Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

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My kids love chocolate treats, so when I made these healthy Vegan Peanut Butter Cups using peanut butter, coconut butter, and chocolate chips, I knew they would be an instant favorite. They come together in just 25 minutes and have officially become our go-to treat when someone’s sweet tooth kicks in.

Prep Time20

Cook Time5

Total Time25

Course: 30 Minutes or Less, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 203kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

2 cups chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut butter , or 1 T coconut oil (see note)
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
3-4 tablespoons coconut sugar , or sub with any other sugar you prefer (see note)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt , optional and only needed if peanut butter is not salted
16 mini muffin liners

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt half of the chocolate chips and coconut butter/oil in a bowl in the microwave or using a double boiler on the stove. I used the microwave and it took about a minute. Be careful not to overheat and burn the chocolate. The chips may not look melted but as you mix them they do melt more.
Line a small muffin tin (or use regular sized if preferred) with the muffin liners. Pour the chocolate into the bottom, I used about 1 ½ -2 teaspoons in each.
Put it in the freezer to set for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla and optional salt in a bowl until combined.
When the chocolate is set, put about 1 teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture in each muffin liner on top of the chocolate. You can put the mixture in the fridge to harden a bit if you want so you can form balls to avoid peanut butter showing on the edges when finished. It’s not needed for flavor, just presentation.
Melt the rest of the chocolate and coconut butter/oil.
Pour it over the peanut butter, it was about 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons over each again.
Put it in the freezer to set for about 5 minutes.
Remove from freezer, remove liners and enjoy! Keep them in the fridge to stay hard. The longer they stay out the softer they will get.

Notes

My #1 Secret Tip for making my vegan peanut butter cups is to give the muffin tin a little tap on the counter after pouring the chocolate. It helps smooth out the tops and gets rid of those little air pockets that sometimes sneak in. I started doing this after one batch came out with bumpy tops and now it’s just part of my routine.
Use room temperature peanut butter: I’ve found it’s much easier to mix and spread when the peanut butter isn’t cold. If it’s been in the fridge, I let it sit out for a bit so it softens up.

Taste the filling before assembling: Once I mix the peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla, I always give it a quick taste. That way I can adjust the sweetness or add a tiny pinch more salt if needed.

Use a small spoon or cookie scoop: A small spoon or mini cookie scoop makes it easier to portion the chocolate and peanut butter layers evenly. It helps keep everything neat and the cups more uniform.

Keep them cold until ready to serve: These cups stay firm and taste best when stored in the fridge. If I leave them out too long, they start to soften, especially in warmer months.

Nutrition