Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

5 from 5 votes

They only require five ingredients and are quick and easy to make. If you are looking for a make ahead option for a holiday treat these freeze great too.

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Candy, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 116kcal

Author: Julie Evink

Ingredients

1 c. creamy peanut butter
¼ c. butter
2 c. sifted powdered sugar
2 12 oz packages milk chocolate chips, divided
¼ c. shortening

Instructions

In a large bowl combine peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar with a hand mixer on low speed until well mixed and light.
Shape peanut butter mixture into 3 (10 inch long) rolls and wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for easier handling.You want the width of the peanut butter rolls to fit in the muffin cups.
Line standard 12 c. muffin tin with paper cupcake liners; set aside.
Place one bag of chocolate chips and 2 Tbsp of shortening in a double boiler or microwave and melt the chocolate. I prefer a double boiler as your chocolate won’t seize as easy. If using microwave set to 50% power and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until melted.
Using a small cookie scoop or couple of teaspoons, spoon melted chocolate into bottom of each lined muffin cup, just enough to cover the bottom.
Remove peanut butter rolls from fridge. Cut each roll int ½’’ slices.
Place each slice in muffin cups with the chocolate bottom.
Repeat step 4. Melt the remaining one bag of chocolate chips and 2 Tbsp of shortening for top layer of chocolate.
Top peanut butter slices with remaining chocolate. This will set pretty quickly due to the peanut butter being cold so smooth out immediately. You can also drop the pan repeatedly on the counter to even out the chocolate.
Refrigerate until set, then cover and store in refrigerator or freezer.

Video

Notes

Tips & Tricks!

When melting the chocolate I melt one bag of chocolate chips with 1/2 of the shortening. It’s easy to do this in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Just check and stir them after each interval before adding more time. I like to start with 1/2 of the chocolate and melt the rest later so it doesn’t get hard while I’m assembling the peanut butter cups.
Another trick is to warm it in a double boiler so it stays warm. You can also create a double boiler if you don’t have one.
I like to use a small cookie scoop to assemble the peanut butter cups, but you can also use a teaspoon if you don’t have one.
You can switch up the chocolate. Dark chocolate, semi-sweet or even white chocolate (if you want to get crazy) will all work well.
I prefer to use butter flavored shortening but plain shortening will also work.

Storage

I like to keep my peanut butter cups in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will keep up to a month!
If you keep yours at room temperature they might get a little soft, but you can always pop them in the fridge to firm them up.
Or, keep them in the freezer for several months (in an airtight container, of course!). I like to do this and then I forget about them until I find them hidden behind the green beans! It’s always fun to find them in the freezer.

Nutrition