Luscious, chocolatey, and filled with all-natural peanut butter, my 3-Ingredient Vegan Peanut Butter Cups are an incredibly easy homemade, (& gluten-free!) version of your favourite store-bought peanut butter cups. They are every bit as divine, and of course, vegan!
A Simple Vegan Candy Recipe
Best news EVER – your favorite peanut butter cups are now super easy to make in an extremely delicious homemade version! Yes, believe it – these Vegan Peanut Butter Cups are about to be your new go-to fridge/freezer snack. They are perfect for your dietary needs, too: vegan, gluten free, and made without any refined sugar.
I know the idea of making vegan candy at home might sound super intimidating and complicated. But trust me, it’s EASY. Like you might never go back to buying the pre-made stuff.
Notes on Ingredients
If you didn’t know before, I’m a complete peanut butter addict. Proof of this is the 3 jars currently sitting in my pantry. It’s truly a life necessity for me. So this simple recipe, using just peanut butter and chocolate chips, is definitely a favorite!
- Peanut Butter: I prefer to use all-natural peanut butter. There are quite a few brands and options out there: stir, no-stir, homemade, all-natural, and lots more. If you’d like, you can add a little sweetener to your peanut butter. I add a touch of maple syrup or agave, stirring it in before dolloping it into the cups. This isn’t necessary though, since the chocolate is already sweet.
- Chocolate Chips: In addition to the peanut butter, all you need is melted chocolate! Specifically, I use chocolate chips. And again, there are so many options out there. You can find great vegan chocolate chips that are free from refined sugar, free of sugar completely, organic, fair trade…. use whatever kind works for your needs!
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is actually essential here to help the chocolate cups solidify. It also helps to thin out the chocolate when it’s melting. I don’t recommend swapping it for another oil, but you can buy a refined version to eliminate the coconut taste.
How to Make Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
These are so easy to make (SO easy), and are no-bake. That’s definitely one of my favorite things about this recipe. It’s as simple as melt, mix and refrigerate.
Prepare the Base of the Chocolate Cups: Line a mini muffin tin with 12 mini muffin/cupcake liners. Spoon a little bit of melted chocolate into each of the liners, spreading a thin layer up the sides. This will ensure that the peanut butter is encased in the chocolate. Place in the fridge for about 5 minutes, to set.
Add the Peanut Butter Filling: Remove the muffin tin from the refrigerator and spoon a small amount of peanut butter filling into the center of each chocolate cup, dividing the filling equally among the 12 cups.
Top with More Chocolate: Top each peanut butter cup with a layer of chocolate, to cover and seal in the filling. Sprinkle with sea salt, if you’d like!
Refrigerate to Set: Place the muffin tin back in the fridge for another 30 minutes to fully set the chocolate.
Serve and Enjoy!
Do me a favor and ensure you enjoy these completely. They are such a great holiday or every day treat! I would make a whole lot, because I guarantee you won’t be able to keep your hands off them.
Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Cups
- Leave the Liners: While it’s fine to remove the muffin liner from each peanut butter cup, you can also leave them on. Trim them down like store-bought peanut butter cup wrappers, or fold the upper edges down over the top of the candies. This definitely makes them easier to handle and store!
- Peanut Alternatives: Yes, it’s definitely possible to make these using almond butter or sunflower seed butter. You may want to add a pinch of salt if the almond butter is on the mild side. I’ve also seen pecan butter and even cookie butter used!
How to Store Homemade Vegan Candy
These peanut butter cups tend to melt easily, so they should really be stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them. Keep them in an airtight container, and enjoy within 2 weeks for the best results.
Can I Freeze Peanut Butter Cups?
Yes, you can! I like to pop mine in the freezer once they are finished, to force myself not to eat them all at once, and because they last even longer in there – up to four months!
More Vegan Dessert Recipes
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Almond Flour Brownies (One Bowl, Gluten Free, and Fudgy)
- Rolled Pumpkin Spice Cookies (Vegan)
P.S. Here are some of the items I used to make this recipe, if you’d like to use them too:
|WHAT YOU’LL NEED//SHOP MY FAVORITEINGREDIENTS & PREP PRODUCTS|
If you try this Vegan Peanut Butter Cups please let me know in the comment section below, or tag me on instagram with the hashtag#jessicainthekitchen!For more exclusive recipes follow me onInstagramAND onSnapchat: jessinkitchen.
Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
refrigerate: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 40 minutes mins
Luscious, chocolatey, and filled with all-natural peanut butter, my 3-Ingredient Vegan Peanut Butter Cups are an incredibly easy homemade, (& gluten-free!) version of your favourite store-bought peanut butter cups. They are every bit as divine, and of course, vegan!
5 (from 9 ratings)
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Ingredients
Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, to slightly thin out the chocolate
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter, add a little maple syrup to sweeten if necessary
Equipment
Microwave
Instructions
Line a mini muffin tin with 12 mini cupcake/muffin liners.
In your microwave or over a pot of boiling water, melt your chocolate chips. Add the coconut oil to help to thin it out (it'll also help to solidify the chocolate in a bite-able texture).
Spoon a little bit of melted chocolate into each of the muffin liners, spreading a thin layer up the edges of the liners. This will ensure the peanut butter is encased in the chocolate.
Put in the fridge for about 5 minutes to set slightly.
Remove from fridge and divide the peanut butter equally throughout the 12 liners. Dollop a little bit over the chocolate into the middle of it.
Top each liner with the remaining chocolate to cover. Top with a little sea salt if you desire.
Set in the fridge for 30 more minutes to set.
Remove and enjoy!
Notes
Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Cups
- Leave the Liners: While it’s fine to remove the muffin liner from each peanut butter cup, you can also leave them on. Trim them down like store-bought peanut butter cup wrappers, or fold the upper edges down over the top of the candies. This definitely makes them easier to handle and store!
- Peanut Alternatives: Yes, it’s definitely possible to make these using almond butter or sunflower seed butter. You may want to add a pinch of salt if the almond butter is on the mild side. I’ve also seen pecan butter and even cookie butter used!
How to Store Homemade Vegan Candy
These peanut butter cups tend to melt easily, so they should really be stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat them. Keep them in an airtight container, and enjoy within 2 weeks for the best results.
Can I Freeze Peanut Butter Cups?
Yes, you can! I like to pop mine in the freezer once they are finished, to force myself not to eat them all at once, and because they last even longer in there – up to four months!
Calories: 107kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 25mg, Potassium: 35mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1mg
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Cuisine: American
Course: Desserts
Author: Jessica Hylton
