5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cups

Name: Five Ingredient Peanut Butter Cups
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup Natural peanut butter; 1 tablespoon Coconut oil; 1 tablespoon Maple syrup; 2 tablespoons Maple syrup; 2 tablespoons Coconut oil; 1/3 cup Peanut butter; 1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder; Dash Sea salt

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With just an handful of simple healthier ingredients, these peanut butter cups are a delicious treat!

If you love chocolate and peanut butter but want a healthier version, look no further than these 5 ingredient peanut butter cups. They are quick and easy to make, and perfect to satisfy a sweet tooth.

a close up of peanut butter cups without liners

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With just a handful of simple ingredients, these peanut butter cups are a satisfying treat you can enjoy anytime. They’re creamy, rich, and sweet—but without the guilt. Perfect for a snack or dessert, they’re a better option than store-bought candy. Plus, you can customize them to suit your tastes or dietary needs.

What you’ll love about this recipe

Healthy Ingredients – Made with just 5 natural ingredients with no unnecessary additives.
Customizable and Diet Friendly – Fits various diets, including gluten-free and refined sugar-free. You can easily tweak the sweetness or use substitutes.
Flavor -Combines the unbeatable duo of chocolate and peanut butter into a rich, indulgent treat without the guilt.

a picture of the ingredients needed to make this recipe with cocoa powder, peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil

Here is what you will need

This is a brief summary of the ingredients needed to make this recipe and a convenient shopping list from my Instacart affiliate link. For a printable recipe card with exact measurements and detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card section. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredient List

Natural creamy peanut butter or any nut or seed butter
Coconut oil
Cocoa powder
Maple syrup or honey
Sea salt

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How to make 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cups

Prepare: line a mini muffin tin with 8 mini cupcake liners or arrange silicone cupcake liners in a small baking pan or tray.

a picture of peanut butter in a bowl which is the first step to making 5 ingredient peanut butter cupt

STEP 1: Melt the coconut oil over low heat in a small saucepan. Once the oil is melted, add 1/3 cup of natural peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and mix well.

a picture of a spoon adding peanut butter into the peanut butter cups

STEP 2: Drop about 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter filling into each of the muffin cups. Place the cups into the freezer for 45 minutes.

A picture of the chocolate topping in a mixing bowl

STEP 3: Just before removing the peanut butter cups from the freezer, make the top layer. Melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, in a small pan. Once it has melted, add 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1/3 cup peanut butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa. Stir to combine all of the ingredients.

STEP 4: Drop about a 1/2 tablespoon of the chocolate on top of the frozen peanut butter layer, and sprinkle with sea salt. Place the cups back into the freezer for at least an hour. Store the cups in the freezer.

How to store peanut butter cups

Coconut oil, while solid at room temperature, can get too soft to hold its shape. For the best results, keep these peanut butter cups in the freezer. I like removing them from their liners and placing them in an airtight container. They can stay fresh in the freezer for up to three months.

over head view of peanut butter cups in silicone liners

Recipe variations

Crunchy – Add a few tablespoons of chopped peanuts to the peanut butter layer or use chunky peanut butter.

Nut butter – Try using any variety of natural nut or seed butter.

a picture of peanut butter cups in a silicone cup

Serving suggestions

Peanut butter cups are a delicious sweet treat that can be enjoyed on their own or paired with other foods such as fresh fruit, ice cream, yogurt, or even pretzels.

You can also make a health-ish dessert tray with coconut clusters, cashew clusters, and dark chocolate bourbon balls.

Tips & Tricks

The chocolate layer will be thick, if you prefer it thinner and drizzly, add a little more coconut oil.
I like to use mini cupcake silicone liners to make these. It’s easy to just pop the out once they are fully frozen.
If you use silicone liners, arrange them on a baking sheet or plate to make it easier to transport to the freezer.

Can I store these peanut butter cups in the refrigerator instead of the freezer?

It is not recommended to store these peanut butter cups in the refrigerator. While they won’t fall apart, these peanut butter cups will be soft. When they are in the freezer they will have more texture.

Can you make these cups with full-sized cupcake liners?

Yes, you can but there will be about one-half as many cups.

Can I eat the peanut butter cups right out of the freezer?

Yes. There is no need to let the peanut butter cups thaw before enjoying them.