Peanut Butter Eggs
Reese’s peanut butter eggs are one of the best Easter candies around, and the best part is that you can make your own at home with just six ingredients.
This recipe takes a creamy peanut butter filling, shapes it into little eggs, and coats each one in chocolate for that classic pairing we all love.
If you have ever paid a small fortune for a bag of candy eggs in the spring, this is your chance to make a whole tray instead.
These homemade peanut butter eggs are easy enough for a first time candy maker, and they are endlessly customizable. You can use different chocolates, add sprinkles, or drizzle them with white chocolate.
The filling is sweet, creamy, and a little salty all at once, and the chocolate shell adds the snap that makes a candy egg so satisfying.
Tuck them into kids’ Easter baskets, wrap a few for neighbors, or set them on the dessert table next to the carrot cake. They disappear fast, so I usually make a double batch.
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Homemade Reese’s Eggs
If you love a Reese’s cup, these homemade Reese’s eggs will feel like an upgrade. The filling is soft and rich, the chocolate shell snaps when you bite into it, and the whole thing tastes like spring.
I started making them for our family Easter dinner a few years ago, and now my kids ask for them before the plastic eggs even come out of the closet.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how many places it fits. Here are a few ways we use them:
- As place setting favors at Easter dinner, with one egg at each plate
- Wrapped in small bags with ribbon as take home treats for guests
- As a midnight snack when you want something sweet and small
- As classroom treats for a spring party or an egg hunt
They can also be decorated as Reese’s Egg Bunny Race Cars, which is a fun project if you have little helpers who want to add faces and details with frosting and candy. Shaping the eggs is forgiving, so kids can help with that part while you handle the chocolate.
Chocolate and peanut butter are a match made in dessert heaven, and we lean into that combination all year. If you enjoy these eggs, you will probably also like our Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Pie, our 4 ingredient Peanut Butter Balls, and our Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge.
They all start with that same creamy peanut butter base and finish with chocolate.
Ingredients Needed
You need a short list here, and most of it is probably in your pantry already. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cream cheese | 8 ounces | Softened |
| Butter | 1/2 cup | Softened |
| Creamy peanut butter | 18 ounce jar | Crunchy peanut butter works too |
| Powdered sugar | 2 pounds | Also called confectioners’ sugar |
| Melting chocolate | 1 pound | Or chocolate almond bark |
| White melting chocolate | 1 pound | Or white almond bark |
| Easter sprinkles | As needed | Optional |
The star of the show is creamy peanut butter. I use a standard 18 ounce jar, and I stick with creamy so the filling stays smooth. If you happen to love a little crunch, crunchy peanut butter can be used instead, though the texture of the finished egg will be different.
Cream cheese and butter give the filling its soft, almost truffle like texture. Let both sit on the counter until they are softened, because cold cream cheese will leave lumps no matter how long you beat it.
Powdered sugar is what turns the mixture from a soft spread into a dough you can actually shape. You will use a lot of it, 2 pounds in total, so buy the big bag. Nothing here is hard to find, and a quick trip to the baking aisle covers everything on the list.
For the coating, melting chocolate wafers or chocolate almond bark give you the smoothest, shiniest shell. I also use white melting chocolate or white almond bark, which is lovely as a second color or as a drizzle. Easter sprinkles are optional, but they make the eggs look festive.
How To Make Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
This recipe comes together in four simple steps, and the only waiting is chilling time.
- Mix the base. In a large bowl using an electric mixer or a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the peanut butter and mix until combined.
- Add the sugar and shape the eggs. Beat in the powdered sugar until everything is well mixed. I use a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop to portion the dough into balls, then I roll each ball and form it into an egg shape with my palms. Place the eggs on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper and freeze for about 30 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate and the white chocolate separately in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until each one is melted and smooth.
- Dip and decorate. 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 wax paper or parchment paper and immediately add sprinkles if you want them. Let the chocolate harden, then serve.
A few small things make the dipping easier. Keep the eggs in the freezer until the moment you dip them, because a firm egg holds its shape and gives you a thicker, cleaner shell.
Work with one egg at a time, and let the fork do the lifting so you do not end up with fingerprints in the chocolate.
If the chocolate starts to thicken while you work, pop it back in the microwave for a few seconds and stir.
Make Ahead and Storing
This is one of those recipes that rewards a little planning. You can form the peanut butter eggs, freeze them, and then transfer the frozen eggs to a freezer bag so you can dip them in chocolate whenever you have time.
That means you can knock out the messy part on a quiet afternoon and finish the batch right before Easter dinner.
