Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
These peanut butter eggs are a homemade copycat version of Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, an Easter favorite. An easy recipe that will be a holiday staple!
As a kid, Easter Sunday always fell very closely behind Halloween when it came to raking in the candy loot. In some ways, it was actually better. Sure, on Halloween you got candy in quantity. However, Easter was definitely all about the quality. Let’s face it – without fail, someone always ended up with a box of Nerds, or raisins, or some other type of unsavory candy on Halloween night.
These things just didn’t happen with the Easter basket. The bunny knew what kind of candy you liked and you always got the good stuff. For me, the good stuff meant peanut butter eggs (shocking, I know). If there was just one thing in my basket, and it was a peanut butter egg, I would be in my glory. All these years later, I still can’t shake my affinity for them.
Since I had already tackled homemade peanut butter cups, I decided many Easters ago that I would finally make homemade peanut butter eggs. I don’t think I’ll ever go back!
How to Make Copycat Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs
Let’s break down these peanut butter eggs…
- 6 ingredients.
- 1 pot + 1 bowl.
- Wooden spoon + cookie scoop.
- 1 baking sheet + 1 piece of wax paper.
- Less than 1 hour hands-on time.
Basically, they are a dream to make and are utterly addicting. The ability to stash a bunch of these in your refrigerator for an “emergency”? Priceless.
Or you could, you know, give them away as Easter presents and not hoard them like I would.
I’ve loved tackling homemade versions of treats that I have always eaten from a wrapper; it’s incredibly satisfying to know exactly what I’m eating, and that I’m not using any crazy preservatives or chemicals.
Recipe Notes
- Do not use natural peanut butter in this recipe, as it is too oily and the eggs will not set properly. Regular ‘ol Jif or Skippy is your best bet!
- You can substitute another nut butter (again, not natural, though!) for the peanut butter in this recipe.
- You can also use semisweet or dark chocolate for the coating, if you prefer.
- You can substitute refined coconut oil for the vegetable shortening in the coating.
- These are fine to sit out at room temperature but can be stored in the refrigerator for a month, easily, and frozen, too!
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Whether you put these in someone’s Easter basket or share them on a dessert platter, you just have to make these peanut butter eggs this season! They’re too easy and too cute not to.
If you’re hosting Easter I have a fun idea for you!
Put the peanut butter eggs in individual cellophane treat bags, tie with a ribbon, and place in a basket so everyone can grab one on their way out the door. No matter how much we eat, there’s always room for a treat on the car ride home! Right? Or is that just me? ;-)
Three years ago: Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Four years ago: Rye Irish Soda Bread
Five years ago: Mango-Pineapple Salsa
Seven years ago: Guinness-Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
Ten years ago: Russian Grandmothers’ Apple Pie-Cake
Watch the Recipe Video:
Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
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
- 2 cups (360 g) milk chocolate chips , (or 12 ounces milk chocolate, chopped)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper or 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 simmer, 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 to room temperature.
- Using a medium cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon, scoop out peanut butter mixture and shape into eggs. I found it easiest to roll the scoop into a ball, and then roll it into a short cylinder. I placed it on the baking sheet, and then used my fingers to shape the ends into an egg-like oval. Refrigerate to allow the peanut butter eggs to set, about 30 minutes.
- Once the peanut butter eggs are set, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together in the microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until completely melted. One at a time, dip a peanut butter egg into the chocolate and, using a fork, flip it over so it is completely covered. Remove it from the bowl, letting any excess chocolate drip off. Return it to the baking sheet, and repeat with all of the peanut butter eggs. Sprinkle with decorations, if desired.
- Return the chocolate-covered peanut butter eggs to the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to set, about 30 minutes. The peanut butter eggs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Do not use natural peanut butter in this recipe, as it is too oily and the eggs will not set properly.
- You can substitute another nut butter (again, not natural, though!) for the peanut butter in this recipe.
- You can also use semisweet or dark chocolate for the coating, if you prefer.
- You can substitute refined coconut oil for the vegetable shortening in the coating.
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 April 3, 2012.
[photos by Whitney Wright]
I wonder if you could use nutella or almond butter instead of PB. just curious. I love me some PB and chocolate.
I definitely think you could!
I made the cups with nutella on the inside and a mix of dark chocolate and cinnamon chips on the outside. yummm!
Have been wanting to make something similar with white baking chips since I’m allergic to chocolate. This gave me just the push I needed to get in the kitchen and do it.
I think I just died and went to heaven! These are my ALL TIME favourite Easter treats! Now I can make them at home, awesome!
yum!
Peanut butter eggs are my favorite! I’m so drooling over these.
Yay!! I’m betting the Easter Bunny at this house is going to bring lots of these little goodies for my kids! :)
Bonus they can be made after they go to bed Saturday night! ;) Thank you for the recipe Michelle!
holy moly :) these are good! Just finished them up and I can not wait for Rob to get home he is going to fall in love with me all over :)
Having this recipe is trouble!! Yikes…I LOVE Reese’s!
I love treats that look like they were way more difficult to make than they actually are. The secret is not to tell anyone how easy they are, so they can think you slaved all day and conquered some culinary feat! ;-)
.. or is that just me?
