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This homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups recipe will satisfy your peanut butter cravings in just minutes, and they taste just like the real thing!
Sweet, Creamy, and Better than Store-Bought!
We love peanut butter cups in our family, and take them quite seriously. This homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups recipe came from my grandma, who made them for years. The layer of peanut butter filling has the same creamy texture as the candy you buy at the store, with rich, sweet chocolate on the outside. But these taste even better, because they’re homemade! They’re perfect as a special Halloween treat, or to keep on hand in the freezer for when your sweet tooth hits.
A Brief History of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Reese’s peanut butter cups were created on November 15, 1928, by H.B. Reese, a former dairy farmer for the Hershey company. These delicious, chocolate peanut butter cups were originally called “Penny Cups,” because they could be bought for one cent. Reese’s (along with its eponymous peanut butter cups) has over time become one of the top selling candy brands worldwide, with billions in annual sales. For several decades, Reese’s has used the tagline, “There’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s.”
Ingredients in Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
This delicious, no-bake treat only needs six pantry ingredients. You’ll find yourself making these all the time! Here’s what you need:
- Graham crackers – use a food processor to crush the crackers into fine crumbs.
- Powdered sugar – make sure to sift the powdered sugar before adding to the other ingredients.
- Butter – use unsalted butter to better control the sodium in the recipe.
- Peanut butter – either creamy or crunchy peanut butter works great.
- Chocolate chips – you can use any kind of chocolate you like: semi-sweet, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate chips would be delicious.
How to make these treats look like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
These chocolate treats may look fancy, but thankfully, making them into cute cups couldn’t be easier!
- Place cupcake liners into a mini muffin tin or regular muffin pan, depending on how large you want your homemade peanut butter cups to be.
- Using a paint brush (I like to use a flat brush, about an inch or so wide), paint melted chocolate on the inside of each cupcake liner until about halfway up.
- Place them in the refrigerator to cool.
- Then, put a ball of peanut butter cup mixture into each cup (see recipe below for instructions) and top with more melted chocolate.
- The amount of chocolate needed tends to vary each time, so keep a few extra chocolate chips on hand if you need a bit more.
A Quicker Method for Homemade Reese’s PB Cups
If you don’t have a lot of time or patience to create the “cups” in the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, you can make things a bit easier on yourself. Here’s how:
- You can make these “fondue” or “buckeye” style by first rolling the peanut butter mixture into balls.
- Next, dip them directly into the melted chocolate.
- Then, place them on wax paper to cool and harden. You will get the exact same taste and it’ll only take you about five minutes!
Homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Variations
- Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups: Use dark chocolate for the outer layer.
- White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups: Switch to white chocolate for a sweeter and creamier version.
- Cookie Dough Filling: Incorporate edible cookie dough for a delicious cookie-candy hybrid.
- Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cups: Add a layer of salted caramel on top of the peanut butter filling and sprinkle the top with some coarse sea salt.
- Coconut Peanut Butter Cups: Mix shredded coconut into the peanut butter for a tropical twist.
- Nutella Filled Cups: Swap peanut butter for Nutella for a hazelnut-chocolate twist.
- Toffee Crunch Peanut Butter Cups: Mix crushed toffee bits into the peanut butter for added crunch.
- S’mores Peanut Butter Cups: Layer peanut butter with marshmallow whip and crushed graham crackers.
- Mini M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces Filled Cups: Add Mini M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces to the peanut butter filling for a crunchy (and delicious) surprise.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve only used chocolate chips for homemade peanut butter cups, but you can substitute with chocolate melts instead. Follow the same melting process according to the package.
I only refrigerate the peanut butter cups to harden them, but after they set, you can store them at room temperature. If you love cold chocolate, you can store them in the fridge or freezer too.
Yes! I have a family member that doesn’t like peanut butter, so I’ve substituted with creamy almond butter and it was delicious. Cashew butter will also work as a good substitute.
Read Next: Halloween Candy Bark
More Reese’s Recipes
If you love the taste of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and candies, check out these delicious recipes!
