American
Peanut Butter Cups
Melted chocolate shells a salty peanut butter filling in mini muffin liners. Both layers set in the fridge until the cups hold a clean cut.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- A double boiler on low heat melts the chocolate without scorching it.
- Powdered sugar makes the peanut butter filling firm instead of oily.
- A short freeze between layers keeps the filling from sinking into the shell.
- The cups need a full chill or they will not pop out of the liners cleanly.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Set the paper liners in a mini muffin pan.
- 2
Put the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with the water at a bare simmer. The bowl should not touch the water.
- 3
Stir until the chocolate is just melted and smooth. Take it off the heat.
- 4
Spoon about 1 tsp melted chocolate into each liner and tilt to coat the bottom. Freeze 10 minutes.
- 5
Stir the peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla until thick and smooth.
- 6
Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the peanut butter filling into each cup and flatten it gently. Cover with the remaining chocolate.
- 7
Tap the pan so the tops settle. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
- 8
Peel off the liners. You should have 12 cups.
Pro tips
- One drop of water in the chocolate can seize it. Keep the bowl dry.
- If the chocolate thickens before you finish the tops, set it back over the warm water for a minute.
- Natural peanut butter that is pourable will not set. Use a creamy style that holds a spoon.
Easy substitutions
- creamy peanut butter
- almond butter
- coconut oil
- 1 tbsp vegetable shortening
- semisweet chocolate chips
- dark chocolate chips
Storage and reheating
Storage
Keep refrigerated in a covered container up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months.
Reheating
Do not reheat. Eat them cold. A frozen cup needs about 10 minutes on the counter.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 188
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
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An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
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A large cutting board
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Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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