut butter cups 2 ways: Reese's style and for the 4th of July!

5 from 4 votes

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

This Homemade Peanut Butter Cups Recipe is easy to make with only 4 to 5 ingredients. There are 2 ways to make them: either Reese’s style (using bittersweet chocolate) or you can customize them for the 4^th of July (with white chocolate and food coloring). Both make a treat that you don’t want to miss!

Course:Dessert

Cuisine:American

Prep Time 13

Cook Time 2

freezing time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories352 kcal

Author Denise Browning

Cost $0.50

Equipment

microwave
bowls
muffin tim
paper cups

Ingredients

18 oz bittersweet chocolate chips or white chocolate if making the patriotic peanut butter cups (or keto chocolate for making this low carb)
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
½ cup confectionary sugar (or monkey fruit to make these keto)
12 drops each red and blue food coloring only if making the patriotic PB cups

Instructions

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from Scratch

Start by lining a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper cups. Then, melt chocolate according to the instructions in the package. You can either use the double-boiler or the microwave. I prefer the latter!
If using the microwave, place half of the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and cook for about 2 minutes, pausing and mixing at 30-second intervals until melted and smooth.
Using a cookie scoop, pour one scoop of melted chocolate into each of the 12 muffin tins. To distribute into an even layer, drop the pan repeatedly on the counter in order to flatten and smooth the chocolate layer. Place the pan in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until chocolate has hardened.
Meanwhile, whip peanut butter with softened butter and confectioner’s sugar until mixture is well-mixed and smooth.
Drop one scoop of the peanut butter mixture onto the frozen chocolate layer. Then, drop the pan several times on the counter in order to flatten out and smooth the peanut mixture layer. Place the pan in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until hardened.
Be aware that the chocolate layers may be harder than the peanut butter filing. To avoid any mess while eating them, you may drop about one teaspoon only of the peanut butter mixture onto the center of chocolate layer. In this case, don’t drop the tin on the counter. Freeze to harden. Then, follow the instructions for the top chocolate layer. The filling will be in the very center of the peanut butter cups completely covered by chocolate including on the sides – just like the Reese’s candy. That’s the best way to avoid mess when eating them!
Melt the other half of the chocolate chips until smooth and place one scoop onto the peanut butter mixture. Again drop the tin on the counter many times or until an even layer is formed. Place the pan in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until hardened.
Make sure to let these homemade peanut butter cups come to room temperature before serving. Then just peel off the paper wrapper and enjoy!

Patriotic Peanut Butter Cups

To make these red, white, and blue peanut butter cups, follow the instructions above. But use white chocolate instead. Depending on the quality of your chocolate or the weather, you may need to add 2-3 tablespoons of neutral vegetable oil to the melted chocolate and mix very well until chocolate is smooth.
After placing one scoop of the melted chocolate into each paper cup and dropping the pan on the counter to form an even layer, add one drop of red and one drop of blue food coloring onto the chocolate layer of each tin.
Using a toothpick, make swirls, and then drop the pan again to smooth out the chocolate layer. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Follow the instructions above for the peanut butter layer and repeat the directions for the red, white, and blue chocolate layer. If desired, garnish them on top with red, white, and blue sprinkles!

Recipe Notes

The nutritional info is for the Reese's PB Cups from scratch.
For keto: 302 calories and 25 net carbs (each)
For Patriotic PB Cups: 352 calories each

Keto Peanut Butter Cups

To make them keto or low carb, use keto chocolate, as well as monkey fruit instead of sugar.

Healthy Version

To make healthy peanut butter cups, use dark chocolate and also substitute melted coconut oil for butter (same amount) and honey or maple syrup (about ¼ cup) for confectioner's sugar. To make them vegan, use maple syrup.

Making Ahead and Storage

You can make them ahead and then cover the muffin tin with plastic wrap and keep either at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 7 days. If refrigerated, bring to room temp before serving; otherwise, the chocolate layers will be too hard to bite. It may take 20-30 minutes to come to room temp.

You may also keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To do this, wrap them with parchment paper individually and place into sealable plastic bags (make sure to squeeze most of the air out) or place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the muffin tin and wrap with plastic wrap. It will protect them against water droplets and freezer odors.

Nutrition

** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.

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