Are you a fan of peanut butter and chocolate? If you are looking for a delicious, easy-to-make vegan treat everyone will love, these Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are just what you need! These bite-sized morsels combine rich, creamy peanut butter with luscious dark chocolate for the perfect classic flavor pairing.
Since childhood, I've loved chocolate peanut butter cups; they were my favorite candies and Halloween candy. I had to make a vegan version of this classic treat without the unwanted ingredients of the store-bought version.
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These delicious mini Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups satisfy any chocolate craving. They're easy to make, refined sugar-free, gluten-free, and can be made in less than 30 minutes.
I leveled up these mini dark chocolate peanut butter cups by topping them with sea salt and pink pitaya powder. These sweet and salty little bites are perfect for Valentine's Day, any sweet celebration, or just because!
This recipe will become a favorite for anyone who loves chocolate (or peanut butter!).
Try the following recipes for the chocolate lovers in your life: Vegan Chocolate Fig Cupcakes, Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake, Chocolate Tahini Banana Bread, and Vegan PB Chocolate Skillet Cookie.
Ingredients
These are the simple ingredients you'll need to make these vegan chocolate peanut butter cups:
- Vegan semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (dairy-free) - to ensure it's vegan, check the ingredients list for milk fat, milk solids, or dairy butter (cocoa butter is okay and is vegan). I used the Enjoy Life brand. If you don't have the minis, you can use regular vegan chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or a chopped-up vegan chocolate bar. Cocoa butter is fine; it is not dairy.
- Virgin coconut oil - to mix with the chocolate chips for smoothness and ease of spreading.
- Natural peanut butter - preferably unsalted. If using salted peanut butter, don't add salt to the filling. The brand I use is a nice consistency, not runny or thick. If your natural peanut butter is runny, place it in the fridge to thicken it. You can put a brand new jar of peanut butter on the counter, upside down, to get it to mix.
- Maple syrup - a natural sweetener for the filling; make sure it's pure and not a blended syrup.
- Nutritional yeast (optional) - adds a savory and umami flavor, plus it adds texture.
- Vanilla extract - vanilla and chocolate go so well together!
- Fine sea salt - add if your peanut butter is not salted or add to taste.
- Coarse sea salt - to combine with pink pitaya powder to sprinkle on top of the cups. Fine sea salt also works, which is what I have pictured.
- Pink pitaya powder - 100% pure red dragon fruit powder, optional. It's non-GMO, gluten-free, and has no added sugar, additives, or preservatives. It's completely natural, fun to add, and is a vibrant shade of pink!
Substitutions
- Peanut butter - almond butter or cashew butter
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips - dark chocolate chips
- Maple syrup - you can use icing (confectioner's) sugar instead, but then they won't be refined sugar-free.
Variations
- Nut-free - sunflower seed butter.
- Add cocoa nibs for variety in texture.
- Stir chopped mini vegan peanut butter chocolate cups into vegan ice cream with some melted chocolate for a decadent treat!
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Recipe (Mini)
It's easy to make these homemade vegan peanut butter cups with the perfect balance of chocolate and creamy peanut butter centers. Here's how to do it, even if it is your first time!
- Step 1: Line the mini muffin tins with mini muffin liners or cupcake liners and set them aside.
- Step 2: Make the peanut butter filling. Mix the natural peanut butter, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt in a small bowl.
- Step 3: Melt the chocolate.
How to Melt the Chocolate
You can melt the chocolate in a double boiler if you have one. If you don't have one (I don't), here's what to do.
Make a double boiler: Place a heat-safe bowl such as stainless steel over a small saucepan with high sides filled with about an inch of water, then bring that to a low boil.
Choose a bowl that will sit nicely on top of the saucepan. You don't want the base of the bowl to be touching the boiling water; you want to melt the chocolate, not cook it or burn it. Make sure the bowl isn't in contact with the boiling water.
Note: Stir the chocolate frequently. Take it off the heat when it's nearly melted, and stir until the chocolate melts completely.
Alternative: If you don't want to make a double boiler, melt the chocolate on low heat in a small enameled cast-iron saucepan like this one. It's important to use the lowest heat setting and to stir occasionally. Take it off the heat when almost all of the chocolate has melted.
Or, you can use the microwave to melt your chocolate chips. Place them in a microwave-safe bowl (glass) and microwave them in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate is melted.
