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 am making peanut butter footballs to top cupcakes and decided to go with the Ghirardelli wafers. They come in 10 Oz packages. Would I still use 2 Tbls of shortening?
Nothing short of spectacular. Followed to a tee. They are perfect. Bringing them to my neighbors along with a homemade cheese cake….
I switched from my traditional to try this as you mention more of a “reeses” taste. However, the brown sugar made the textyre gritty. Taste was good, however.
Can’t wait to try making them!!! How long do you think they’re good for at room temperature? (not that I expect them to last long lol)
About a week!
thank you!! they’re soooo good!!
I have made these for years for Easter, so good. Finally made them for valentines after my sister requested hearts. Shaped them into hearts instead of eggs, turned out super cute.
Question…next year I would like to do a white chocolate drizzle stripe on them after coating. Is the ratio of shortening to chocolate the same for white chocolate?
Hi Patricia, I’m so thrilled to hear these have been a favorite of yours! Yes, you would use the same ratio of shortening to chocolate for a white chocolate drizzle as well. Love the heart idea!
could you use nuttela instead of peanut butter
We were excited to try these as our whole family LOVES anything Reese’s. They turned out good. We did add a touch of salt though. The chocolate seemed a bit wax-like, probably from the shortening. Next time we may try to omit it. Definitely a recipe i will keep for the future!
Making this tonight for my family and oohh I can’t wait. Pretty simple recipe and I’m sure it won’t be enough. Thank you for posting 🤗🤗🤗
Update: they came out better than any factory made peanut butter eggs I’ve had! Although they look like mounds of choco colored cookie dough balls, they taste magnificent!! I’ll work on my artistry later lol
Many thanks!!
The greatest thing of all time so much better than Reese peanut Butter cups.
Can you use a silicone mold tray (heart) rather than a free form shape (egg).
We’ve been making your recipe since the day it was published, and year after year we make more, yet it’s never enough! Always a hit, and always requested by friends and family.
Some tips – If the mix is too soft, just toss the bowl in the fridge before rolling. If it’s too hard to shape like eggs, roll into oblong logs and smush down a bit – ours look more like fat tootsie rolls but they taste heavenly. We use dark chocolate candy wafers, the higher quality, the better the taste. But Make ‘n Mold from Michaels works just fine too. We like to store in the fridge and pull a few out each night for snack, setting them on a plate for about 15 min before eating.
Thank you for this delicious recipe! Making our next batch today, although it will just be a quadruple batch since we can’t celebrate Easter with all the family due to COVID-19. Stay healthy and safe, happy holidays!
B/c I’m not up to doing the standing involved (recovering from an 8-1/2-year leg injury and 2 different cancers), I plan to pat the filling into a buttered 8-inch cake pan and pour the chocolate atop. Won’t be *quite* the same, but that’ll do, Donkey. Next year, I get to do it properly! LOL
Just wanted to know if a sugar substitute can be used.
Hi Janet, I’ve never tried a sugar substitute so I can’t say for sure.
These are a perfect copy cat. My sister makes me make these eggs for her the last few years. I do use semi sweet chips, but this year I am also going to do a milk chocolate batch with sprinkles. As long as you follow the recipe they should come out perfect.
This was awful!! I followed the instructions to a T also. I used Skippy peanut butter and the peanut butter mixture was soo sticky and runny. I made 2 separate batches too and both came out bad. I stuck the 2nd batch in the fridge hoping it will stiffen up a bit. I won’t b trying this recipe again. I’ll find another.
I tried making the peanut butter eggs but when I went to go shape the eggs, I couldn’t roll them into balls because the peanut butter mixture was too sticky. What did I do wrong?
I just mixed the ingredients together by hand with softened butter. Taste test called for a pinch of coarse salt in the mix. They were great.
Just made these with semi-sweet chocolate chips for the coating and they’re AMAZING!! Thank you for the recipe!
Made these tonight and it almost seemed to dry crumbly ,almost like it’s to much powdered sugar was disappointed
How could I use this recipe for coconut cream eggs or do you have a recipe for a good coconut cream egg
Yummy. A bit sweet though, so one is quite enough (even half of one).
I made these today to bring to an Easter party and I am sure it will be a huge hit! They look so good I could eat them all! They did make 33 even though I didn’t make double, but more the better, right? :P
I made these today with semisweet chips…oh my goodness! These are super rich and oh so yummy. Thanks Michelle, for a spot-on recipe!
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but do have a suggestion to consider. I have made marshmallow-peanut butter eggs and used natural peanut butter … I just pour off the excess oil instead of stirring it back into the peanut butter before I start. It’s actually firmer in consistency than Jiff is. The extra sugar in peanut butter seems unnecessary so I prefer to use the natural peanut butter. I’ll bet that would work in this recipe too.
Thanks for the tip Susan!
I was so excited to find your recipe for the peanut butter eggs. However, the filling is so incredibly soft that dipping them in the melted chocolate mixture completely misshapen them! I followed your recipe to the letter. Any ideas? I certainly cannot serve these at room temp. There will be chocolate all over everything!
I am so disappointed.
Hi Jacqui, Oh no I’m so sorry to hear you’re having an issue with the consistency! I’ve made these a ton of times and they’ve never turned out too soft. You didn’t use natural peanut butter, did you? That is much more oily. If they were too soft after 30 minutes in the refrigerator you might try chilling them longer or popping them in the freezer to set.
Freeze them overnight before you dip them
Hi Michelle, This post just makes me so happy. It’s just so… CUTE! Thanks for the great instructions and awesome photos. Making them now. You’re the best. Thank you for your awesome blog!!
These are delicious and so easy to make! You can leave them out on the counter in a closed container if you like the inside a little softer or refrigerate them if you like them stiffer. Great both ways. Lots of these recipes out there but I really liked that you melt the ingredients on the stove to dissolve the brown sugar. They tasted better than the store bought ones. Excellent! *****
Hi, these look yummy for any time of the year! Would love if you could check out my blog that I recently started! Thanks!
Can the creamy peanut butter be substituted with whipped peanut butter???
Hi Jacquelyn, I’ve never used whipped peanut butter, so I couldn’t say for sure if the texture would be okay for these (not sure if it would be too soft?).
OMG! They look amazing! Next party I`m treating everyone!!!
Looks so delicious and easy to make! Perfect for Easter!