Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
on Jun 25, 2021, Updated Sep 25, 2025
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My 4 ingredient Homemade Peanut Butter Cups are better than Reese’s! No more labels with a long list of test-tube 🧪 additives. My version of this nostalgic treat uses wholesome ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. With just cocoa, coconut oil, peanut butter, and maple syrup, you can make these at home in just 20 minutes. Wrap them up in a pretty box to give as gifts 🎁 during the holidays or keep a stash in the kitchen for whenever your sweet tooth 🦷 hits.
Key Takeaways
- My Homemade Peanut Butter Cups are simple and made with only 4 wholesome ingredients: cocoa, coconut oil, peanut butter, and maple syrup.
- They take just 20 minutes to prepare and can be customized with toppings like sea salt or crushed nuts.
- These cups are not only delicious but also healthier than store-bought options. You get to control the ingredients.
- You can gift them in pretty boxes or enjoy them as a sweet treat anytime, and they freeze well for making ahead.
- Variations include using different nut or seed butters, sweeteners, or shaping them into chocolate bark.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Peanut Butter Cups
Crispy and chocolatey 🍫 on the outside, creamy and sweet on the inside, my Homemade Peanut Butter Cups are a million times better than any packaged variety. The best part? You know exactly what ingredients are in them 🤓. Cocoa powder is packed with antioxidants and forms a crispy magic shell when mixed with coconut oil. Maple syrup adds natural sweetness, balancing out the bitterness of the raw cocoa. The star ⭐️ of the show, peanut butter forms the creamy center that keeps you craving more. You can make your cups as big or as small as you’d like and customize them with your favorite toppings – think flaky sea salt, crushed nuts, or shredded coconut 🥥 – for the perfect sweet treat.
Ingredients
🍫 Cocoa powder: When mixed with coconut oil, cocoa powder forms a magic shell that hardens as it cools.
🥜 Peanut butter: A spoonful of creamy peanut butter forms the iconic creamy center.
🥥 Coconut oil: This is the secret ingredient that turns your cocoa powder into a a crispy chocolate coating.
🍁 Maple syrup: Adding this to your cocoa mixture sweetens your peanut butter cups naturally without the need for refined sugars.
Nonna’s Tip 🍫
You can make these as big or as small as you’d like. You could even spread them flat on a baking sheet as a chocolate bark and break off chunks.
Variations and Substitutions for Peanut Butter Cups
- A sprinkling of coarse 🧂 sea salt adds texture and cuts through the rich sweetness.
- You can use whatever nut butter you love such as almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter.
- For a pretty presentation, top your peanut butter cups with crushed nuts or shredded 🥥 coconut.
- Instead of maple syrup, use your preferred sweetener, such as agave nectar, stevia, 🍯 honey, or monkfruit.
Similar Recipes
Best Served With
- A cup of ☕ coffee or tea as an afternoon pick-me-up.
- Break up a Peanut Butter Cup and serve it over a bowl of ice cream.
- Nestle a few Peanut Butter Cups in a 🥝 fruit tray as a sweet treat.
- You could absolutely package up a few of the Peanut Butter Cups in a small box, tin or cookie bag and present this as a 🎁 homemade gift for a holiday.
Common Questions
No, coconut oil is essential for this recipe as it solidifies when chilled, giving the peanut butter cups their firm texture. I haven’t tried with another type of oil, but I don’t think it would be as successful.
Instead of maple syrup, use your preferred sweetener, such as agave nectar, stevia, honey or monk fruit.
I used peanut butter here, but you could certainly use almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter.
You can use silicone molds or small baking cups as an alternative to muffin liners.
Of course! Additionally, you can sprinkle sea salt, crushed nuts, or shredded coconut on top before refrigerating for added texture and flavor.
Absolutely! Allow them to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil, no substitute
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa, or cacao powder
- 11 teaspoons peanut butter, or any nut or seed butter
Instructions
- In a pot over low heat, melt the coconut oil.
- Take it off the heat as soon as it melts and add the cacao and maple syrup. Whisk well.
- Take 11 muffin liners and add 2 teaspoons of your chocolate, followed by 1 teaspoon of any nut or seed butter and top them off with another two teaspoons of chocolate.
- Store them in the fridge and enjoy.
Nonna’s Notes
- Salty+sweet: A sprinkling of coarse sea salt adds texture and cuts through the rich sweetness.
- Nut butters: You can use whatever nut butter you love such as almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter.
- Toppings: For a pretty presentation, top your peanut butter cups with crushed nuts or shredded coconut.
- Sweeteners: Instead of maple syrup, use your preferred sweetener, such as agave nectar, stevia, honey, or monkfruit.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was absolutely delicious, will definitely make it again.