Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Posted October 5, 2023 by: Admin #Kitchen

Crafted with all-natural peanut butter and rich dark chocolate chips, these delightful homemade dark chocolate peanut butter cups offer an effortless and health-conscious candy indulgence.

A stack of four homemade dark chocolate peanut butter cups with a bite taken from the top one

Chocolate and peanut butter are a classic pair, akin to iconic duos like Batman & Robin, Bert & Ernie, or Chandler Bing & Joey Tribbiani. In my childhood, I relished Reese’s peanut butter cups for the sheer joy they brought. The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is not only delectable but also adds an element of fun, especially when poking a little finger through the cup’s center!

Despite the growing availability of pre-made chocolate peanut butter cups from various brands, creating them at home remains remarkably straightforward, enjoyable, and family-friendly. Whether you’re whipping up a batch for yourself or involving the kids (this recipe is super kid-friendly), these dark chocolate peanut butter cups offer the perfect sweet treat.

Ingredients for dark chocolate peanut butter cups; natural peanut butter, muffin liners, dark chocolate chips, coconut oil, honey, and coconut flour

Ingredients for Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

To prepare these homemade no-bake peanut butter cups, gather the following ingredients:

Dark Chocolate: You can opt for dark chocolate chips, dark chocolate baking chunks, or break up a dark chocolate bar.
Peanut Butter: While any peanut butter will suffice, smooth, natural peanut butter is highly recommended. If using sweetened peanut butter, reduce the amount of added honey.
Honey: Used to sweeten the peanut butter; maple syrup is also a viable alternative.
Coconut Oil: Ensures the chocolate maintains a smooth texture for biting into. You can substitute butter if you don’t have or prefer not to use coconut oil.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances the chocolate’s flavor.
Coconut Flour: Slightly thickens the peanut butter mixture, providing a fudgy texture. Almond flour or peanut flour can be used as substitutes.
Sea Salt: Adds a hint of seasoning, some for blending and some for topping.

Although these cups are designed to be dark chocolate treats, you can certainly use milk chocolate if you prefer or any other chocolate percentage that suits your taste.

A white bowl containing peanut butter mixture with a spatula

Melted dark chocolate in a white bowl with a rubber spatula

Dietary Adaptions

To Make them Gluten-Free: No adaptations are needed; this recipe is inherently gluten-free.

To Make them Dairy-Free: Simply use dairy-free chocolate chips.

To Make them Peanut-Free: Swap out peanut butter for almond butter or sunflower seed butter.

Muffin liners inside a muffin tin

Muffin liners inside a muffin tin filled with melted dark chocolate

How to Make Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

These wholesome chocolate peanut butter cups necessitate no cooking or baking and are incredibly simple to prepare. Here’s the step-by-step process:

Combine the peanut butter mixture: In a bowl, blend peanut butter, honey, coconut flour, and salt until thoroughly mixed.
Melt the chocolate mixture: Warm chocolate chips, coconut oil, and vanilla in a bowl,stirring until smooth.
Fill the muffin liners: After preparing the peanut butter and chocolate mixtures, spoon a layer of melted chocolate into each muffin liner, add a dollop of peanut butter filling, and top with more melted chocolate.
Refrigerate until firm: Place the filled muffin liners in the fridge or freezer until they solidify.
Enjoy! Once solid, remove them from the fridge or freezer, peel off the paper liners, and indulge in your homemade treats.

Note: Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.

While you can certainly purchase chocolate peanut butter cups, making them at home grants you control over the quality of ingredients and the amount of added sugar. Truth be told, they taste just as good, if not better, than store-bought versions.

Prefer mini chocolate peanut butter cups? Simply use mini cupcake liners; this recipe yields approximately 24 mini cups.

Muffin liners inside a muffin tin with melted dark chocolate and peanut butter mixture on top

Prepared chocolate peanut butter cups ready for the freezer

Nutrition Tip

If you’re considering swapping peanut butter for almond butter due to perceived health benefits, here’s an interesting fact: per serving, almond butter and peanut butter have strikingly similar nutritional profiles. Peanut butter offers slightly more protein and fiber, while almond butter contains less sugar and more nutrients. Both have comparable calorie, carbohydrate, and fat content. Unless you have a peanut allergy, there’s no need to shy away from natural peanut butter.

Dark chocolate peanut butter cups stacked on a plate with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt

FAQs

Are dark chocolate peanut butter cups healthy?

Homemade dark chocolate peanut butter cups offer a wholesome treat suitable for a balanced diet. Dark chocolate provides natural micronutrients and antioxidants, while peanut butter contributes healthy fats and moderate protein. Preparing these treats at home enables you to control sugar content and avoid unnecessary additives and preservatives.

How many calories in a dark chocolate peanut butter cup?

A single dark chocolate peanut butter cup contains 209 calories.

Dark chocolate peanut butter cups stacked with a bite taken and a sprinkle of sea salt

Storage

Once solidified, store these chocolate peanut butter cups in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, or in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

These wholesome homemade dark chocolate peanut butter cups are easy to make and store well in the fridge and freezer, ensuring you can enjoy them as sweet candy treats for days to come.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips
2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup natural peanut butter, smooth
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Flaky sea salt (optional)

Instructions

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper or silicone muffin liners.
In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, flour, and sea salt; stir until well combined, then refrigerate for 5 minutes or until firm enough to shape.
Once the peanut butter mixture has firmed up, scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture and shape it into a small disk or patty, slightly smaller in diameter than the muffin liner. Repeat until you have 12 patties.
In a heat-safe medium bowl, combine the dark chocolate chips, coconut oil, and vanilla extract; heat over a double boiler or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring the mixture every 30 seconds or so, until melted and smooth.
Spoon 2 teaspoons of melted chocolate into a muffin liner, spreading it out to cover the bottom, top with a peanut butter patty, and cover with 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate, ensuring it’s completely covered. Then repeat until all 12 muffin liners are full.
Optional: Sprinkle the top of each muffin cup with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Transfer the muffin tin to the freezer for 15 minutes or to the fridge until all of the chocolate has solidified.
Once solidified, remove them from the fridge or freezer, let sit for 1-2 minutes, remove the wrapper, and enjoy. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for one week or in the freezer for 3 months.