These homemade ritz cracker peanut butter cups are a sweet and salty Christmas candy dream. Using just a handful of ingredients and equipment that you already have around the house, you'll never go back to regular peanut butter cups! Not only are they the best sweet and salty homemade peanut butter cups in a pan around, the crunch from the Ritz crackers will add the perfect texture to the peanut butter filling.
If you are looking for additional peanut butter and chocolate recipes then you should check out my Reese Pieces egg or giant Reese cup pie. Equally important to those two recipes might be this peanut butter nougat.
Ritz Crackers Recipes
Ritz and the holidays go together like peanut butter and jelly or... peanut butter and chocolate. They can be used for so many delicious recipes, and not just as a basic cracker! You can ENTER HERE for a chance to win a $50,000 kitchen makeover!
My favorite ritz crackers recipes
Ingredients for ritz cracker peanut butter cups
- milk chocolate
- I recommend using bars for this, don't use baking chocolate chips. The baking chips will be too thick and hard to work with. I use Barry Callebaut 823, but grocery store bars will be fine.
- peanut butter
- You can use your favorite peanut butter, but I like to use the Reese's brand to create a copycat Reese cup. Above all, you need to use creamy peanut butter.
- butter
- powdered sugar
- Ritz Crackers
Equipment for Ritz cracker peanut butter cups
- planetary mixer & 5 quart mixing bowl
- large pot to make a water bath
- spatula
- 9 x 13" sheet pan with sides
- parchment paper
- 2" round cookie cutter
- spoon
- cupcake liners
- 2, standard sized cupcake pans
- candy thermometer (if tempering your chocolate)
How do you make homemade peanut butter cups -General flow for instructions
- Make your peanut butter filling. Once it's firm, cut out 2" round shapes.
- Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
- Melt and temper your chocolate (if desired).
- Put a small amount of chocolate on the bottom of 6 cupcake liners at a time. The chocolate should be around ¼" in height.
- Place a peanut butter round on top of the chocolate, pushing down slightly.
- Top the peanut butter found with chocolate just until covered. Repeat until the other 5 peanut butter cups are covered.
- Tap the cupcake pan on the counter to even out the chocolate.
- Repeat, making 6 peanut butter cups at a time, until finished.
How long do homemade peanut butter cups last
Peanut butter cups should be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature and they have a shelf life of around 4 months before flavor changes happen.
Can you freeze homemade peanut butter cups?
Yes! Peanut butter cups can be frozen in ziplock bags for up to 12 months but should come to room temperature before eating.
Video instructions
If the video below isn't playing try going go to my YouTube channel and then check the video out there.
https://www.tiktok.com/@onesweeetmama/video/7296569215606197534?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7159604708566124075
Ritz cracker peanut butter cups
Equipment
- 5 quart planetary mixer and bowl
- large pot for water bath that fits 5 quart bowl inside of it
- glass bowl for melting & tempering chocolate
- food thermometer if tempering chocolate
- 2 standard sized cupcake pans
- cupcake liners
- spoon
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Filling
- 1.5 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ stick butter
- 1 cup crushed ritz crackers
Chocolate
- 2 lbs milk chocolate, tempered OR milk chocolate candy coating
Instructions
Peanut Butter Filling
- Prepare a 9 x 13 ' sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper.
- Make a hot water bath by filling a large pot halfway with water. Turn heat on high.
- While the water bath heats up, start your peanut butter filling. Combine peanut butter, salt, and butter in the 5 quart mixing bowl.
- Place the 5 quart mixing bowl in the hot water bath. Heat until butter is melted and peanut butter is completely fluid.
- CAREFULLY (the bowl is hot!!) Remove bowl from heat and place it on the stand of your mixer.
- Begin mixing. Add in powdered sugar and crushed ritz crackers until combined. It seems like a lot, but I promise it all fits!
- Once all powdered sugar and ritz crackers are combined, press filling on sheet pan. Press filling ¼ of an inch high. This will not fill sheet pan if you want to get the ¼ inch high height. Top with an additional sheet of parchment paper and place in fridge for 1 hour, or until filling is firm enough to cut into shapes.
- Using your 2" cookie cutter, cut round circles of filling out. place on parchment paper until ready to use.
Making the cups
- Line your cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
- Place 1 large spoonful of melted chocolate into bottom of 6 cupcake liners. Chocolate should be around ¼" thick. Press 1, 2" circle into chocolate. Top with additional chocolate until covered.
- Tap cupcake pan on counter lightly to even out chocolate.
- Repeat making peanut butter cups, six at a time, until finished.
- Place in fridge until firm. Allow to come to room temperature, undisturbed, before enjoying.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!