This concept is nothing new, but I have yet to find an easier peanut butter cup recipe. So here ya go! (And personally, I think these cups taste way better than the brand name store-bought variety.) Note: We used Earth Balance Creamy Coconut & Peanut spread (crunchy) which is sweetened with agave nectar. Using a natural peanut butter on its own works as well — and you can add in your own sweetener if you like.
ingredients
directions
Line a muffin tin with paper liners or use a silicon muffin tray.
In a double boiler melt the chocolate chips until silky smooth. Put 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate into the bottom of the muffin liners and then spread it out evenly with your finger or a spoon. Refrigerate this for 10 mins.
Then take 1 teaspoon of peanut butter and put that on top of the hardened chocolate. Don’t spread this out with your finger as it will settle itself and stay mostly in the centre. Refrigerate this for 10 mins.
If your chocolate has become sludgier while you were waiting just put it back on the double boiler quickly to re-melt it. Then take 1 to 2 teaspoons more of melted chocolate and put that on top of the peanut butter. The peanut butter won’t be super hard but it will hold up for the rest of this process. If you’re rushed you don’t really have to put the peanut butter part in the fridge again.
You can push the melted chocolate into the sides a bit with your teaspoon to ensure it runs down to cover the peanut butter. This won’t necessarily happen, especially if you don’t refrigerate the peanut butter part, but I don’t mind them looking a little rustic and oozy anyway!
Smooth the top of the cups if you desire, but they might just settle nicely on their own. Then refrigerate this for at least 20 minutes before serving. Store in the fridge in an airtight container or at room temperature if you want softer cups.