These homemade peanut butter eggs have a soft, sweet peanut butter filling and a firm chocolate shell, with no oven or candy thermometer needed. Shape, dip, chill, and enjoy a simple treat that’s perfect for a holiday table or a little something sweet from the refrigerator. You’re going to love how easy they are to make.
Why You’ll Love It
- No-bake and simple — just a bowl, a tray, and a little patience.
- Pantry-friendly ingredients — peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter, and chocolate chips are all you need.
- Soft centers and crisp chocolate — sweet peanut butter filling meets a firm chocolate shell.
- Charming homemade look — little swirls and not-quite-identical egg shapes are part of the appeal.
Ingredient Notes
Use creamy peanut butter if you want that classic smooth filling. The regular shelf-stable kind works best here—the familiar brands in the red or yellow lids, you know the ones. Natural peanut butter can be oily and unpredictable.
Unsalted butter gives you more control over the salt, but salted butter is perfectly fine. Just leave out the added salt if you go that route. Vanilla makes the filling taste a little more like candy-shop filling, though it’s not going to ruin anybody’s day if you don’t have it.
For the chocolate, semisweet chips balance the already sweet filling. Milk chocolate makes a sweeter shell, naturally, and dark chocolate is nice if you like a little contrast.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick, or 113 grams)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus a little more if the dough is sticky
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional but very nice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, unless you used salted butter
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon butter, for melting with the chocolate
- Parchment paper, for lining the baking sheet
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then make room in your refrigerator before you begin.
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened 1/2 cup butter and the peanut butter together until smooth and creamy. A hand mixer makes this quick, but a sturdy wooden spoon works too.
- Add the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing on low or stirring after each addition. Add the vanilla and salt, if using. Keep going until you have a soft dough that holds together when you squeeze it. If it still sticks all over your hands, add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time. Don’t dump in a huge extra scoop all at once or you’ll wind up with a filling that tastes like sweet drywall.
- Scoop out portions of the filling, about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Roll them lightly between your hands, then pinch and press them into rough little egg shapes. They do not need to look factory-made. The not-quite-identical shapes are part of their charm.
- Put the shaped eggs on the parchment-lined tray and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes, until they are firm enough to handle without squishing. On a warm day, the filling can get soft in a hurry. If it’s acting fussy, give it the chill time it needs.
- When the eggs are nearly chilled, combine the chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20- to 30-second bursts, stirring well after each round, until the chocolate is smooth and glossy. Let it sit for a few minutes afterward so it is warm and pourable but not piping hot. Hot chocolate can soften the peanut butter centers, and then things get messy fast.
- Take the chilled eggs out of the refrigerator. Dip each one into the melted chocolate using a fork or, if you’re feeling reckless, clean fingers. Turn it to coat, let the extra chocolate drip back into the bowl, and set it on the parchment. The coating will make little ridges and swirls, and that’s exactly right. Homemade candy should look homemade, for heaven’s sake.
- If the chocolate starts thickening before you finish, microwave it for another 10 to 15 seconds and stir it smooth again.
- Refrigerate the chocolate-covered eggs for at least 45 minutes, until the chocolate is set. They may look a little uneven on top, but that soft rustic look is part of their charm. Or that’s what I tell myself, anyway.
- Store the finished peanut butter eggs in a covered container in the refrigerator. Put the container toward the back, behind leftovers, if you want them to last more than a day.
Variations
If a thinner chocolate shell is preferred, stir an extra teaspoon of butter into the melted chocolate. It makes dipping a little easier too.
Crunchy peanut butter gives the centers a little bite, though creamy peanut butter works best for these. Pressing a few mini chocolate chips into the tops before the coating sets looks cute but does make them even sweeter.
You can use milk chocolate chips for a sweeter version, or dark chocolate chips if you want a deeper chocolate flavor. Reduce the powdered sugar by 1/4 to 1/2 cup if you like, but add an extra pinch of salt and expect a softer center.
For tiny bite-size eggs, use about 2 teaspoons of filling each and shorten the chilling time a little. Their small size makes them easy to snack on.
Storage & Reheating
Keep these in a covered container in the refrigerator, where they’ll stay firm and delicious for several days. They’re especially good straight from the fridge—the filling stays nice and dense, and the chocolate has that little cold snap when you bite into it.
There is no reheating, obviously, unless you enjoy melted chocolate on your upholstery. But if they’ve been sitting out and gotten too soft, just put them back in the refrigerator for a bit.
They freeze beautifully, too. Freeze them on the parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container. They keep well for a couple of months, though they may disappear quickly. If you freeze them, let one sit on the counter for a few minutes before eating.
Final Notes
Make these when you want something simple and sweet. They’re perfect for a holiday table or a thoughtful treat after a rough week. Hide a few. Leave a few out if you must.
But don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar plus a little more if the dough is sticky
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 1/4 teaspoon salt omit if using salted butter
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon butter for melting with the chocolate
- parchment paper for lining the baking sheet
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then make room in the refrigerator before you begin.
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter and peanut butter together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing or stirring after each addition, then add the vanilla and salt if using.
- Continue mixing until a soft dough forms that holds together when squeezed, adding powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time if the dough is too sticky.
- Scoop portions of the filling, about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each, roll them lightly between your hands, and pinch and press them into rough egg shapes.
- Place the shaped eggs on the parchment-lined tray and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes, until firm enough to handle without squishing.
- Combine the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, then microwave in 20- to 30-second bursts, stirring well after each round, until smooth and glossy.
- Let the melted chocolate sit for a few minutes so it is warm and pourable but not piping hot.
- Dip each chilled egg into the melted chocolate using a fork, turn it to coat, let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl, and place it on the parchment.
- If the chocolate thickens before you finish, microwave it for another 10 to 15 seconds and stir it smooth, then refrigerate the coated eggs for at least 45 minutes until the chocolate is set.
- Store the finished peanut butter eggs in a covered container in the refrigerator.
