Easter Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

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Peanut Butter Cups are always a good idea, but these Easter Peanut Butter Cups bring the fun. Creamy peanut butter filling, smooth milk chocolate, pastel M&M’s, and colorful sprinkles, every bite feels festive. They look adorable on a dessert tray and they’re surprisingly simple to make. Honestly, once you see how easy these are, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making them all year.

 

Ingredient Notes

• Creamy Peanut Butter– The base of the filling. Choose a smooth peanut butter that blends easily with powdered sugar.
• Powdered Sugar– Thickens the filling into a soft dough. You may not need the full amount depending on the texture of your peanut butter.
• Milk Chocolate Chips– Melts into a silky coating for the cups. You can swap with semi-sweet chocolate if you prefer a slightly richer flavor.
• Coconut Oil– Helps the chocolate melt smoothly and gives it that glossy finish.
• Pastel M&M’s– Adds Easter color and a little crunch right in the center.
• Easter Sprinkles and Jimmies– The final decorative touch that makes these Peanut Butter Cups pop.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cups

These Easter Peanut Butter Cups are rich, creamy, and topped with festive pastel M&Ms for the perfect spring treat. Easy to make and irresistibly cute, they’re a fun addition to any Easter dessert spread! For full recipe details, including ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Prep Cupcake Pan

Line a 12-serving cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.

2. Mix Peanut Butter + Powdered Sugar

Add the peanut butter and 1/4 cup powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl and mix well using an electric hand mixer. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of powdered sugar if the mixture is too wet – it should feel like a very soft dough. Set aside.

3. Melt Chocolate Chips

Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until the chocolate is fully melted, stirring well after each addition. This should take 1 1/2 – 2 minutes.

4. Spoon into each Cupcake Liner

Using a small spoon, drop 1-2 tablespoons of the chocolate into the bottom of each cupcake liner and press it slightly up the sides to create a little “cup”.

5. Freeze

Place the chocolate cups into the freezer to set for about 10 minutes.

6. Add Peanut Butter Mixture to each Cup

Remove the hardened cups from the freezer and press a tablespoon of the peanut butter mixture into the bottom of each cup, leaving a small gap around the sides to allow the top layer of chocolate to coat the sides.

7. Top with Candies

Press 4-5 M&M candies into each peanut butter cup. Top each cup with more chocolate until fully coated, reserving a small amount for drizzling later. 

8. Place Back into the Freezer

Place the peanut butter cups back into the freezer to set for about 20 minutes.

9. Drizzle Chocolate + Add Sprinkles

Remove the peanut butter cups from the freezer and peel the liners off.

Drizzle the peanut butter cups lightly with the remaining melted chocolate, and top with Easter sprinkles and/or jimmies. Serve cold or at room temperature!

Tips for Success

• Use creamy peanut butter for the smoothest filling texture.
• Press the first chocolate layer slightly up the sides so the filling stays tucked inside.
• Freeze the chocolate cups before adding the peanut butter layer so they hold their shape.
• Leave a small gap around the peanut butter filling so the top chocolate layer can seal the edges.
• Drizzle chocolate quickly before it firms up.

These Easter Peanut Butter Cups bring big chocolate peanut butter flavor with a cheerful spring look. They’re simple, festive, and guaranteed to draw attention on the dessert table. The printable recipe card is below! Have a great day, friends!

Variations

• Swap in crunchy peanut butter for more texture
• Use almond butter or cashew butter for a peanut-free version
• Add a splash of vanilla extract to the peanut butter mixture
• Replace M&M’s with mini eggs, jelly beans, or crushed graham cracker crumbs
• Use white chocolate bark instead of milk chocolate for a different look
• Add a sprinkle of sea salt to the top of the chocolate before it sets
• Use a mini muffin pan or silicone liners for smaller treats
• Add a teaspoon of maple syrup or brown sugar to sweeten your own peanut butter cups

More Easter Treats to Try!

• Easter Dirt Cake
• Easter Cake Pops
• Easter Bunny Cake
• Easter Planted Carrots Cake
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake Recipe

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.