Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
A homemade version of Reese’s peanut butter cups. This easy recipe comes together quickly and is great for gifting or stashing in your freezer!
There is absolutely no question about where my heart lies when it comes to candy. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Reese’s Pieces are it for me. Reese’s cups were my favorite Halloween candy as a kid, so it’s only natural that I immediately cozy up to recipes that merge together two of my favorite ingredients – chocolate and peanut butter.
Over seven years ago, a reader of mine, Lissa, shared this peanut butter filling recipe with me, citing that she used it as a base for peanut butter bars. At the time, I already had a go-to recipe for peanut butter bars, but what she sent me sounded like a perfect filling for homemade peanut butter cups. After doing some testing, I discovered that it really WAS a perfect recreation of Reese’s peanut butter cup filling.
Behold! The most amazing homemade peanut butter cups – super easy and a great project to do with kids!
How Do You Make Homemade Peanut Butter Cups?
They’re super easy and just require a few steps!
First up, you mix melt together peanut butter, butter and brown sugar in a saucepan until bubbling, then take it off the heat and add the powdered sugar a little at a time until it’s completely absorbed, then set it aside to room temperature.
Meanwhile, melt milk chocolate together with vegetable shortening and line the muffin cups with some of the chocolate. Scoop balls of the peanut butter filling and press into a patty, then place on top of the chocolate in the muffin cups. Top with more of the melted chocolate and chill until set.
That’s it!
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I’ve seen some people use a pastry brush to brush the sides of the cups with the melted chocolate so you don’t have any little naked spots on the sides, but I’ve never had an issue with glaring open spots, so I’ve never done this.
But consider it an option!
Substitutions for Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
This is my all-time favorite version of peanut butter cups (peanut butter + milk chocolate), but there are tons of variations you can try. Some ideas:
- Substitute semisweet or dark chocolate for the milk chocolate.
- Substitute almond, cashew or another nut butter for the peanut butter.
- You can use chocolate chips instead of the the chopped chocolate.
- You can substitute refined coconut oil for the vegetable shortening.
If you are a fellow chocolate and peanut butter lover, then homemade peanut butter cups are a must in your kitchen!
They make a fantastic gift for Halloween or Christmas, a great addition to cookie trays, and are also perfect for stashing in your freezer for peanut butter cup emergencies (because I’m fairly certain that’s an actual thing, right?).
If You Like Peanut Butter Cups, Try These:
- Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
- Peanut Butter Buckeyes
- Salted Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cup Overload Cake
- Buckeye Brownies
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- The Best Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
Four years ago: Bacon Jam
Five years ago: Ricotta Cake with Fresh Berries
Six years ago: Tamale Pie
Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup (258 g) creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar
- 1¼ cups (150 g) powdered sugar
- 24 ounces (680.39 g) milk chocolate, finely chopped (or substitute milk chocolate chips)
- ¼ cup (51.25 g) vegetable shortening
Instructions
- Line a mini-muffin tin with paper liners; set aside. Line a baking with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the peanut butter, butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Heat until completely melted and starting to bubble a little, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add the powdered sugar a ¼ cup at a time, stirring until completely combined with the peanut butter mixture after each addition. Set aside and let cool.
- Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together in the microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments, until completely melted, stirring after each burst.
- Using a small cookie scoop or a couple of teaspoons, spoon melted chocolate into the bottom of each lined muffin cup.
- Use a heaping teaspoon to scoop out the peanut butter mixture. Roll it into a ball, and then flatten it slightly into a disk. Place on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once finished with all of the peanut butter mixture, refrigerate both the muffin tins and the peanut butter patties for about 30 minutes.
- Place a peanut butter patty on top of each chocolate-lined muffin tin. Then use a scoop or spoon to add more melted chocolate on top and around each peanut butter patty. (If the melted chocolate firmed up, just pop it back into the microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds or so to re-melt.)
- Refrigerate again for 30 minutes, then they're ready to serve! Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can keep at room temperature in an airtight container if you're going to serve them the same day, but they'll start to get soft if not at cool room temperature.
Notes
- You can substitute milk chocolate chips for the chopped milk chocolate.
- You can substitute refined coconut oil for the vegetable shortening.
- You use different nut butters, I recommend using "processed" versions; the "natural" version of nut butters will be too oily for the filling.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on August 2, 2011.
[photos by Whitney Wright]
Can oil replace the shortening?
Hi Michelle, Typically no, the shortening has specific properties that help to thin the chocolate and have it coat items nicely, instead of glopping on.
Thanks Michelle and Lissa. I can’t wait to give these a try. Peanut butter cups are all my daughter requests for Christmas baking, and these will be perfect!
can i use granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar? it’s kinda hard to buy them :/
Hi Jenn, Unfortunately granulated sugar won’t work in this recipe because it won’t dissolve the way powdered sugar does.
I don’t have a mini-muffin tin… do you think i could just put mini paper liners on a tray? or am i going to end up with a peanut butter cup disaster?
I’m honestly not sure. You could test it with one. My concern would be the melted chocolate running and not keeping the cup shape. Having them in a mini tin also helps the ridges form in the chocolate.
Peanut butter and chocolate, my favorite combo. I only have regular sized paper muffin cups, so I’m thinkin’ go bigger, just maybe not so tall. :)
Do you ever eat the Trader Joe’s PB cups? And the mini Trader Joe’s PB cups? They are even creamier and more tasty than Reeses. And they look alot like yous with the cute swirled top.
I am going to try making these this weekend.
Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is simple and delicious.
