Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Name: Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 48 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 c. creamy peanut butter; 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened; 2 c. powdered sugar; 3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 8 3.5-oz. bars dark (70% cocoa) chocolate, chopped; Flaky sea salt, for garnish

It's everything you love about the original!

By Hannah Klinger; Recipe by Sloane LaytonPublished: Dec 18, 2022

2 Ratings

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the pioneer woman's homemade peanut butter cup recipe

Caitlin Bensel

Yields:

48 serving(s)

Prep Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs

Homemade peanut butter cups have everything you love about the original, but even better: A touch of vanilla in the peanut butter, rich dark chocolate in place of milk, and a sprinkle of flaky salt on top. An additional fun ingredient: graham cracker crumbs! They firm up the peanut butter filling so it doesn't ooze out when you take a bite. Add this to your list of Christmas candy recipes (they make a fantastic homemade food gift) or any other time of year. Get the kids to help with assembly—this recipe makes a big batch, but they'll go quick!

What is a double boiler?

To make a double boiler, set a glass bowl over a saucepan with an inch or two of simmering water, being sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. The steam from the water will gently heat the bowl—perfect for slowly melting the chocolate.

How do you temper chocolate?

Tempering chocolate is a process of melting, cooling, and stirring chocolate so that it has a nice shine when it hardens and an appetizing snap when broken. Don't worry about specific temperatures for this chocolate dessert recipe, just heat the chocolate gently and give it a good stir just before all the pieces have melted.

Can you make peanut butter cups ahead of time?

You can make the peanut butter cups up to a week ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container (the chocolate may lose a little shine and some flakes of salt may dissolve). The peanut butter discs can be made and chilled a day ahead.

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Ingredients

Directions

1. Step 1Line two baking sheets with 48 regular-size paper muffin liners or 96 mini paper muffin liners; set aside.
2. Step 2Beat the peanut butter and butter on medium in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually stir in the powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs, vanilla extract and salt. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute.
3. Step 3Divide the peanut butter mixture into 1 1/2 teaspoon balls for regular size peanut butter cups or 1/2 teaspoon balls for mini cups. Flatten into about 1 1/2-inch wide discs for regular size or 1-inch wide discs for mini cups. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and chill while melting the chocolate.
4. Step 4Fill the bottom of a medium saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Place chopped chocolate in a dry, heatproof glass or ceramic bowl that is slightly larger than the saucepan. The bowl should sit on top of the pan without its bottom touching the water.
5. Step 5Reduce the heat to medium-low. Place the bowl of chocolate over the saucepan of water. Heat the chocolate, stirring occasionally with a dry rubber spatula, until chocolate is mostly smooth and melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and continue stirring until the residual heat melts the remaining chocolate and mixture is smooth (return bowl to saucepan, if needed).
6. Step 6Spoon about 2 teaspoons of chocolate into the bottom of each regular muffin cup or about 1 teaspoon chocolate into the bottom of each mini muffin cup. Gently press 1 peanut butter disc into each muffin cup, allowing the chocolate to come up around the sides. Spoon chocolate on top of peanut butter to cover, about 2 teaspoons for regular muffin cups or 1 teaspoon for mini muffin cups.
7. Step 7Sprinkle the top of each peanut butter cup with flaky sea salt, if desired. Chill peanut butter cups until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.