Peanut Butter Eggs
Peanut butter eggs are the Easter candy everyone reaches for first, and you can make them at home with just 6 ingredients that are probably already sitting in your pantry. That is right, six. The filling comes together in one bowl, and the chocolate coating is as simple as melting and dipping.
The best part is how customizable these little eggs are. You can coat them in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate, then finish them with sprinkles in whatever colors match your table. They slip perfectly into kids’ Easter baskets, and they look like you spent hours on them when you really did not.
If you have never made candy before, this is a friendly place to start. There is no stovetop work and no thermometer, and the kids can help with the sprinkles at the end.
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Homemade Reese’s Eggs
If you love the chocolate and peanut butter combination of a Reese’s cup, these homemade peanut butter eggs will feel like a treat you made on purpose, because you did. The filling is creamy and peanut buttery, the chocolate shell snaps a little when you bite in, and the whole process is easy enough for a first time candy maker.
These eggs pull double duty at any spring gathering. Serve them as place setting favors at Easter dinner, or tuck a few into small bags tied with ribbon as take home gifts for your guests. They also make a great midnight snack, and they work beautifully as classroom treats for a spring party.
Feeling playful? Decorate a batch as Reese’s Egg Bunny Race Cars and let the kids help with the finishing touches. One batch makes about 30 eggs, which is enough for a classroom, a basket, and a few for the cook.
Because you choose the chocolate and the filling stays the same, you can build a batch that suits your family. Some folks like a full chocolate coating, while others prefer a white chocolate drizzle on top for contrast.
Chocolate and peanut butter are a classic pairing, so once you have these under your belt you will want more. Our Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies and this Peanut Butter Chocolate Bark are both easy wins.
Other chocolate peanut butter desserts along the same lines include Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Pie, 4 ingredient Peanut Butter Balls, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge.
This recipe is adapted from the original peanut butter eggs recipe at Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons.
Ingredients Needed
You only need a handful of things, and the full amounts live in the recipe card below. This batch makes about 30 eggs, with a serving size of about 14 grams.
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 18 ounce jar creamy peanut butter
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
- 1 pound melting chocolate, or chocolate almond bark
- 1 pound white melting chocolate, or white almond bark
- Easter sprinkles, optional
A few quick notes before you shop or start mixing. Creamy peanut butter is best here, though crunchy peanut butter can be used if that is what you have on hand. Use softened cream cheese so it blends smoothly instead of leaving little lumps behind.
Reach for unsalted butter, since a pinch of salt is added separately. Use confectioners’ sugar rather than granulated sugar, because that fine texture is what makes the filling silky. For the coating, melting chocolate wafers or chocolate almond bark give the smoothest, most reliable results.
Everything here is easy to find at a regular grocery store, and you can change the chocolate coating without touching the filling. You will also want a hand mixer or stand mixer, a baking sheet, wax paper or parchment paper, and two forks for dipping.
How To Make Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
Prep takes about 30 minutes, and the shaped eggs need about 30 minutes in the freezer before they are ready to dip.
- In a large bowl using an electric or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add in the peanut butter and mix until combined.
- Beat in the powdered sugar until everything is well mixed. Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop to make balls, then form each ball into an egg shape with your hands.
- Place the shaped eggs on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper and freeze for about 30 minutes.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate and the white chocolate separately in 30 second increments until melted and smooth.
- When the chocolate is ready, use 2 forks to dip each egg and cover it in chocolate, gently shaking off the excess. Place the dipped egg back on the lined sheet and add sprinkles immediately if you want them.
- Let the chocolate harden, then serve.
The scoop keeps your eggs a consistent size, which means they chill and dip in about the same amount of time. If you would rather not roll each egg by hand, there is an alternative shaping method.
Press the peanut butter dough into a parchment lined dish and freeze until firm. Then use an egg shaped cookie cutter to cut out the eggs.
If you do not own an egg shaped cutter, bend a round metal cutter into an egg shape and use that instead. After cutting, return the eggs to the freezer for about an hour before dipping them in chocolate.
The white chocolate melts separately so you can coat some eggs in white and others in regular chocolate, or save it for a drizzle later.
The recipe freezes the shaped eggs before dipping, which is how they keep their egg shape and pick up an even chocolate coating.
Make Ahead and Storing
These are ideal for getting ahead of a busy holiday. Form the eggs and freeze them, then transfer them to a freezer bag and dip them in chocolate later when you have time. The messy part happens on your schedule instead of on Easter morning.
The formed, undipped eggs keep well in the freezer, so you can make a double batch and dip half now and half later.
Leftover finished eggs should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Keep them chilled until you are ready to serve.
If you are making these for a party, dipping them the day before works well, because the finished eggs hold up nicely in the refrigerator.
When you plan to hand them out as gifts, dip and decorate them the same day so the sprinkles stay in place.
