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Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

July 16, 2012
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peanut butter cups made from scratch

Oh the peanut butter cup.

So simple, so unpretentious, and so heavenly.

You might say well, why make peanut butter cups when you can buy them?

I have a few reasons.

1. I get to use my good chocolate and good peanut butter.

a peanut butter swirl for peanut butter cups

2. I always appreciate things more when I go through the process of making them myself. And I swear I eat less this way.

3. When I make these myself, I know there are only four ingredients. And none of those ingredients are preservatives or other stuff I don’t want in my body.

peanut butter cup from scratch

4. They’re just FUN — My friend Meagan’s kids just have the grandest time banging the pan against the counter like a bunch of whackadoodles.

You start by whipping peanut butter with a little bit of softened butter and confectioner’s sugar:

whipped peanut butter for peanut butter cup filling

And place a little dollop of the whipped peanut butter atop a small layer of melted semisweet chocolate (that’s been frozen for 15 minutes).

chocolate and peanut butter cups

And you see how it’s not a flat surface? Just drop the pan on the counter a few times and it will flatten and smooth itself out, like this:

how to smooth out the peanut butter cup layers

Freeze for 15 minutes, then pour on the top layer of melted chocolate.

two stacked peanut butter cups from scratch

Freeze for 15 more minutes until it hardens, then you’re good to go!

Here’s the full video on how to make the peanut butter cups, if video is your style. I talk a little bit about the different methods of melting the chocolate:

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Yield: Makes 12-18 peanut butter cups (depends on how thick you make the layers)

Prep Time:20 minutes

Cook Time:0 minutes

Total Time:60 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1.75 oz confectioner’s sugar (1/4 cup+2 tbsp), sifted

Directions:

  1. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
  2. Melt half the chocolate either in a double boiler (the safer method) or in the microwave (the more dangerous, but easier/lazier method). I opt for the latter. If you don’t know how to melt chocolate this way, read my Explanation of Chocolate Behavior article.
  3. Distribute the melted chocolate into the 12 muffin tins (I use a cookie scoop to portion the chocolate), only barely filling the bottom of each cup. If the chocolate does not lie flat, drop the pan repeatedly on the counter, and it will flatten and smooth itself out. Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  4. In the meantime, whip the peanut butter, butter, and confectioner’s sugar together with a hand mixer until mixed and light. Taste it and make sure the sweetness is to your liking. Place small tablespoons of peanut butter into each cup, then drop the pan repeatedly on the counter again, so the peanut butter layer is flattened out. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  5. Melt the last 1/2lb of chocolate, and portion small spoonfuls of chocolate into the cups, one cup at a time, immediately dropping the pan repeatedly on the counter to flatten each cup. In my experience of making these, the chill from the peanut butter (because it was just in the freezer) will harden up that top layer of chocolate very quickly, so you must flatten out the tops immediately after you pour the chocolate into each cup. Place the peanut butter cups in the freezer for 15 minutes to set the top layer of chocolate.
  6. You can either refrigerate them for a peanut butter cup with more bite, or leave them at room temperature for a softer, creamier bite. Just peel the wrapper off, and enjoy!
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Dessert, Gluten-free, Most Popular Sweets and Desserts
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