If you like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, you’ll love these easy to make Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Easter Treats. They only require four ingredients, and are perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Bet you can’t eat just one!
I’ve been making peanut butter balls around Christmas for years. In fact, they’e one of the most requested items. I thought that they would work well for Easter using some candy molds.
Ingredients for Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Easter Treats:
I used the following four ingredients: Unsalted butter, extra crunchy peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, and chocolate candy melts. You could always use creamy peanut butter. However, I like the consistency that the extra crunchy peanut butter provides. It used to be that the peanut butter came in 18-ounce jars. Now it comes in 16-ounce jars, so I’ve adjusted the recipe below for the 16-ounce jar.
Making the Peanut Butter Mixture:
As a first step, I beat room temperature unsalted butter with the peanut butter until the mixture was smooth. I like the crunch of peanuts, so I always use Extra Crunchy peanut butter. You could just as easily use creamy peanut butter. Then, I added the confectioners’ sugar to the peanut butter mixture. At first, I used the electric mixer to combine the ingredients, and then I used my hands to knead the mixture. A word of caution – the mixture is very crumbly.
Making the Chocolate Covered Treats:
I decided to make two different kinds of chocolate covered treats. The first was larger chocolate covered eggs and baskets. The second was smaller chocolate covered eggs.
I used a silicon mold for the larger chocolate covered eggs and baskets. It was the first time I had used a silicon mold. I was no end impressed with how easy it was to use! First, I melted some of the chocolate wafers in a disposable pasty bag in the microwave. Then, I snipped off the end, and piped some of the chocolate into the individual mold. Next, I used a little brush to brush the chocolate up the sides of the mold. I let the chocolate shell harden. Then, I pressed some of the peanut butter mixture into the mold. I piped more chocolate on top of the peanut butter mixture. Finally, I used a small butter knife to completely cover the peanut butter mixture.
For the little eggs, I used a small egg-shaped candy mold to mold the peanut butter mixture. After I had filled it, I popped it in the freezer to make it easier to release the eggs. I melted the chocolate in a double boiler set over simmering water. It’s important here that the bottom of the pan not touch the water, and that the water does not actually boil. Using a fork, I dipped each egg in the chocolate mixture, and set it to harden on a piece of parchment paper.
I ended up with 32 of the larger chocolate covered eggs and baskets, and about 6 dozen small chocolate covered eggs. Yum!
- 16 ounces crunchy or creamy peanut butter
- 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups (14 ounces) confectioners' sugar
- 3 cups chocolate coating wafers melted*
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or waxed paper. Set aside.
- Beat peanut butter and butter in a medium bowl with electric mixture until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar. Beat on low to begin to combine the ingredients. Finish by kneading by hand until thoroughly mixed. Mixture will be crumbly.
- If using silicon molds, melt a cup of chocolate wafers in a disposable pastry bag, in 1 minute intervals on 50% power. Snip end of pastry bag; pipe chocolate into mold. Using a small brush, brush the chocolate up the sides to completely cover the cavity. Let harden. Press some of the peanut butter mixture into chocolate lined cavity, not quite to the top. Pipe some additional chocolate on peanut butter mixture. Spread chocolate using a small butter knife, making sure that all edges are completely covered. Let harden.
- If making small eggs, press peanut butter mixture into egg-shaped mold. Place in freezer to harden. Remove from mold. Place on prepared pan.
- Meanwhile, melt chocolate wafers in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water; stir until smooth. Using a fork, dip each egg into chocolate Let excess chocolate drip off. Place the coated eggs on prepared pan. Let cool completely.
- Store in airtight container. Yield: Depends on what you make!
*Note: May use 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips melted with 1-1/2 teaspoons shortening in place of chocolate candy coating.
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