Once the chocolate has hardened, store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. I like them straight from the fridge, cold and firm with a crisp shell, though they soften quickly at room temperature.
If you are making them for a party, dipping them the day before works beautifully, and the chocolate stays glossy overnight in the fridge.
A firm, frozen egg is the secret to a clean chocolate shell. If your egg feels soft, put it back in the freezer for a few minutes before dipping.
Tips and Variations
The classic version is wonderful on its own, but there is plenty of room to play.
Choosing your chocolate. Melting chocolate wafers or chocolate almond bark are my first choice because they melt smoothly and set with a nice shine. Chocolate chips can work in a pinch, but they need more attention. If you use chips, stir them about every 15 seconds while melting in the microwave so they do not scorch.
If your chocolate gets thick. Sometimes chocolate spends a little too long in the microwave and turns thick and pasty. Add a few drops of milk or heavy cream, microwave for about 5 seconds, and stir.
Keep stirring until the chocolate loosens and turns smooth and creamy, adding more milk or cream a few drops at a time until it thins out.
Sprinkles and color. Spring and Easter sprinkles pressed on right after dipping add instant festive color. Melted white chocolate almond bark can coat the eggs instead of chocolate, or it can be drizzled over the chocolate eggs for a pretty finish.
Candy melts come in colors such as pink, blue, green, or yellow, and they work well for coating or drizzling if you want a pastel tray.
Personal touches. Frosting can be used to pipe family names or initials on top, which makes these eggs lovely as place cards at Easter dinner. I have also written the year on a few and tucked them into baskets as a little keepsake.
My go to tips.
- Chill the shaped eggs well before dipping
- Use two forks and shake off the extra chocolate
- Add sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet
- Let the eggs harden on parchment or wax paper, not on a bare counter
- Make a double batch, because 30 eggs vanish faster than you expect
One note on the numbers: the source nutrition for this recipe is based on a 14 gram serving, which lists 318 calories, 49 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of protein, 14 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of fiber, 47 grams of sugar, 68 milligrams of sodium, and 15 milligrams of cholesterol.
The full recipe makes about 30 eggs, so keep that in mind if you are watching your sweets.
Other Easy Easter Treats
If you are filling a dessert tray this spring, these are a few more easy Easter treats from our kitchen:
- Easter Egg Oreo Balls
- Easy Easter Crockpot Candy
- Creamy Easter Fudge
- No Bake Easter Dirt Cake
- Bird Nest Cookies
Pair one or two of them with a batch of peanut butter eggs and you have a spread that looks like you spent all day in the kitchen.
FAQs
What ingredients are needed to make homemade peanut butter eggs?
To make homemade peanut butter eggs, you will need 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup of softened butter, one 18-ounce jar of creamy peanut butter, 2 pounds of powdered sugar, and 1 pound each of melting chocolate and white melting chocolate (or chocolate and white almond bark). Easter sprinkles are optional but recommended for decoration.
How do you shape the peanut butter filling into eggs?
After mixing the filling, use a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop to form balls, then shape each ball into an egg shape with your hands. Alternatively, you can press the dough into a parchment-lined dish, freeze it until firm, and then use an egg-shaped cookie cutter to cut out uniform eggs. Place the shaped eggs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes before dipping.
What is the best way to melt chocolate for dipping peanut butter eggs?
The best chocolate for dipping is melting wafers or chocolate almond bark, as they contain stabilizers for a smooth finish. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring after each interval, until completely smooth. Avoid using standard chocolate chips if possible; if you do, stir every 15 seconds and add a few drops of milk or cream if the chocolate becomes too thick.
How should homemade peanut butter eggs be stored and how long do they last?
Store homemade peanut butter eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they will last for 3 to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the un-dipped, shaped eggs in a freezer bag for up to 3 months, or freeze the finished eggs between layers of wax paper in an airtight container. Always keep them chilled to maintain the best texture.
Peanut Butter Eggs (Reese’s Copycat)
- Total Time: 60 min
- Yield: 30 eggs 1x
Description
Peanut Butter Eggs Reese’s peanut butter eggs are one of the best Easter candies around, and the best part is that you can make your own at home with just six ingredients. This recipe takes a creamy peanut butter filling, shapes it into little eggs, and coats each one in chocolate for that classic pairing we all love.
Ingredients
8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
18 ounce creamy peanut butter
2 pound powdered sugar
1 pound melting chocolate, or chocolate almond bark
1 pound white melting chocolate, or white almond bark
Easter sprinkles
Instructions
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!
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Method: no_cook
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 14g
- Calories: 318
- Sugar: 47g
- Sodium: 68mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: Peanut Butter Eggs