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First, let me apologize if this post is choppy or incoherent. I am writing it in the car on my way home from our vacation in Vermont while The Bug, who only slept for an hour, versus his usual 2 1/2 to 3 hour nap, repeatedly throws his blankie and water then whines about needing them. Let’s just say that I am happy I still have a few of these…
stashed in my fridge for when I get home late tonight.
It’s First on the First time again, and unfortunately the last time I could join in was way back in April, when I made these yummy sugar cookies. Since it has been so long, I’ll remind you that First on the First is a monthly blog hop started by Kate of Food Babbles and Carrie of Poet in the Pantry where all of the blogger participants make something for the first time, or put a new spin on something they have made before, based on the theme. At the bottom of this post, you’ll find the links to see what all of the other participants made.
This month, instead of assigning a particular thing to make, like pretzels or churros, the theme is Your Favorite Candy. Now if you have been reading my blog, or keep up with my posts and comments on Facebook even just a little bit, you may have seen me mention about a billion time how much I love peanut butter, especially with chocolate. So I am sure it comes as no surprise that my favorite candy is, without question, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I think my favorite thing to eat is the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Sundae Dasher from Carvel, since it combines Reese’s with my other favorite food – ice cream!!
So I decided to make a grown up spin on good, old Reese’s. I used my awesome new Ninja Blender that I won from My Judy the Foodie to make the peanut butter. I’ll give you the instructions here, but that truly warrants a post of its own, which I just didn’t get done before to during vacation. And I just used the pure peanut butter (which had a little salt and honey), with no added powdered sugar like other PB cup recipes I have seen, just to keep that pure-peanutty flavor. Then I encased it in Ghirardelli dark chocolate, and sprinkled a little sea salt on top for there perfect sweet and salty, creamy and rich little bite. Oh goodness, how many more hours till I get home?!
Then I may have jammed them into some cupcakes.
Oh yeah, you bet I’ll be sharing that recipe. I was hoping to put all of these recipes together, but I was too busy eating ice cream and chocolate and ice cream and cheese and ice cream and chocolate and ice cream and burgers (and more ice cream and other goodies that I didn’t take a picture of on Instagram) for the past week.
But I won’t be sharing the rest of the PB cups in my fridge, or the (gluten-free!!!) cupcakes I stashed in my freezer.
Make sure you check out the other First on the First candies below!
What is your all-time favorite candy? Oh, and how do you occupy your toddler during long car trips?
Peanut Butter Cups for Grown-Ups (or kids too!)
Ingredients
For the peanut butter:
- 16 oz. jar of dry roasted unsalted peanuts
- 2 t coarse seal salt
- 2 T honey
For the peanut butter cups:
- About 3/4-1 c peanut butter the homemade above, or another natural peanut butter would probably work if you pour off the oil, well chilled in the refrigerator.
- 2 10 oz. bags of Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips
- Coarse sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
For the peanut butter:
- Place all of the ingredients in a blender or for processor and blend until it reaches the desired consistency. This will take several minutes.
- Place in a jar or other storage container and store in the refrigerator.
For the peanut butter cups:
- Separate and spread out about 30-32 mini foil cupcake wrappers on a cookie sheet or in a baking pan (use the kind that you can use without a muffin pan when baking muffins or cupcakes. If you use smaller ones, you can make more peanut butter cups, with less peanut butter in each one).
- Melt one bag of chocolate chips following the instructions on the bag.
- Divide the melted chocolate between the muffin cups, and use a small brush to spread some of the chocolate partway up the sides of the wrappers. Place in the fridge until set.
- Roll 1 tablespoon balls of peanut butter, and place one ball in the middle of each chocolate cup.
- Melt the second bag of chocolate chips according to the instructions on the bag.
- Divide the melted chocolate between the cups to cover the peanut butter balls.
- While the chocolate is still soft, sprinkle the sea salt over the tops of the peanut butter cups.
- If desired, let the chocolate finish hardening in the refrigerator.
Did you make this?
Leave a rating below and tag @cupcakekalechip on Instagram and hashtag it #cupcakesandkalechips
Enjoy!
And please check out some of the other delicious candies made by the other First on the First Participants!
This recipe was shared with:
I am so on board with this recipe — I’ve been telling myself lately that I really need to try my hand at chocolate peanut butter cups, but I hate how all of the recipes call for shortening or coconut oil. I love that yours doesn’t have either one, and that it includes homemade peanut butter! I wanted to let you know, too, that I featured this post on my blog’s Weekend Wrap-Up. Thanks for another outstanding recipe idea, and I hope you’re having a nice weekend!
