Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups

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5 from 7 votes
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The perfect trifecta, these pumpkin peanut butter cups are full of rich chocolate, creamy peanut butter, AND fresh pumpkin flavors. Made with just 4 ingredients and zero baking required!

pumpkin peanut butter cups.

It’s no secret we love pumpkin desserts in our household. Between pumpkin brownies, fudge, and peanut butter pumpkin cups, I’ve more or less figured out how to incorporate pumpkin into every dessert imaginable. 

This pumpkin peanut butter cup recipe transforms simple ingredients into gooey, chocolatey cups filled to the brim with smooth peanut butter and sweet pumpkin puree.  

Table of Contents
  1. Recipe highlights
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make pumpkin peanut butter cups
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. Storage instructions
  6. Frequently asked questions
  7. More pumpkin dessert recipes to try
  8. Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups (Recipe Card)

Recipe highlights

  • The best of both worlds. If you love pumpkin desserts and Reese’s peanut butter cups, you’re going to fall head over heels for this recipe. 
  • Diet-friendly. This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free, and you can easily make it low-carb and nut-free with a few easy swaps.
  • Relatively healthy. Like my Reese’s hearts, these peanut butter pumpkin cups are made without granulated sugar or corn syrup. 
  • Always a family favorite. My friends and family RAVE about these pumpkin cups, and I know yours will, too!

What we love most about this recipe is how versatile it is! Like pumpkin breakfast cookies, there’s just enough subtle pumpkin flavor to make these the perfect holiday treat, but as you can imagine, they work equally well year-round. 

Ingredients needed

This recipe uses 4 simple ingredients. Here is what you’ll need:

  • Chocolate chips. A must for chocolate peanut butter cups! I used semi-sweet chocolate chips for the classic Reese’s flavor. 
  • Peanut butter. Of course, it’s a key ingredient in peanut butter cups. I recommend using smooth and creamy peanut butter with no added sugar. Not a fan of peanut butter? I’ve also used almond butter before, and while the flavor is definitely different, they’re still delicious.
  • Maple syrup. It’s the sweetener of choice in our household, but you could also use honey or agave if you prefer. 
  • Pumpkin puree. Make sure to look for “pumpkin puree” instead of “pumpkin pie filling,” which has spices and sugar already added.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How to make pumpkin peanut butter cups

Step 1- Prep the cups. Line an 18-count mini muffin tin with muffin liners.

Step 2- Melt the chocolate. In a microwave-safe bowl or stovetop, melt 1 ½ cups of the chocolate chips. Divide the melted chocolate among the mini muffin liners, leaving them two-thirds full. Use your spoon to ensure the sides are coated with chocolate. Store the muffin tin in the fridge. 

Step 3- Make the peanut butter pumpkin filling. In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and maple syrup. Add ¼ cup of pumpkin puree and mix until smooth. 

Step 4- Finish the cups. Pour the pumpkin mixture evenly among the hardened chocolate cups. Melt the remaining chocolate chips and cover each cup completely. Then, refrigerate until firm. 

Reese's peanut butter pumpkins.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Add more pumpkin. Depending on how much pumpkin flavor I’m in the mood for, I may increase the amount of pumpkin puree to half a cup. 
  • Add spices. I typically make these pumpkin cups without spices, but when I’m feeling extra festive, I’ll add a little pumpkin spice or cinnamon to the peanut butter mixture. 
  • Make sugar-free cups. To make a low-carb version of this recipe, I like to use keto maple syrup and sugar-free chocolate chips
  • Make nut-free cups. If you’re making these for someone with a nut allergy, use sunflower seed butter or tahini. 
  • Use white chocolate. Love white chocolate peanut butter cups? Swap the regular chocolate chips for white chocolate, and you’ve got white chocolate pumpkin peanut butter cups!
  • Add powdered sugar. When I’ve tested this recipe in the past, sometimes the peanut butter filling becomes too thin. If this happens to you, add a little powdered sugar to thicken it up. 

Storage instructions

To store: Store leftover peanut butter pumpkin cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If you want to keep them for longer, refrigerate the cups for 1 month. 

To freeze: Transfer leftover pumpkin cups to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying.

peanut butter pumpkins.

Frequently asked questions

How much fresh pumpkin equals a can of pumpkin?

It takes approximately 1 3-pound pumpkin to equal the amount of puree in a 15 oz. can. 

How do I make the filling thicker?

If the peanut butter filling is too thin for your liking, you can add one tablespoon of either coconut flour or almond flour to it. 

More pumpkin dessert recipes to try

Healthy 4-Ingredient Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups (V, GF, DF)- Easy, homemade pumpkin peanut butter cups BETTER than Reese's- A creamy fudgy center with a layer of chocolate! {vegan, gluten free, sugar free recipe}- thebigmansworld.com #pumpkin #peanutbutter

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups

5 from 7 votes
The perfect trifecta, these pumpkin peanut butter cups are full of rich chocolate, creamy peanut butter, AND fresh pumpkin flavors. Made with just 4 ingredients and zero baking required!
Servings: 18 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Line an 18 count mini muffin tin with muffin liners and set aside.
  • In a microwave safe bowl or stove top, melt 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips of choice. Divide the melted chocolate amongst the mini muffin liners, two-thirds full. Use your spoon to ensure the sides are coated with chocolate. Refrigerate. 
  • In a mixing bowl, add your smooth peanut butter and maple syrup until combined. add 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree and mix until fully combined and smooth.
  • Pour pumpkin peanut butter mixture evenly amongst the hardened chocolate cups. Melt the remaining chocolate chips and cover each cup completely. Refrigerate until firm. 

Notes

TO STORE. Store leftover peanut butter pumpkin cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. To store them for longer, refrigerate the cups for 1 month. 
TO FREEZE. Transfer leftover pumpkin cups to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 199kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSodium: 76mgPotassium: 98mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 574IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 19g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Recipe originally published August 2017 but updated to include new information for your benefit.

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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  1. I scored some freebie PB cups from Trader Joe’s last week, when they were celebrating their 50th anniversary at their stores here on the West coast. The dark chocolate they used was so good. I love pumpkin so anxious to give this one a try too. It’s triple-digit heat for several days here now, so no baking or making much of anything except iced drinks! Pinning for later, thanks!

  2. No pumpkin in desserts? But what about pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice muffins, pumpkin cake, and pumpkin BREAD?! :O But in all seriousness, I love pumpkin with peanut butter and chocolate! The trio are the best!

  3. I dated a guy in college who worked for the Hershey factory on our breaks and he used to bring boxes of fresh Reese’s cups to my house when he visited and they were amazing. My dad was really sad when we broke up lol. Can’t say I’ve ever tried a healthified version of them!