April 10, 2024

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

Name: Vegan Peanut Butter Cups Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 140 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups Vegan Chocolate Chips (divided); ½ cup Peanut Butter (creamy); ¼ cup Powdered Sugar; Flaky Sea Salt

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Simple, delicious, and homemade, this vegan peanut butter cups recipe comes together for an iconic salty meets sweet treat that you can make from the comfort of your own home. Made with 3 ingredients, these easy plant-based peanut butter cups are great for snacking, gifting, and sharing with others.

A small with plate with a pink cupcake liner and four chocolate peanut butter cups on the plate.

If you had asked me 5 years ago that I would be a convert to the chocolate and peanut butter movement I might not have believed you.

It might be that I found traditional Reese’s peanut butter cups to be a bit dry on the inside and left quite a bit to be desired.

After dipping my toes into the world of chocolate and peanut butter with chocolate peanut butter toffee at the holidays and some no-bake Ritz cookies, I figured the leap to a traditional plant-based chocolate peanut butter cup can’t be too far.

With just 3 ingredients, these dairy-free, gluten-free, and plant-based chocolate peanut butter cups are a quick and easy treat to keep stocked in your freezer for your next salty meets sweet craving!

Why We Love these Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

There are a million and half reasons to love these no-bake chocolate peanut butter cups, for starters:

Simple ingredients– With just 3 ingredients that are probably already stocked in your dairy-free kitchen, these vegan peanut butter cups are the perfect treat when a chocolate craving hits!
No bake– Keep your oven off and your kitchen cool while you whip up these plant-based peanut butter cups.
Healthier than store-bought– These chocolate peanut butter cups are vegan, gluten-free, and made with simple ingredients you can pronounce.

A smattering of plant-based peanut butter cups on a counter with chocolate and peanut butter spilled about.

Plant-Based Changes to Peanut Butter Cups

There are two important notes for keeping these peanut butter cups deliciously dairy-free.

Plant-based chocolate– Sub your favorite plant-based chocolate for the exterior of this delicious peanut butter cup. I used a dark chocolate for added flavor.
Omit butter– Many of the recipes for homemade peanut butter cups include softened butter in the peanut butter mixture. I chose to omit this ingredient.
- During my recipe testing I felt like adding a plant-based butter in the peanut butter mixture made the insides of the peanut butter cup substantially softer than the exterior and within the first bite the peanut butter oozed out of the chocolate leaving a sticky sweet mess.

How to Make this Vegan Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

Vegan Chocolate– I like to use a dark chocolate for these peanut butter cups to balance the sweet and salty peanut butter filling.
Peanut Butter– Simply use your favorite creamy peanut butter.
Powdered Sugar– Mixed with the peanut butter for a sweet and salty center.
Flaky Sea Salt (optional)- I like to sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of these vegan peanut butter cups to balance out the sweet chocolate and powdered sugar.

Ingredients for vegan peanut butter cups on a white ish counter with some chocolate chips scattered about.

Step-by-Step Directions for Plant-Based Peanut Butter Cups

This might look like a lot of steps but it truly boils down to heat and fill three times through. These detailed steps are to help you make the prettiest version of these peanut butter cups, see below for tips on a quicker assembly.

Line a standard 12-cup muffin time with cupcake liners and set aside.
Heat chocolate: In a microwave safe bowl, heat dark chocolate for 30 seconds. Stir and heat another 15-20 seconds or until melted through.
Pour the chocolate into a piping bag (or sandwich bag and then cut off a corner after you pour in the melted chocolate).
Divide into liners: Pipe chocolate into each of lined muffin tins to evenly divide the chocolate between the 12 liners.
Spread chocolate: Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the chocolate up the sides of the muffin liners about halfway and set the muffin tin to the side.
Next heat the peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl for about 30 seconds.
Add powdered sugar and stir until combined.

A glass mixing bowl with melted vegan chocolate topped with a white and brown sptaula.

A muffin tin lined with cupcake liners filled with melted chocolate and topped with an offset spatula.

A small glass bowl of peanut butter topped with powdered sugar and a wooden and white spatula above it.

Pour into a piping bag (or sandwich bag and then cut off a corner after you pour in the peanut butter mixture).
Divide into cups: Pipe the peanut butter into the chocolate base until the peanut butter is evenly divided between the 12 liners.
Smooth out the tops with an offset spatula or a knife.
Melt final chocolate: Next heat the remaining chocolate until smooth.
Pour the chocolate into a piping bag (or sandwich bag and then cut off a corner after you pour in the melted chocolate).
Pipe chocolate into each of lined muffin tins to evenly divide the chocolate between the 12 liners.
Spread on top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Chill: Place the peanut butter cups in the freezer and chill at least 2 hours or until fully set.

Peanut butter topped chocolate bases in a muffin tin.

Sea salt topped vegan peanut butter cups in a muffin tin before freezing.

A close up of a plant-based peanut butter cup topped with flaky sea salt.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

When you decide to make these simple, plant-based peanut butter cups, here are some kitchen tools you might find helpful during the process:

Muffin tin– Used for molding these vegan peanut butter cups into their round shape.
Piping Bags– Great for keeping this recipe a little less messy and evenly distributed.
Offset Spatula– Used to smooth out the chocolate and the peanut butter. You can also use a spoon or knife, I just happen to keep an offset spatula on hand and like how it worked in the peanut butter cups.

Variations to this Vegan Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

If you are looking for ways to change up this recipe, here are some simple suggestions:

Nut-free– Swap the peanut butter for sun butter or cookie butter.
White chocolate– Swap the dark chocolate for a vegan white chocolate.

A dark chocolate vegan peanut butter cup on a grey and white counter.

Storing and Freezing Plant-Based Peanut Butter Cups

I will warn you once, these are dangerous to have on hand. You will find yourself in the freezer late in the evening snacking on your tenth peanut-butter cup if you are not careful…

Storing- Place fully set peanut butter cups in an air-tight container at room temperature and store in the pantry for up to 7 days.
- Room temperature– Pull the muffin tin from the freezer after they have set and allow to come to room temperature naturally before storing in a container.
Freezing– Keep the peanut butter cups frozen in an air-tight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

A stack of vegan peanut butter cups on a white plate with the top cup missing a bite.

Frequently Asked Questions about Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

Do you have to pipe the chocolate and peanut butter into the muffin liners?

No, you can easily scoop and pour the melted chocolate and peanut butter layers into the lined muffin tins but I find it’s much cleaner to use piping bags/sandwich bags to fill the cups.

Are Reese’s peanut butter cups vegan?

The traditional Reese’s peanut butter cups recipe is not vegan. The Hershey’s company did recently launch a plant-based version that is available for purchase at local grocery stores as well as on their website.

Is peanut butter vegan?

Yes, at it’s basic level peanut butter is traditionally ground peanuts and salt which are vegan. Check the peanut butter you are using to ensure you have selected a brand without any added animal byproducts such as honey.

Delicious Vegan Treats to Make Next

If you tried this vegan peanut butter cups recipe please let me know in the comments below!

You can also share a picture of it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can see all of your life after dairy adventures!

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