Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs

by Danielle Rye on March 22, 2023 10 comments »

5 from 2 ratings

Why wait for Reese’s peanut butter eggs to be stocked at your local grocery store when you can make them at home? This sweet and salty peanut butter filling is coated in creamy milk chocolate to make the ultimate Easter treat!

An overhead view of homemade peanut butter eggs on a white plate.

Reese’s peanut butter cups are delicious, but there’s something about the seasonal Reese’s eggs that are even better.

Perhaps it’s the increased peanut butter to chocolate ratio or the adorable shape. Whatever the reason, peanut butter eggs rank high on my list of Easter treats.

Lucky for me, I’ve finally figured out how to make peanut butter Easter eggs at home. The peanut butter filling is perfectly salty and sweet like a classic Reese’s, and the milk chocolate coating beautifully covers the entire egg.

Keep the entire batch for yourself, or wrap them up to gift to friends and family this season. Everyone will love this no-bake recipe!

An overhead view of the ingredients for homemade Reese's eggs.

Recipe Ingredients

To make these peanut butter eggs, I started with my classic peanut butter ball recipe. I reduced the amount of butter and powdered sugar in the recipe so that the peanut butter flavor could really shine through. I also adjusted the chocolate coating to make it similar to store-bought peanut butter eggs.

You can find the full list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below, but let’s quickly cover a few key ingredients:

Peanut Butter: Make sure to use a creamy, no-stir peanut butter like Jif or Skippy.
Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the peanut butter filling without making it grainy. Do not substitute granulated sugar in this recipe, it won’t deliver the same results.
Milk Chocolate Chips: You can use either chocolate chips or chocolate bars for the coating. I didn’t find too much of a difference between the two. I prefer to use milk chocolate, so these taste similar to a peanut butter cup. You may use semi-sweet chocolate chips if you prefer though!
Shortening: This helps thin out the chocolate, making it softer and easier to bite into just like a peanut butter egg. If you don’t have any on hand, you may replace it with 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.

An overhead view of melted butter and peanut butter in a saucepan.

An overhead view of peanut butter filling in a saucepan.

How to Make Peanut Butter Eggs

Preparing homemade Reese’s eggs is very simple, but it does require some patience since you’ll be portioning and shaping each egg individually. Let’s review the basic steps to making this recipe.

Make the peanut butter filling: Add the peanut butter and butter to a large saucepan and warm over medium heat to melt. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Add the powdered sugar to the peanut butter mixture, in three additions. Stir well after each addition, noting that the filling will be very thick after the last of the sugar is incorporated.
Shape the peanut butter eggs: Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the filling. Roll each portion into a circle, then create an egg shape. Place each egg onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and repeat until all of the filling has been used.
Chill: Transfer the shaped filling to the freezer. It will need to chill for 30 minutes before it can be safely coated in chocolate.
Make the chocolate coating: Melt the chocolate chips and shortening together in the microwave, or on the stove in a double boiler. If using the microwave, reduce the power to 50% and cook in 30-second intervals to prevent the chocolate from scorching.
Dip the peanut butter eggs: Once the chocolate is melted, line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove half of the peanut butter eggs from the freezer. Working one egg at a time, dunk the entire thing into the bowl of chocolate using a fork. Slide the chocolate peanut butter egg onto the prepared baking sheet (a toothpick makes this easier!). Once you’ve coated the first half of eggs in chocolate, remove the rest from the freezer and repeat the process.
Chill until the chocolate is firm: Transfer the chocolate-coated eggs to the fridge and chill for about an hour, or until the chocolate is firm.

An overhead view of peanut butter Easter eggs with a dish of peanut butter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Store Them?

Because the filling in the homemade Reese’s eggs contains butter, they don’t have a long shelf life like store-bought eggs. The eggs can be stored on the counter for up to four days, or in the fridge for up to one week.

Can You Freeze Peanut Butter Eggs?

Yes! Once the coating has chilled, you may freeze them in a large freezer bag for up to 3 months. If needed, place pieces of parchment paper between the layers of peanut butter eggs. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw overnight in the fridge.

Can Another Nut Butter Be Used?

I imagine another nut or seed butter could work in the filling. However, you’ll want to use a no-stir nut butter and not a natural one, which will create a filling that’s too soft to shape.

A close-up view of chocolate peanut butter eggs on parchment paper.

Recipe Variations

I opted to keep these peanut butter eggs as close to the original as possible. However, you can easily adjust this recipe to make it your own! Here are a few different variations to try next:

Use another kind of chocolate: You may swap the chocolate with dark, semi-sweet, or white chocolate.
Add a drizzle of chocolate: If you have any leftover chocolate, add it to a piping bag or zip top bag, snip the corner off, and drizzle it over the peanut butter eggs.
Add sprinkles: Right after you dip the eggs in chocolate, add your favorite sprinkles on top.
Make a different shape: You can easily shape the filling into something else hearts, footballs, pumpkins, or Christmas trees. Feel free to get creative here!
Sprinkle with sea salt: To make these even more decadent, add a light sprinkling of sea salt on top of the chocolate right after dipping.

A peanut butter Easter egg with a bite missing, turned on its side to show the filling.

Recipe Tips

The mixture will be really thick once you add the last 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. If needed, use your hands to work the powdered sugar into the peanut butter until you no longer see any lumps or streaks.
To dip the eggs, place one in the melted chocolate with the top side up (not the flat side) and turn it over really quickly to the flat side with a fork. Then, lift it up with the fork and tap it firmly on the side of the bowl. Any excess chocolate should drip off pretty fast and it should help pop any bubbles that form. If needed, use a toothpick to help slide it off of your fork onto the baking sheet.
If your chocolate begins to firm up before you’re finished dipping the eggs, simply reheat it in the microwave until it’s easy to work with again.

Recipe Video