Nothing beats the quality of homemade, especially not in the case of these Best Homemade Peanut Butter Cups! Without all the unhealthy ingredients of store bought peanut butter cups, this simple version contains only 4 ingredients. It can be made quickly and easily with no baking experience necessary.
Making Homemade Peanut Butter Cups Healthy
With the low-quality ingredients, fillers, and preservatives such as PGPR, TBHQ, gmos, cheap seed oils, non-organic dairy, etc. used in store-bought peanut butter cups such as Reese’s®, I prefer to make my own! Not only are they a healthy peanut butter cup, but they taste just as good.
The limited ingredients used makes this recipe even healthier. They are made without powdered sugar, opting instead for raw honey (or maple syrup) for an unprocessed sugar source. They are also made with coconut oil, providing smoothness to the chocolate and peanut butter layers, without the use of dairy or processed fats such as vegetable oil.
**For those who don’t want to make their own, while costly, Justin’s® also offers some delicious, organic peanut butter cups. They are all gluten-free. For those who don’t consume peanuts, they also have a sunflower butter option. However, for anyone with soy, dairy, tree nuts, or peanuts allergies, I would not recommend these products due to their contains statement.**
Peanut Butter Cup Recipe Ingredients
This simple recipe requires four ingredients + one already from your cabinet (sea salt). Just grab two tablespoons of coconut oil, 1 cup of peanut butter, ¼ cup of raw honey or maple syrup, and chocolate!
Substitution FAQs
Just swap out the raw honey for the same amount of maple syrup.
Use the chocolate bars linked to in the recipe card below or use an allergen free chocolate bar or chocolate chips.
If you are not worried about any food allergies/restrictions, pretty much anything can be used! This recipe is delicious with dark chocolate, semi-sweet, milk, or even white chocolate! It’s all a matter of personal preference. As long as the chocolate pieces are not too large to melt evenly, any size/type can also be used.
Sure, just substitute almond butter or if you also have a tree nut allergy, substitute sun butter.
I wouldn’t recommend it. Not only is the coconut oil a healthier, less processed option, but it makes the layers smooth and spreadable. Rest assured, that if you don’t love its flavor, the chocolate and peanut butter in the recipe lend enough flavor to not taste it.
How To Make Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
I was pretty worried about the peanut butter cups sticking to the muffin liners, but they ended up working very easily. See the recipe below, I recommend using muffin “tins” made from natural parchment paper. I have not tested the recipe with paper or foil liners since the natural option works so flawlessly.
The liners are added to a muffin pan – making either 24 small peanut butter cups or 12 large. The chocolate and part of the coconut oil are melted together using a double-boiler method.
(The first time, I didn’t have a glass bowl. So, I cheated the double-boiler method by melting chocolate and coconut oil in a large glass measuring cup just sitting right inside of a pan of boiling water – if you go this route, however, be careful of the hot steam).
Then add half the melted chocolate into the tins. Add the muffin pan to the freezer for 10 minutes to harden. Mix the peanut butter, sea salt, and remaining coconut oil and spoon over top. Spread evenly. Freeze an additional 20 minutes.
Spoon the remaining chocolate over the rest for the top layer. Warm it just a bit if you find it has hardened a little. Don’t worry about making a mess of the muffin tin pan! I got chocolate everywhere and the cups still turned out perfect. Freeze for an additional 10 minutes before serving.
How Long Do Homemade Peanut Butter Cups Last?
Do not store these on the counter, as they will melt/fall apart. They can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a month or in the freezer for several months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight prior to consumption.
If You Like Peanut Butter Cups, Try These Homemade Desserts:
- Homemade Heart Chocolates (Vegan, Dairy Free) – 3 Ingredients
- Easy Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Natural No-Bake Cookies
- Gluten Free Smores Bites
- Or pair with a (Cleaner) Apple Pie Alcoholic Drink
I hope you enjoy these healthier, homemade desserts! Here’s to regaining our sparkle together,
✧❈✯✦Jenn✦✯❈✧
Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients
- 12 Unbleached paper cupcake liners or 24
mini - 3 about 2.1 oz vegan/allergen-free dark bars, cut into small shavings/small pieces (I use HU chocolate bars or I break up six Trader Joe’s Organic Dark Chocolate Truffle Bars for a morebudget friendly option)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil divided
- 1 cup natural peanut butter sub nut butter or sun butter if desired
- ¼ cup raw honey eliminate for vegan option
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Line a standard muffin tin (or mini for mini peanut butter cups) with 12 paper or silicone liners. I find the peanut butter cups to be rather large (I did full ones for the picture), so I typically make 24 minis instead, but it’s entirely up to you!
- Melt the chocolate and 1 TBS of the coconut oil together using the double boiler method over simmering water. This can easily be done by placing a large glass or stainless steel bowl over the simmering water in a pan, adding the chocolate to it, and stirring until melted and smooth.
- Add about ¼” of melted chocolate (about one small spoonful) into each tin. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix peanut butter, honey, remaining coconut oil, and salt. It may need to be warmed before mixing to help the ingredients combine. Divide the peanut butter mixture evenly amongst tins and spread. Freeze for 20 minutes.
- Re-warm remaining chocolate to help it spread. Spoon it evenly amongst tins. Spread. Place in freezer or fridge until hardened.
- Enjoy right away, store in the fridge, or freeze for later use.
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