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I’m just gonna say it: these are insane. Gooey caramel, rich peanut butter, and chocolate all in one place.

Hello Caramel Peanut Butter Cups, nice to meet you.

Homemade Caramel Peanut Butter Cups are filled with peanut butter and gooey caramel in a stack


Do you ever have those days where nothing goes right? Like you’re in a pile of quicksand trying to run a marathon? Yeah, all of last week was that way, but Friday took the cake.

The day started okay enough, except that my to-do list would require military precision to be accomplished. I did a shorter workout so I could get started on all my tasks…and that’s when I should have just gone back to bed. Within two hours I’d had to use a paperclip to fix my (brand new) Keurig and spent $299 on a Time Capsule for my Mac because the hard drive that I save EVERY SINGLE photo to decided to fail (after only 10 months). The rest of my day was spent figuring out how to master yet another Apple product that is smarter than I am, while also attempting to get my to-dos back on track.

I wanted to drown myself in melty caramel by 10am. I wanted to sit on the couch and cry and eat my way through these Caramel Peanut Butter Cups.

And then I remembered that I have a friend who’s husband has Stage IV cancer and a baby who needs a kidney transplant all at the same time. And I remember that my husband and daughter are healthy and happy, that I’m healthy and happy, and that the things I have in my life make it a blessed life. Spending yesterday at the funeral for my cousin who passed last weekend puts things in perspective. We’re happy, we’re alive, and that’s what matters.

But I think, even with all that, it’s still okay to drown in gooey caramel once in awhile, don’t you think?

Caramel Peanut Butter Cups cut in half with gooey caramel

How could anyone improve on a peanut butter cup? By adding caramel.

I did that. You’re happy, right?

These are so simple to make and they are one indulgent and show-stopping dessert. They may look complicated, but they come together faster than you think.

A few notes about the recipe:

I used Candiquik for my chocolate, because it’s dependable for melting. Plymouth Almond Bark or Wilton’s Candy Melts can be substituted (but the Candiquik tastes the best of the three) or you can use baking chocolate (the kind that comes in boxes in the baking aisle).

In order to save your teeth, I made the caramel sort of smooth and drippy. I can’t stand hard caramel because I’m always worried I’m going to lose a filling, so I err on the side of gooey and drippy. I wanted the caramel to show for effect in the photos, but you can avoid the drippy sides by making sure to cover the sides of your paper liners with chocolate. Let me explain: when you place the bottom layer of chocolate in the muffin liner, use the back of a spoon to drag some of it up the sides about halfway. Then, when you’re filling the cup with peanut butter and caramel, just make sure that the caramel layer is below the top of that chocolate side. Make sense?

Otherwise, you can leave it drippy. Drippy and gooey is cool.

Because the caramel is soft, I recommend storing these in the refrigerator and in the paper liners until you’re ready to eat. Then grab a napkin; you’re gonna need it.

Caramel Peanut Butter Cups collage photo

This is a serious candy for a serious caramel/peanut butter craving. And they’d be perfect for the holidays!

Or because it’s a crappy Friday and you need a smile. 🙂

large chocolate cups with caramel oozing out

Caramel Peanut Butter Cups

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These Caramel Peanut Butter Cups are a copycat of a regular peanut butter cup…but with drippy caramel inside! These are a seriously gooey and indulgent dessert, perfect for the holidays.
Yield 12

Ingredients
 

  • 25 caramels about 7 ounces, unwrapped (such as Kraft)
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 16 ounces chocolate either baking chocolate or candy melts such as Candiquik
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter creamy or crunchy but use regular, not natural
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
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Instructions

  • Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
  • Place the unwrapped caramels and heavy whipping cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high power in 30 second increments, stirring well between each heating, until melted and smooth (about 90 seconds). Set aside.
  • Melt half the chocolate according to package directions. (I used Candiquik – it’s more reliable than regular chocolate when melting.)
  • Evenly divide the chocolate among the 12 muffin liners. (If you want the cups to be sealed, unlike the photos, use a spoon to pull some of the chocolate up the sides of the muffin liner, about halfway.)
  • Mix peanut butter, butter, and both sugars in a medium sized bowl using a hand mixer. Place heaping tablespoon balls of peanut butter on top of the chocolate. Dampen your hands, or spray them with cooking spray, and slightly flatten the peanut butter balls. (They’re sticky.)
  • Spoon about 3/4 of a tablespoon of caramel over the peanut butter. Freeze the muffin pan for 15 minutes.
  • Place remaining chocolate in a new bowl (don’t try and melt over the old chocolate; it might seize) and melt according to package directions. Spoon equally over the top of the caramel and spread with the back of a spoon. The chocolate will harden faster this time, since the caramel is cold. Tap the muffin pans to even out the chocolate, if needed.
  • Chill until set, about 30-60 minutes. Store in refrigerator, but best eaten after the’ve warmed up a bit. Don’t unwrap until right before eating or caramel will goop all over.
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate

Click here to see more PEANUT BUTTER recipes!

And, in case you’ve had a bad Sunday so far, let’s cheer you up, shall we? Today is a special day – it’s my friend Julianne’s 2nd blog anniversary! Her blog, Beyond Frosting, is one of my favorites. She makes things like Butterfinger Brookies, Cinnamon Roll Apple Pies, and S’mores Cookie Cups. I’m so happy for her today! Julianne and I met while blogging awhile back and I got the pleasure of hanging out with her last February. She is one cool chick and her food is amazing. Happy blogiversary Julianne, I’m so happy for you.

To celebrate, some of us bloggers are giving away your choice of either a KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer, An Amazon giftcard or Ipad Mini (total value $350). Now THAT would cheer me up for sure, any day!

Open to U.S. residents only, must be 18 years or older to enter. Giveaway ends November 1. Enter using the rafflecopter form below this paragraph. If it doesn’t load, click here.  Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sweets from friends:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Cups by Half Baked Harvest
Ritz Stuffed Peanut Butter Cups by Averie Cooks
Easy Peanut Butter Soft Caramels by Something Swanky

Last Updated on May 13, 2020



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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73 Comments

  1. These look wonderful and I’m so glad you found the positive side of life! 🙂 I found her blog thru your blog, of course!

  2. I think I found Julianne’s blog after she started linking up to the Marvelous Mondays party that I used to host. LOVE her treats, especially the dessert lasagnas!

    I often have days like the one you had. But these peanut butter cups would make the day so much better. Oh the powers of chocolate and peanut butter!

  3. Peanut butter, caramel AND chocolate?! Oh Dorothy, you seriously are the best at delicious flavour combinations! That caramel oozing out the sides looks so tempting, I just want to reach through my screen and grab it! I love Beyond Frosting’s blog, it is so sweet that you guys are celebrating BF’s birthday together! x

  4. You are insane! I mean that with love.  Caramel and the peanut butter together?  Wow insanity at its best!

  5. I love Beyond Frosting 🙂 I can’t even remember when I first started reading her blog. Seems like she has always been there 🙂

  6. OMG! I almost made these, but ended up going with a different combo because I felt like all I was posting was caramel. BUT I am so glad you made your version because dang, they look so good!

  7. Simply amazing! And what perfect photos. I’ve got to give these a try Dorothy!
    Pinned and wanting …..

  8. Uggh these Peanut butter cups look so good 🙂 I think I found Beyond Frosting on one of my many foodgawker hunts for a recipe 

  9. Some days are like that, Dorothy. It’s good to remember why we should be grateful, but eating these seems like another good solution. And these are the greatest! I’d be super tempted to make them with salted caramel. Too much?

  10. These are INSANE!!! I want some. Okay, I want lots! And now I know why you made 2 batches of caramel in 2 days…I KNEW there was a reason! PB, chocolate, and caramel, all in one bite. Heavenly!!! pinned 🙂