Tips and Variations
The classic chocolate and peanut butter version is wonderful exactly as written, but there is plenty of room to play. Here are the tips that make the biggest difference.
- Pick the right coating. Melting chocolate wafers or chocolate almond bark are preferred because they melt easily and give a better consistency than chocolate chips.
- Melting chocolate chips anyway? Stir about every 15 seconds so they melt evenly and do not scorch.
- If the chocolate turns thick from sitting in the microwave too long, add a few drops of milk or heavy cream, microwave for about 5 seconds, then stir. Keep stirring until the chocolate thins and becomes smooth and creamy, adding milk or cream a few drops at a time until it loosens up.
- Add sprinkles. Spring and Easter sprinkles pressed on right after dipping add instant color.
- Try a white chocolate finish. Melted white chocolate almond bark can coat the eggs instead of chocolate, or be drizzled over the chocolate eggs for a pretty contrast.
- Use candy melts for color. Candy melts come in shades such as pink, blue, green, or yellow and can coat the eggs or be drizzled on top.
- Pipe names or initials. Frosting makes it easy to pipe family names or initials on top of each egg, which turns them into sweet little place cards.
- Keep the filling cold. Work with a few eggs at a time and return the rest to the freezer while you dip, so the coating sets quickly and stays smooth.
You can also change the chocolate itself. Milk, white, or dark melting chocolate all work, so you can build a mixed batch that looks gorgeous on a platter.
One more small habit that helps: set up your dipping station before you start. Line your baking sheet, have the sprinkles open, and keep a fork in each bowl of chocolate. Then you can move from egg to egg without stopping, and every egg gets the same tidy finish.
These eggs also make lovely little gifts. Place a few in a small bag, tie it with ribbon, and you have a homemade treat that feels far more special than anything from a store shelf.
Want to compare methods? This homemade peanut butter eggs recipe takes a slightly different approach to the filling, and these easy peanut butter Easter eggs show another way to shape and coat them. Both are fun to read once you have your own batch in the freezer.
Other Easy Easter Treats
If you are building a dessert spread for the holiday, these easy Easter treats are great company for your peanut butter eggs:
- Easter Egg Oreo Balls
- Easy Easter Crockpot Candy
- Creamy Easter Fudge
- No Bake Easter Dirt Cake
- Bird Nest Cookies
Pick one or two to round out your basket, and you will have a table that looks festive with very little extra effort.
FAQs
What is the best type of chocolate to use for coating homemade peanut butter eggs?
The best choice for coating peanut butter eggs is melting chocolate or chocolate almond bark. These are formulated to melt smoothly and set with a glossy finish without needing to be tempered. While chocolate chips can be used, they are more prone to seizing and may not produce as thin or even a coating.
How do you shape the filling into egg shapes without it being too sticky?
The key to shaping the filling is to chill it until it is very firm. After mixing the filling, use a scoop to portion it into balls, then form them into egg shapes by hand. Place the shaped eggs on a lined baking sheet and freeze them for about 30 minutes before dipping in chocolate to prevent them from falling apart.
Can you use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy for the filling?
Yes, you can substitute crunchy peanut butter for creamy in the filling if you prefer a bit of texture. However, the standard recipe calls for creamy peanut butter to create a smooth, uniform center that mimics the texture of a Reese's egg. The choice will not affect the structural integrity of the candy.
How should you store homemade peanut butter eggs to keep them fresh?
Store the finished peanut butter eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they will stay fresh for 3 to 5 days. They can also be kept at room temperature on the counter. For longer storage, you can freeze the undipped, shaped eggs on a tray before transferring them to a freezer bag and dipping them later.
Peanut Butter Eggs (Reese’s Copycat)
Peanut Butter Eggs Peanut butter eggs are the Easter candy everyone reaches for first, and you can make them at home with just 6 ingredients that are probably already sitting in your pantry. That is right, six.
- Total Time: 60 min
- Yield: 30 eggs 1x
Ingredients
Main
8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
18 ounce creamy peanut butter
2 pounds powdered sugar
1 pound melting chocolate, or chocolate almond bark
1 pound white melting chocolate, or white almond bark
Easter sprinkles
Instructions
Main
1-In a large bowl using an electric: In a large bowl using an electric or stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add in the peanut butter until combined.
2-Beat in the sugar until well mixed: Beat in the sugar until well mixed. I use a 1 ½ tablespoon scoop to make balls that I form into an egg shape. Place the eggs on a wax or parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes.
3-In a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second: In a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments melt the chocolate and the white chocolate separately until melted and smooth.
4-When the chocolate is ready using 2: When the chocolate is ready using 2 forks dip the eggs and cover in chocolate gently shaking off the excess. Place the dipped egg back on the wax or parchment paper and immediately add sprinkles if desired. Let harden and serve!
Notes
Additional time: follow the resting and cooling steps (30 min).
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Method: no_cook
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 14g
- Calories: 318kcal
- Sugar: 47g
- Sodium: 68mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