Here’s a link to the wrap-up in case you’re interested (feel free to stop by and grab a badge, if you like):
http://www.floptimism.com/2013/10/weekend-wrap-up-outward-love.html
Thanks for featuring my PB Cups!!
My son is addicted to Reeses Peanut Butter cups, but I’m not crazy about milk chocolate. I like dark much better, esp. the special dark. I bake mini brownies and push a miniature Reeses P B Cup down into the center. Then I top them, when they are cool, with a whipped ganache rosette, and sprinkle a few chopped P B chips on the top. They are a huge hit at a party. I’m going to have to try these with the dark chocolate, for the brownie cupcakes. Good idea!
I make a lot of wedding cakes, and one of my most popular is my devil’s chocolate cake with a chocolate mousse filling loaded up with chopped Reeses P B cups, and a Peanut Butter flavored frosting. I use the oil to keep the frosting white.
I didn’t know that the commercial cups had honey in the filling? Don’t taste it myself. Do like the salt sprinkled on the top.
Mmmmm….I wish that I had one of these right now! These look so amazing! Peanut butter cups were my favorite candy as a kid. I like this version MUCH better. 🙂
I could use another right now. The problem is having a whole batch sitting around 🙂
Looks like the perfect thing to get you through a long car ride with a finicky kiddo! Peanut butter cups are one of the best candies out there, without a doubt, and I love your spin on them!
Just the thought of them got me through 🙂 Totally the best candy!
Came over from Foodie Fridays to see your PB cups! They look amazing!
Thanks for stopping by!!
Sooooo yum!!!!!
You have no idea! Well, you probably do… 🙂
I love the idea of homemade peanut butter cups!! Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday!
Thanks! They were fun!
The really sound good. I’m going to have to try them!
Thank you! I hope you do!
I’ve always wanted to make my own peanut butter cups…but, gosh…I didn’t even consider to make my own peanut butter for them too! You’re so awesome…these look FABULOUS!!
I just had to put my new blender to the test!
amazing!
Thank you!! They were pretty awesome.
Oh my word…those look divine!!!! I love that you added some sea salt to them!!!
Thank you. I am so loving sweet and salty and love to try sea salt on desserts.
Yum, I love PB cups! And inside that cupcake…delish!
Oooh, keep your eye out, hopefully later this week, for the cupcakes!
Oh my heaven do these look and sound divine!! I bowed out of doing First on the First this month but I definitely would have done a PB/choco something. But you did a way better job than I could have – yum yum yum!
Peanut butter & chocolate is always a winning combo! And I am sure you would have done something great!!
I am drooling! Peanut butter and chocolate is one of my favorite combinations, but lately I’ve found that the Reese’s PB cups are a little too sweet for my tastes. (Although I still eat them, ha!) These look perfect!
These definitely tone down the sweetness of Reese’s, while still having all the yummy peanut butter and chocolate.
These look fabulous, Brianne! I am quite sure my kids would adore this adult version, too!
Anyone who like peanut butter and chocolate will like these!!
These look amazing, and those cupcakes!! Great job!
Thanks! Yes, I can’t wait to get the cupcakes post done.
Oh wow those look great! I love how yours are very minimally sweetened. I will have to give that a try.
Yes, I wanted to try to make it without adding sugar other than the bit of honey in the peanut butter, and the sugar already in the chocolate. I wanted to let all of the flavors come through.
Can’t buy Reese’s in Australia so I must make my own if I’m going to have my fix. Holy cow these look good. Perfect for the 4th!
They are so easy. No need to miss out on your Reese’s!
Those look so good!! And your pictures are amazing as always, nicely done!!
Thanks! That really means a lot, because your photos always impress me!
Oh my goodness!!! Those peanut butter cups look SO incredibly good! I’m a huge Reese’s PB cups fan and I really wish Maddy didn’t have a peanut allergy… oh how I miss peanut butter. These look perfect and I love the sprinkle of sea salt on top. The perfect finishing touch! I also NEED to see more of those scrumptious looking cupcakes. Holy moly, Brianne!! You’ve outdone yourself. My mouth is watering. Thanks for joining in the month!
Kate, you are too much! Really, your kind words are making me all smiles. I have to say, I think it would nearly kill me if Tyler was allergic to peanut butter!! Hmm, I bet Sunflower Butter Cups would be great!
Oooo!! Sunflower Butter is my peanut butter alternative in our house. It’s funny cause it kind of tastes a little “peanut buttery” or perhaps that’s just my mind playing tricks on me as I wish it really were. They actually make Sunflower Butter Cups and they’re absolutely awesome!