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    Home » All Recipes » Dessert

    Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

    March 31, 2019 By Melissa Huggins / 16 Comments

    This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

    Jump to Recipe

    These Vegan Peanut Butter Cups are easy to make and only require four simple ingredients. They are rich, chocolatey, and filled with peanut butter goodness!

    Vegan Peanut Butter Cups on a white plate with chocolate chips on the side.

    Easter is right around the corner, and I'm thinking vegan shepherd's pie for dinner, vegan carrot cake for dessert, and vegan peanut butter cups ALL. DAY. LONG!

    This homemade version tastes similar to Reese's but without all the additives. They are perfect for Easter baskets along with these chocolate peanut butter crunch bars. Who can resist a chocolate and peanut butter combo?

    You'll need just four ingredients - vegan chocolate chips, maple syrup, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. That's it! Are you ready?

    How to make Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

    Before you start, you'll need to fill a cupcake pan with standard-size cupcake liners and make some room in your freezer for the pan to fit. Here are the remaining steps:

    Six process photos of mixing filling, melting chocolate and filling liners.
    • Combine peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and place in the fridge.
    • Place chocolate in a bowl and microwave for 2-3 minutes with about 70% power. Stir every 30 seconds.
    • Pour ½ tablespoon of chocolate on the bottom of liners and spread with a spoon to evenly cover the whole bottom. Place in freezer for 10 minutes.
    • Take a ½ tablespoon of filling and roll it into a ball. Now place on top of chocolate and gently flatten with your fingers. Leave room on all sides so the top layer of chocolate can fit.
    • Now pour 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate over the filling. Spread evenly with a spoon, ensuring that the chocolate has poured down the sides of the filling. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

    Tips for melting chocolate

    • Make sure all cooking utensils are completely dry. Just one drop of water can seize up the chocolate.
    • Stir often to prevent burning.
    • Don't use high heat or the chocolate will harden and burn. If you're using a microwave, and it doesn't have a lower heat option, just melt in shorter increments and stir often.

    Want more chocolate melting tips and step-by-step photos? This article on WikiHow is very informative.

    How to store Peanut Butter Cups

    You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 weeks or in the freezer for 2-3 months. If freezing, thaw 10 minutes before eating.

    You can also leave them out at room temperature for a few hours. They don't melt at room temp, but they will be softer.

    close up view of three vegan peanut butter cups on a white plate with peanut butter in the background.

    More chocolate recipes to try

    • Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
    • Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
    • Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
    • Vegan Chocolate Cake

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  rating and sharing your feedback in the comment section below. It would make my day!

    ⭐️ Subscribe to the Vegan Huggs Newsletter and receive weekly recipes straight to your inbox! You'll also receive my FREE eCookbook featuring my top 10 recipes. 

    Recipe

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    5 from 8 votes

    Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

    These Vegan Peanut Butter Cups are easy to make and only require four simple ingredients. They are rich, chocolatey and filled with peanut butter goodness!
    Prep Time25 minutes mins
    Cook Time5 minutes mins
    Total Time30 minutes mins
    Course: Candy, Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Gluten-Free, Vegan
    Servings: 11 people
    Calories: 214kcal
    Author: Melissa Huggins

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup peanut butter (I used a salted variety)*See note
    • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (sub agave nectar)
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 10 ounces vegan chocolate chips (1 ½ cups)
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    Instructions

    • Add standard cupcake liners to a 12-slot cupcake pan. Set aside. Make some room in your freezer for the pan to fit. This recipe makes at least 11 peanut butter cups if measured precisely. You may be able to stretch it to 12 by scraping the chocolate from the bowl. 
    • Add the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla to a mixing bowl and combine well with a spatula. Place in the fridge while you prepare the chocolate. 
    • Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2-3 minutes on about 70% power. Stir and turn bowl every 30 seconds to prevent burning (see notes for alternative double boiler method).
    • Pour ½ tablespoon of melted chocolate on the bottom of the cupcake liners. Spread with a spoon so the chocolate covers the whole bottom and touches sides of the liner. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
    • Remove peanut butter filling from the fridge. Take a ½ tablespoon of filling and roll it into a ball. Now place on top of chocolate and gently flatten evenly with your fingers. Leave a small amount of room on all sides so the top layer of chocolate can fit. (see photos above for example)
    • If the bowl of melted chocolate has firmed up a little, just stick it in the microwave for another 30-60 seconds. Now pour 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate over the peanut butter. Spread evenly with the back of a spoon, ensuring that the chocolate has poured down the sides of the peanut butter. Place back in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up (see notes for storing suggestions). Enjoy! 