These look wonderful! Who knew they would be so easy to make?
I have 2 questions. 1: I use natural peanut butter normally (the kind you have to stir before using and then keep in the fridge). Do you think that would work or shoud I buy whipped peanut butter? 2: Are these as peanut-buttery as Reese’s? I find that most homemade peanut butter eggs just don’t have the peanut butter intensity that Reese’s do. We REALLY love peanut butter at our house.
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
I’d like to know, also, about natural peanut butter vs. regular…so I searched the peanut butter cup BAR recipe comments. Many seem to have successfully used natural peanut butter so I’m going to give it a try here! Please comment ‘back’ if you try it!
Hi Ashley, I would not use the natural peanut butter that needs to be stirred and refrigerated – it would be too oily for this. You could, however, use the no-stir variety that is kept in the pantry (JIF and Skippy make versions of this). And to answer your second question – I do think these are very peanut butter-y!
I made them with the natural Jif and they turned out perfectly! They are delicious, super peanut-ty! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
Win-Dixi has Reese’s brand peanut butter and after adding all the ingredients that the recipe called for i think the peanut butter filling tasted just like the filling in the store bought Reese’s eggs.
Yay! These are my husband’s favorites. I love everything peanut butter and chocolate as well, but I’m not traditionally a candy person. You did a great job; these are beautiful!
Will you marry me? I love your recipes thank you so much for sharing these I am going to make them as a little favor for Easter
Mmmmmm YES! Peanut butter eggs are my FAVORITE easter candy! I am so happy you posted this, THANK YOU!
Completely adorable! They wouldn’t stand a chance at lasting here :)
Divine! I’m so trying these. I live for Reese’s peanut butter eggs!!
Yum! I have seen peanut butter chocolate around the blog world but haven’t made it because, well I have an peanut butter addiction, but since it is Easter I am going to make these. But stupid question, is shortening, Crisco?
Actually Crisco is a Brand of Shortening.
Not a stupid question! Yes, vegetable shortening would be Crisco.
These look delicious! What a great Easter chocolate gift idea :-)
Only seeing that peanut butter color there in the middle I drool! They look so lovely!
These are lovely! I love the look of them!
Oh man, these look fantastic!! Well done – dangerous to keep around, though ;)
Amazing! My Husband was walking past and saw the screen and just begged me to make these for him!! He LOVES Peanut Butter (and so do the kids!) so think I’ll have to whip up a batch!
These look perfect!!!
These are so cute!
I am lost for words! I want these! That is all.
You had me at peanut butter and chocolate…!
Like Kristen, these remind me of the peanut butter balls, I used to make at Christmas time. I love the idea of this Easter egg alternative!
These remind me of the peanut butter balls I make for Christmas. Yours look so festive!
Your eggs look delish! They do double-duty of being a great Easter treat AND you posted them on Natl PB&J day. You could dip them in a side of jelly…Lol
Seriously they’re perfect and I love making at-home PB Cups..better than storebought!
Is there any substituion for the shortening? Or do you think I could omit it if I’m using the semi-sweet baking bars? Thanks for another great recipe!
Not Michelle but in my experience, the shortening will help keep the chocolate smoother and “thinner” so that you don’t end up with a big “wad” of chocolate around each egg. It keeps the chocolate layer to a more manageable size and keeps it from building up too much when dipping anything from truffles to cake pops but a thick layer of chocolate, i.e. no shortening, never hurt anyone :)
Just sharing my personal experience on that one.
The shortening also helps the chocolate “set”. I never leave it out!
If you add a big heaping spoon of peanut butter instead of shortening, it adds to the flavor, and produces the same result as the shortening. I did this with the bars, and it was fantastic!
Yep a great substitute for shortening is wax believe it or not. make sure it’s food grade wax. my mom and i made these the other day and without the wax, our first batch didn’t harden as fast, were not as shiny, and the chocolate was harder to manage.
for a half bag of large chocolate chips, i’d put in what would be about 1.5 tbsp.
hope this helps!
Hi E, I would not omit the shortening. I find it essential when melting chocolate for dipping or coating. It really keeps the chocolate thin and from clumping up.
Thanks everyone for your input and help!
Hi Michelle, first Happy Easter to you and your family! :) If you don’t have the say Crisco shortening (in the can or sticks) can you substitute with liquid vegetable oil? Thanks, Kim
No, but butter (not margarine) or coconut oil will work. Vegetable oil might not help the chocolate set, since it’s a liquid at room temp, whereas the others are solids. Hope that helps!
Hi Kim, I would recommend coconut oil. And Happy Easter to you as well! :)
I didn’t put the shortening in mine cause i don’t much care for it and they turned out just fine.
Use palm shortening, much healthier.
You can you parafin wax instead of shortening when dipping chocolate. It keeps the chocolate from melting in your fingers, and keeps the chocolate thin and smooth.
Lecithin – which in essence is still a wax but is a professional chocolate makers emulsifier for candy making. It does allow however the chocolate to set up less flimsy than the shortening does. Good Luck ! (in other words an emulsifier of some form really is your friend here :) )
These look delicious!!
These are easy to make. Fun to decorate and delicious to eat! Thanks for another wonderful recipe BEB!