Peanut butter cups were always one of my favorite candies; I would choose them over just about anything else in a Halloween bag or Easter basket! But sadly, when you go vegan, or you can’t have dairy, you discover that all your favorite chocolate candies have milk in them. If you are lucky enough to shop at Whole Foods or another natural grocery store, you might be able to find a few vegan options, but they tend to be pricey and hard to find. It’s much easier to make your own! These vegan peanut butter cups are, dare I say, tastier than the original, and you get to use quality ingredients. You will love them!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
Non-dairy chocolate chips – You don’t have to purchase the most expensive vegan labeled chocolate chips. There are a few brands that are accidentally vegan, like Guittard, Trader Joe’s and sometimes Costco’s Kirkland brand. Formulas can change, so just check the ingredient list for milkfat, butter oil or “contains milk”. Vegan friendly chocolate bars work as well, chopped up. Refined coconut oil – I call for refined coconut oil because it doesn’t taste like coconut at all. If you don’t mind a coconut taste, you can use unrefined. If you want the cups to be shelf stable, omit this, but it really adds a smoother chocolate layer that I love. Creamy peanut butter – I generally prefer natural peanut butter for eating, but here I recommend regular creamy peanut butter, NOT the natural kind. If you must, it will probably work okay. Natural can be very runny, oily or sometimes super thick and is not as consistent. Powdered sugar – I haven’t tried another sweetener, but you might be able to use maple syrup instead. Optional – Coarse sea salt for sprinkling on top. I highly recommend this!
How to make vegan peanut butter cups
How to store vegan peanut butter cups
Store peanut butter cups in the refrigerator or freezer, in some sort of container with a lid. I like to keep them in the freezer. They will melt rather quickly at room temperature due to the coconut oil, so don’t leave them out. If you want candies you can wrap and that are more stable, you can leave out the coconut oil OR substitute melted vegan butter. I prefer how they taste with that little bit of coconut oil, but they are just fine without it and then they won’t melt so quickly.
More peanut butter + chocolate treats you will love
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls Vegan Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
*This recipe was originally published April 2019 and has been republished with improved photos and recipe. The original did not include coconut oil, but I have since found I prefer them this way. I’m always working on improving the recipes on my website, thank you!
