If you love those big Reeses Peanut Butter Cup eggs at easter, then you will go crazy for these homemade peanut butter eggs. They are surprisingly easy to make!
In fact, with this peanut butter Easter egg recipe on hand, you will never need to buy Reese’s eggs ever again. The homemade ones are actually much better! Not only do they taste better but they are more economical, too. With this peanut butter egg recipe, you will be able to save money and enjoy a delicious Easter treat.
Homemade Peanut Butter Egg Recipe
A few years ago, I discovered how easy it is to make your own chocolates. It seems like candy-making would be difficult but it is truthfully fun! All you need is a good recipe for the candy filling and some high-quality chocolate melts then you are ready to go! I have made chocolate mint truffles, chocolate chip cookie chocolates, and even oreo truffles with cream cheese. So, tackling peanut butter Easter eggs seemed like a great idea!
My recipe for homemade peanut butter eggs only uses five simple ingredients. You start by making a sweet peanut butter filling and then molding it by hand into egg shapes. The butter eggs are dipped into chocolate candy coating and then they harden into perfect, homemade Easter chocolates. Put these in your kid’s Easter baskets or just serve them as a gourmet dessert. I like to eat at least one (typically two) right away just to make sure they are good….they always are!
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Ingredients for Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Creamy peanut butter – I like to use Jif natural, creamy peanut butter which has a nice, smooth texture and few additives. Any brand of creamy peanut butter will work well. Just be sure it is well stirred in the jar.
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Milk chocolate candy coating – This is sometimes also called “candy melts”. It is a type of chocolate that is made with extra cocoa butter, giving it a very smooth texture that is easy to dip and will harden nicely around your candy.
Variations
There are a few ways to tweak this recipe that you may want to try. Here are some ideas that will work well:
- Use dark chocolate or white chocolate candy coating rather than milk chocolate to make a whole new of chocolate Easter eggs. You can even use pastel-colored chocolates to make your homemade peanut butter eggs super festive.
- Use crunchy peanut butter to give the filling of the easter eggs a little texture.
- Stir mini Reese’s Pieces into the peanut butter filling to make really exciting, candy-packed eggs.
How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter Easter Eggs
- Make the filling: Cream the peanut butter, butter, and vanilla together in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to make the filling nice and smooth. Add the powdered sugar and stir the filling into a stiff dough.
- Shape the filling: Scoop the filling into tablespoon-sized portions. Roll each portion with your hands into an egg shape. Place the peanut butter eggs on a wax paper-lined tray and put the tray in the fridge to cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate: Use a double boiler or microwave to melt the chocolate candy coating. Be sure to stir the chocolate often so it melts evenly and does not burn.
- Dip the peanut butter eggs: Place a peanut butter egg on a fork then dip it into the melted chocolate. Tap off any excess chocolate and then gently place the chocolate-covered egg back on the wax paper line tray to let it cool. Repeat this step with all the peanut butter eggs until you have a whole tray of perfect, homemade chocolate Easter eggs!
Quick Tip
You can find chocolate egg candy molds online and in some craft stores. Press the peanut butter filling into the mold then let it chill in the fridge. Pop the peanut butter eggs out of the mold and then dip them in the melted chocolate. This is a great way to make uniform, perfectly shaped chocolate peanut butter eggs.
How to Store Homemade Peanut Butter Easter Eggs
Once the chocolate on your peanut butter eggs has hardened, they can be individually wrapped in cellophane bags. These are perfect for putting in Easter baskets or hiding for an Easter egg hunt. You can also place all the eggs in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for about 4-5 days. You can also keep the peanut butter eggs in the fridge where they will stay fresh for up to two weeks.
FAQs
Sugar, peanuts, vegetable oil, dextrose, milk, corn syrup, salt, and lecithin are just a few of the ingredients found in Reese’s peanut butter eggs. I far prefer my homemade chocolate Easter eggs which have fewer ingredients and are natural while still delicious.
Reese’s are made with real peanut butter that is made from roasted peanuts. I like to use all natural peanut butter to make my chocolate eggs which is typically made with just peanuts and no additives.
Yes! You can use regular chocolate or chocolate chips in place of candy melts. However, candy melts are specially designed to be easy to dip, have a very smooth consistency and look good when the chocolate hardens. Regular chocolate can be very thick, even when completely melted, and make it hard to dip. When regular chocolate hardens, it can also be streaky and not looks as smooth. Try adding a few drops of vegetable oil to the melted chocolate (not too much!) to make it smooth and easy for dipping.
More Awesome Easter Recipes
Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoon
- Tablespoon sized cookie scoop
- Fork
- Microwave safe bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 pound milk chocolate candy coating
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter, softened butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Gradually add in the powdered sugar, stirring well after each addition until the mixture is well combined and forms a stiff dough.
- Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions of the peanut butter dough and roll them into egg shapes with your hands. Place the eggs on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Melt the chocolate candy coating in a double boiler or in the microwave according to package instructions. (If you're using the microwave, be sure to stir the chocolate every 30 seconds or so to prevent it from burning.)
- Dip each peanut butter egg into the melted chocolate using a fork, spoon, or candy dipping tool, tapping off any excess chocolate before placing the eggs back on the wax paper-lined baking sheet.
- Let the chocolate coating harden completely before serving or packaging the eggs for gift-giving.