- Really Reese’s Cookies – With three different types of Reese’s candies, these are REALLY REESE’S Cookies! Chocolate and peanut butter in every delicious bite.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Swirl – This fudge is so easy to make and it is incredibly delicious! It tasted like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in fudge form.
- Peanut Butter Cup Rice Krispie Treats – It’s so easy to turn a traditional Rice Krispie Treats into Peanut Butter Cup Rice Krispie Treats. Creamy peanut butter and mini Reese’s cups make it an extra special treat!
- Candy Bar Hot Chocolate – You’ve got to try this Reese’s Hot Chocolate. It is amazing how a little peanut butter can give a creamier, richer taste to hot cocoa!
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cake – This cake is so fun! It is a round cake that looks and tastes just like a giant Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup!
Homemade Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup crushed graham crackers
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 9 ounces peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
- 10 tablespoons butter, divided
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar until well blended. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe dish, combine peanut butter and 6 tablespoons butter. Cook in the microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and combined. Pour over the graham crackers mixture. Continue to stir until well combined. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe dish, combine half of the chocolate chips (6 ounces) with 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook in the microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until melted and combined. Set aside.
- Place cupcake liners in a cupcake tin.
- Using a paintbrush or pastry brush, paint each cupcake liner with melted chocolate. If using full-size cupcake liners, paint about one-third of the way up each cup. If using mini cupcake liners, paint halfway up each cup. Be sure to evenly coat the bottom and sides. You don't need to paint the chocolate super thick, just enough so you don't see any of the liner underneath. Place in the refrigerator to cool for about 5 minutes, or until chocolate hardens.
- Press about 1 tablespoon graham cracker mixture in each full-size cup (about 1 teaspoon for mini cups), making sure the top is somewhat flat. It doesn't need to be perfect; just make sure you don't go above where you painted the chocolate on the cup. Set aside.
- Add the remaining chocolate chips to the remaining melted chocolate in the microwave-safe dish. Melt with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, stirring every 15 seconds. Spoon a little chocolate over each peanut butter cup until the peanut butter filling is completely covered. You can lightly shake or tap the cupcake pan to even out the chocolate over the filling. You want the top of the peanut butter cups to look completely flat.
- Place in the refrigerator or cool area until chocolate hardens, about 20 minutes, or until the chocolate is no longer shiny, then serve!
Notes
- The paintbrush I like to use is a roughly half-inch-wide flat brush.
- The amount of chocolate needed tends to vary each time, so keep a few extra chocolate chips on hand in case you need a bit more.
Nutrition Information
These cups tasted great, but they are very tedious to make if, like me, you are not an experienced candy maker and/or have very little patience. Painting the cupcake liners was tricky. I found it hard to get an even layer of chocolate on the bottom of the liner and up the sides. The cupcake liners squashed in my hand as I was holding them as shown in the photo. All of that to say that I will be looking for an easier candy recipe next time.
I made this homemade peanut butter cups. I was followed the recipe and at the end. I added a little more chocolate on top. My hubby likes Reese’s Peanut Butter cups the only thing I hate is the wraps he wraps up into a small ball.
I made these this morning as I have been craving Reese’s, but won’t buy them because of all the preservatives in them. I used Ghirardelli milk chocolate melting wafers without adding any butter and melted them on my stove top in a double broiler, (bowl on top of pan of hot water). Used a tablespoon for the bottom and used back of spoon to line sides of giant muffin cups, (I didn’t have any regular or small ones). Used Skippy Natural creamy peanut butter, and because I only had about half a cup of graham cracker crumbs, I ground up 1/4 cup Cape Cod non GMO kettle chips in my food processor, added a little salt, butter, and the powdered sugar. Added a little bit of the peanut butter mixture into the melted chocolate for the tops, and man oh man, are these delicious!!! Taste very close, if not spot on to store bought Reese’s, but in ginormous size!
This was so easy to make! And delicious! I do have extra graham mixture leftover how long is that good for if I make more?