    Notes

    PEANUT BUTTER:
    * If your peanut butter brand is on the oily/runny side when you first open it, you may want to give it a good stir and stick it in the fridge for a few hours to firm up. 
    * If your peanut butter is unsalted, you'll want to add ½ teaspoon to the filling mixture. 
    MELTING CHOCOLATE: You can use a double boiler OR place chocolate chips in a heat-safe (plastic-free) bowl that will fit directly over a pot with simmering water (about 1-2 inches or water). The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Simmer water in a pot over medium heat and stir chips in the bowl until melted. Be very careful not to get any water in the chocolate or it will seize up. 
    MEASUREMENTS: I was very precise with measuring out the layers instead of just pouring into the liners. In my opinion, it provides the perfect chocolate to peanut butter ratio. Also, these measurements will ensure you get at least 11 peanut butter cups (possibly 12). I use a small spatula to scrape most of the melted chocolate out of the bowl.
    STORING: You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 weeks or the freezer for 2-3 months. If freezing, thaw 10 minutes before eating. They are also fine at room temp for a few hours. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1peanut butter cup | Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!

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    About Melissa

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 8 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Ann Green

      April 13, 2025 at 5:49 am

      5 stars
      These are SO good! I'm making them for the third time today. So satisfying, and easy too. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 16, 2025 at 12:25 pm

        Hi Ann, I'm so glad you loved them! Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Ann Green

      February 19, 2025 at 3:03 pm

      5 stars
      OMG! These are incredible! I made them last year and just brought up the recipe to make them again. I used about 2t of peanut butter instead of 1.5. I scraped the bowl and had juuuuust enough chocolate for all twelve cups. Go to your kitchen right now and make these babies!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        May 05, 2025 at 5:10 pm

        I'm so happy you love the recipe. It's one of my favorites! Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Tina

      July 29, 2020 at 8:58 am

      5 stars
      These were awesome. So easy to make and perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth during this heat wave! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        August 10, 2020 at 4:24 pm

        Hi Tina, I'm so glad they worked out for you. Thank you for giving them a try. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Nancy

      April 22, 2019 at 6:43 pm

      5 stars
      These are great. I took them to our monthly vegan pot luck. I will make when again for a party. I don’ t think I want them at home😀Thanks for all your great recipes

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 22, 2019 at 7:15 pm

        This is so nice to hear! Thank you for making them! I have a bunch in the freezer and I'm trying to forget about them. lol!:)

        Reply
    5. MariaMaria

      April 07, 2019 at 5:09 pm

      I love this recipe! I shared the cups that I made with family & friends who said they loved them ! This is a keeper!Now I know what’s in this new favorite! Thank u !!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 08, 2019 at 9:20 am

        So glad everyone loved them! Thank you for sharing 🙂

        Reply
    6. Rebecca C

      April 07, 2019 at 2:47 pm

      I'm not completely vegan, but I do have a few food intolerances, and this was a wonderful way to get a chocolate fix! While delicious, I did have some issues with the recipe. I ran out of chocolate to top off number 11/12 and still had several tablespoons of peanut butter left over. Thank you for publishing!

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 07, 2019 at 3:15 pm

        Hi Rebecca. I'm so glad you liked them. Did you measure the chips before they were melted? The bag may have been a little short. Did you measure out the chocolate precisely when melted? The amount should make at least 11 peanut butter cups. I use a small spatula to scrape all the remaining chocolate from the bowl too. The peanut butter needs to be flattened too. You may have done this so disregard if you did. As for the peanut butter, there is a little extra if you measure it as directed. I still left the measurement at a 1/2 cup in case someone wanted to add a little more in the middle. I hope this helps 🙂

        Reply
    7. Stephanie

      April 15, 2017 at 6:40 pm

      Omg, so easy and delicious! I made these for my boyfriend for his birthday, we are both vegan! Prior to finding this EASY recipe I ordered vegan chocolate from California to get my fix. .lol. I'm not a big sweet eater but do like a treat once in awhile. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 15, 2017 at 7:08 pm

        Hi Stephanie, This is so good to hear! Thank you for making them, and for your feedback. Such a nice birthday gesture...Your boyfriend is very lucky 🙂 Enjoy!

        Reply
    8. natalie

      February 15, 2017 at 6:59 am

      Yummy! My husband loved them and he's not vegan! It's nice to be able to eat chocolate treats being vegan.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        February 19, 2017 at 10:52 pm

        Hi Natalie, thank you for stopping by. I'm so happy you both liked them. I thought I could never have chocolate after going vegan...boy, was I wrong. Vegan chocolate is everywhere! 🙂

        Reply

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