I take out the chocolate when it is nearly melted and stir until it melts.
- Step 4: Spoon 1 scant teaspoon of melted chocolate into each liner. Gently spread it to the edges of the liner with your spoon.
- Step 5: Follow with one teaspoon of peanut butter mixture rolled in a ball and then flattened into a disc.
- Step 6: Top with one teaspoon of melted chocolate, gently spreading it to the edges of the liner.
- Step 7: Combine fine or coarse sea salt and the pink pitaya powder. Sprinkle a small amount on top of peanut butter cups; I highly recommend this. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Tip: Roll the peanut butter balls and line them up before you start assembling your peanut butter cups.
Equipment
- Mini muffin pan - 24 well. If you don't have mini muffin tins, you can use a regular muffin tin with regular-size paper liners.
- 16 mini cups - you can get them in bright foil colors
Expert Tips
Be sure to use enough chocolate on top to cover the peanut butter filling properly and seal off the sides. Use a scant teaspoon for the base layer and a slightly more generous teaspoon for the top layer.
If the chocolate starts getting stiff while it's cooling off and hard to spread, heat it again over the double boiler or melt it in the microwave.
Storage
These peanut butter cups can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
Store for up to 6 months in the freezer in a sealed container. I don't recommend storing them at room temperature because they melt easily.
Related Recipes
If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Recipe (Mini)
EQUIPMENT
- mini muffin tin - 24 well, or two 12-well muffin tins
- 16 mini muffin liners
- teaspoon
INGREDIENTS
For the peanut butter cups
- ½ cup organic creamy light roasted peanut butter preferably unsalted
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 10 oz vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil
For the topping
- ½ tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 1/16 teaspoon pink pitaya powder optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Line 2 mini muffin tins with 16 liners.
- Combine natural peanut butter, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt.½ cup organic creamy light roasted peanut butter, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Melt the chocolate chips with coconut oil in a double boiler on low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat before all the chips have melted and continue stirring on the countertop. Let cool briefly.10 oz vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil
- Spoon 1 scant teaspoon of melted chocolate into each liner, gently spreading it with a spoon to the edges. Follow with 1 teaspoon of peanut butter mixture rolled in a ball and then flattened into a small disc. Top with 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate, gently spread it to the edges of the liner.
- Combine coarse sea salt and pink pitaya powder. Sprinkle a small amount on top of peanut butter cups before placing in fridge for 20 minutes. Enjoy!½ tablespoon coarse sea salt, 1/16 teaspoon pink pitaya powder
NOTES
NUTRITION
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
Erica says
Oooo! Chocolate and peanut butter! Is there any other perfect combination? I'll have to make this soon. Beautiful pics!
Emily says
Thank you, Erica! So good, I hope you try these soon!
Nadja says
These chocolate peanut butter cups were delicious and so easy to make. I was wondering about the nutritional yeast flavor but complemented it fabulously. I'm saving this recipe to make again for Galentine's day.
Emily says
Hi Nadja, thank you for trying out this recipe. I love hearing that it was easy to make and delicious!
Emily says
Thanks for such an awesome vegan recipe! I can't wait to make these again for Valentine's Day!
Emily says
Thanks for the kind words, Emily! I am glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Anjali says
These were so delicious and so much better than regular Reese's peanut butter cups!!
Emily says
Thank you for the review and feedback, Anjali! I'm so glad to hear that my recipe was a hit with you!
Anaiah says
Yum! These vegan chocolate peanut butter cups are the perfect guilt-free snack. I'll be making this often and taking some to work with me. They are so delicious!
Emily says
Thank you for your review, Anaiah! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! Here's to making our workdays a little sweeter!
Marinela says
These mini chocolate peanut butter cups make the yummiest sweet treat for any occasion. Great for parties and family gatherings. What a lovely vegan dessert idea! Thanks!
Emily says
Hi Marinela, thanks for taking the time to review our Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups! I hope you enjoy them!
Aleisha says
These are SO good!! ?
Emily says
Thank you so much, Aleisha!
Holly says
Yum! These will be perfect for Halloween!
Emily says
Holly, thank you for the review! I'm so glad to hear these will be perfect for Halloween. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them!
Kayla says
These vegan chocolate peanut butter cups are delicious! So easy to make and so yummy!
Emily says
Thank you for your review, Kayla! I'm so glad to hear that this recipe was a hit!