Homemade Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from Scratch

1. Start by lining a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper cups. Then, melt chocolate according to the instructions in the package. You can either use the double-boiler or the microwave. I prefer the latter!
2. If using the microwave, place half of the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and cook for about 2 minutes, pausing and mixing at 30-second intervals until melted and smooth.
3. Using a cookie scoop, pour one scoop of  melted chocolate into each of the 12 muffin tins. To distribute into an even layer,   drop the pan repeatedly on the counter in order to flatten and smooth the chocolate layer. Place the pan in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until chocolate has hardened.
4. Meanwhile, whip peanut butter with softened butter and confectioner’s sugar until mixture is well-mixed and smooth.
5. Drop one scoop of the peanut butter mixture onto the frozen chocolate layer. Then, drop the pan several times on the counter in order to flatten out and smooth the peanut mixture layer. Place the pan in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until hardened.
6. Be aware that the chocolate layers may be harder than the peanut butter filing. To avoid any mess while eating them, you may drop about one teaspoon only of the peanut butter mixture onto the center of chocolate layer. In this case, don’t drop the tin on the counter. Freeze to harden. Then, follow the instructions for the top chocolate layer. The filling will be in the very center of the peanut butter cups completely covered by chocolate including on the sides – just like the Reese’s candy. That’s the best way to avoid mess when eating them!
7. Melt the other half of the chocolate chips until smooth and place one scoop onto the peanut butter mixture. Again drop the tin on the counter many times or until an even layer is formed. Place the pan in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until hardened.
8. Make sure to let these homemade peanut butter cups come to room temperature before serving. Then just peel off the paper wrapper and enjoy!

Patriotic Peanut Butter Cups

1. To make these red, white, and blue peanut butter cups, follow the instructions above. But use white chocolate instead. Depending on the quality of your chocolate or the weather, you may need to add 2-3 tablespoons of neutral vegetable oil to the melted chocolate and mix very well until chocolate is smooth.
2. After placing one scoop of the melted chocolate into each paper cup and dropping the pan on the counter to form an even layer, add one drop of red and one drop of blue food coloring onto the chocolate layer of each tin.
3. Using a toothpick, make swirls, and then drop the pan again to smooth out the chocolate layer. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Follow the instructions above for the peanut butter layer and repeat the directions for the red, white, and blue chocolate layer.  If desired, garnish them on top with red, white, and blue sprinkles!