–however, a note about peanut butters: Not thinking, after reading this I immediately ran out to my local Whole Foods and picked up a jar of “natural” peanut butter, my eagerness to make these treats taking over my rational thinking skills. Not only is the consistency quite different (much more viscous/oily, similar to an almond butter), natural peanut butter has only a fraction of the amount of salt as does, say, Jiff. To compensate for this, I used only 1 cup powdered sugar, a pinch of flour to make up for the lost quarter cup p. sugar, and a pinch of salt. came out just right, or at least, tasted great to me. I hope this helps!
Thank u so much for this recipe and to cupcakes and cashmere for forwarding me to your blog. I can’t wait to make them
This has got to be one of the best blogs I’ve happened upon. Quickly adding this site to my favorites, right now!!!
Welcome Lana! Thank you!
Hi! These look delicious I am going to try the recipe for sure this weekend! Just two questions: Do any of the ingredients have gluten? and, do you have an alternative to vegetable shortening?
Thanks for the awesome post!!
Hi Camila, I am not familiar with gluten-free baking, so I would not be comfortable declaring anything gluten-free. I would probably check the actual ingredient packaging you have to be sure there is no gluten. No substitute for vegetable shortening – its properties help to thin out the chocolate and keep it from glumping together.
These were delicious. Even my mum who is a very fussy eater thought they were awesome. How long can these be kept for?
Hi Mel, You can keep them in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, or freeze them for a few months.
omg you have no idea how badly I want to try this.
I make many, many of the recipes you post, and I rarely take the time to write. But I just love your blog, and turn to it all the time. I made these today, and must’ve nibbled too much on the milk chips as they were melting :) so I ran out of “topping” chocolate for the last few, and just couldn’t let them go to waste. So I melted an ounce of semi-sweet choco I had, with a tsp of butter, and topped with that. If you like all kinds of chocolate (and who doesn’t?), it’s a sort of twist on the classic Reese’s PB cup. Tks for sharing all your recipes, and please, keep up the delicious work!
I just made these and they are delicious. They were easy to make and my kids loved helping! I love all your recipes and this one definitely did not let me down!
This is one of my mum’s favourite snack. I’m planning to make it for her birthday at the end of the month. What makes Reese so irresistible and addictive is the salty tinge that tickles your tastebuds. Does this peanut butter mixture taste that way too? I know my mum is not gonna go ga-ga over it if it lacks in that department. Thanks!
Oh my goodness- I just made these and they are fabulous!!
Just a suggestion for those of you that want to substitute the shortening in the chocolate for these, (or any other chocolate dipped delight!) try coconut oil. It solidifies at room temperature and thins out the chocolate very nicely. A family friend of mine is one of the pastry instructors at the CIA at Greystone and he taught me that trick. Have you tried that for these Michelle? Can’t wait to make them-thanks for sharing the recipe!
Megan: Would that be a 1:1 substitution? I have coconut oil, just not shortening! :)
I think this is seriously the most dangerous recipe I have seen. Reese’s pb cups are my husbands absolute favorite. This one is going into my file to make for my hubby’s b-day!! Thanks so much!!
Is there something I can use as a substitute for the veggie shortening?? That’s the one ingredient that I don’t already have!
Hi Jenny, There is no substitute for the shortening; its specific properties help to thin the chocolate to create a nice coating.
Coconut oil is supposed to work as a substitute for vegetable shortening. I’m going to try it out tonight.
Sarah, did you try it with coconut oil?
Shortening isn’t available where I live so I was wondering how it worked out?
Reeses are my favorite too. It’s amazing how close they are in taste, now I can make them from home and surprise all of my friends. They’ll never guess that I made them.
finally made these, but had to tweak a little, and they worked out SO well. inspiring, delicious and very dangerous! thanks!
Hey!
Made these today but didn’t have any shortening so I just use the chocolate by itself. What difference does the shortening make? The chocolate set very hard. Does the shortening make the chocolate set a bit softer?
Thanks :)
Hi Maddie, It doesn’t make it softer, but it helps to thin the chocolate so that it’s not as thick. It creates a smoother, thinner coating.
Hi Michelle,
Been trying some recipes on your blog for a few months now, and I’ve never found one that I didn’t like!! THX :D
On a side note, I have a recipe really similar to this one, that uses graham cracker crumbs in the PB mix. I find it helps with the texture, and doesn’t affect the taste (1/2 cup PB, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs). I’ll be sure to compare the recipes once I get the chance :)
Ooh! I’ve actually made peanut butter cup bars with graham cracker crumbs in the filling: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/01/12/peanut-butter-cup-bars-recipe/
HI
Can I just use granulated sugar instead of powdered?
Thanks
Hi Julie, No you need powdered sugar for this recipe – must different textures and flavors.
Can I melt the chocolate on the stove? I don’t own a microwave.
Hi Olivia, Yes you can do it on the stove. I would use a double-boiler so you don’t risk burning the chocolate in a pan.
Thank you! Living in Australia now I don’t have access to the store bought version anymore; it’s nice to know I can do it at home now. Already made my first batch and yum!
Yum!!!! What about an almond butter and dark chocolate version????
For sure! You could certainly replace the peanut butter with almond butter, and dark chocolate for the milk chocolate.
Oh my goodness, I’ve been making homemade pb cups for a while and I thought they were delicious…but these are even better! The recipe I’d been using didn’t have the brown sugar or vegetable shortening. Store bought pb cups can’t touch these. Chocolate and peanut butter are so fantastically perfect together.
P.S. I’ve been following your blog for a while and finally figured I should start commenting:)
Oh. My. God.
I love you. And your chocolate-peanut butter fetish.
:-)
Definitely a treat to make for my husband. He loves peanut butter. Honestly though, I love peanut butter and chocolate so I have a feeling I’ll be eating more of these than he will. Thanks for sharing the recipe!