Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
I got a recipe similar to this from my aunt in a little book she put together for me for my wedding. I altered it a bit to make it a smaller batch, but I love the texture and flavor of these peanut butter cups.
And if you want, you can also make them in a pie-sized piece. I’ve made them mini-cupcake size, standard-cupcake size and in those little mini foil pie tins.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cups
- 20 ounces semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
- ¼ cup shortening or butter
Peanut Butter Filling
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cups confectioners sugar
Directions
Chocolate Cups
- Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- Melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave on medium power until smooth.
- Be careful not to get any splashes of water into the chocolate or it will destroy the texture.With a spoon or clean paintbrush, spread half a teaspoon of chocolate along the bottom and sides of the paper cups. Chill in the refrigerator until chocolate has firmed up. Next, using a teaspoon, spoon melted chocolate into the bottom of each lined muffin cup, ¼ inch thick. Once all are filled, swirl the chocolate to coat the side walls. Set aside.
Peanut Butter Filling
- In a medium saucepan, combine the peanut butter, butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Heat until starting to bubble a little, stir constantly. Remove from the heat. Add the confectioners’ sugar, stirring until completely combined with the peanut butter mixture. Set aside and let cool.
- With a heaping teaspoon scoop the peanut butter mixture and use your hands to roll it into a ball, and then flatten it slightly into a disk making it a size that will fit into the mini cups. Place flattened balls on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate the muffin tins and the peanut butter balls for 30 minutes. Place a peanut butter ball on top of each chocolate-lined muffin tin. Then spoon more melted chocolate on top and around each peanut butter patty.
- If the melted chocolate has firmed up, just pop it back into the microwave for 30 seconds or so to re-melt or warm it up again on the stove-top, depending which method you are using.
- Refrigerate again for 30 minutes at least to firm up. Store in the refrigerator in a covered container.