It should be good for about a week and I would store it in the fridge!
Question could I substitute shortbread cookies for the Graham crackers?
I haven’t tried that, but I think it would be okay!
I made these for my family and they were so fun to make! If anyone likes making homemade edibles, incorporate your cannabutter into the chocolate or peanut butter mixture (or both) and it melts and mixes beautifully.
What’s happening in “Step 3” picture? It looks like PB and chocolate melting stirred together…buuuut…that’s not in the recipe….
It is butter and chocolate mixed together!
Wow!! I made these and they are indeed better than Reese’s! The peanut butter filling is absolutely delicious….GIVE THESE A TRY, you will not be disappointed!
I’m confused. The recipe calls for “4 tbs butter divided” bit in the directions it says melt 6 tbs of butter to mix in peanut butter abs then calls for another 2 tbs to mix in the chocolate. So, unless I’m missing something, that’s a total of 8 tbs. Which is the typo?
Butter is listed twice in the ingredient list – once for the peanut butter filling and one for the chocolate.
You add 2 tbsp butter to chocolate to melt it, two separate times…. =4
Looks like you melt 2T of butter with 6oz of the the chocolate chips in a bowl. Then in step 5 you do the remaining 6oz chocolate chips with the remaining 2T of butter in the same bowl that you used. It was a little confusing to me too. It seems you could melt all the chocolate chips and butter in one step. Oh well 🙂 this was delicious though. I omitted some of the powdered sugar though.
I know this is a “family friendly” bog, but I swapped out normal butter with my home made medicated budder, and these turned out AMAZING. The pb & chocolate flavors were just perfect for balancing out the herbal flavors from the “medication”
Definitely my new go-to when I’m tired of the typical baked goods!
Would the filling for this hold together if I scooped it and rolled it into balls and then dipped in chocolate?
We haven’t tried that, but it sounds yummy! Let us know how it works out if you try it!
Didn’t have Graham crackers so I used crushed corn flakes. They were perfect.
I used semi sweet chocolate chips but I would suggest that you use milk chocolate chips because semi sweet made it kind of bitter otherwise the recipe was good
Awesome!! It’s my favorite Reeses Peanut Butter Cups recipe!
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I just made these homemade Reese’s peanut butter cups and they were absolutely delicious! I love that I can control the ingredients and make them a little healthier than the store-bought version. The recipe was easy to follow and the cups turned out perfectly. I will definitely be making these again and again. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
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They’re good! But I didn’t get a wow factor on taste. Like the eye roll when something is so delicious. Once they were put together the peanut butter just didn’t seem right with Graham in it. I may try again using milk chocolate and using a bar vs chocolate chips. Fun to make though!
Can you use coconut oil instead of butter for this recipe? I know they are 1:1 with each other. I just wanted to double check
Yes you can! It might change the flavor a little bit, but if you like coconut that should be fine!
Taste like the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups you buy in the store. Easy to make. I made them exactly as the recipe said. I used Ghirardelli dark chocolate melts instead of chocolate chips because that was what I had on hand. The chocolate was harder but still very good. Next time I make them I will crush my Graham crackers finer. I crushed them like you would for a pie crust, so If you like the Crunchy Reeses Peanut Butter cups than crush them for a pie crust. I had some filling left over and put in the refrigerator – plan to warm it up and make more cups another day. Will let you know if they are as good as the ones I just made.
Are you using regular peanut butter or unsweetened peanut butter for this recipe?
Regular!
Try crushing Nutter Butter cookies instead of graham crackers.. put a little carmel in the bottom of the cup, before the peanut butter mixture… Your welcome!!
Yum!
Really good I’m Irish we don’t have Graham crackers so I used digestive biscuits the only thing is adding butter splits the chocolate and makes it harder to spread
I just made these homemade Reese’s peanut butter cups and they were absolutely delicious! I love that I can control the ingredients and make them a little healthier than the store-bought version. The recipe was easy to follow and the cups turned out perfectly. I will definitely be making these again and again. Thank you for sharing this recipe!good way