These Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Hearts are small, bite-sized treats that taste very good with their rich, chocolatey outside and creamy peanut butter filling inside. They are easy to make and require very few ingredients, and whoever you give them to will feel loved and appreciated!
My love of chocolate and peanut butter together runs deep. And when they are center stage in a no-bake dessert recipe, well, sign me up! This recipe was adapted from my childhood favorite, chocolate covered peanut butter eggs recipe, and it's a winner no matter how you shape them! If you're looking for a Christmas or holiday version, check out my chocolate covered peanut butter trees! Enjoy!
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How to Make the Recipe
Below is a simple overview of how to make these easy chocolate-covered peanut butter hearts. For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card.
Prepare the peanut butter filling. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this part. When mixed properly and using room temperature butter, your peanut butter filling should be soft, creamy, and a little sticky.
Roll out the filling. Roll out the peanut butter filling onto a clean, dry surface sprinkled with powdered sugar. It's also a good idea to coat your rolling pin with some powdered sugar as well. This will keep the filling from sticking to everything. For the thickness, I prefer to roll it out to about a ¼ inch.
Cut out the peanut butter hearts. With your small heart-shaped cookie stamp, cut out the hearts and place them onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
I recommend dipping the cookie cutters into powdered sugar. This will help release the peanut butter heart from the cookie cutter.
When done, place them in the freezer until they're firm—about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Longer is always better, too, because the firmer they are, the easier it will be when they are dipped into the melted chocolate.
Melt the chocolate. You can use either a double boiler or bain-marie to melt the chocolate. If you're using the paraffin wax, this should be melted first before adding the chocolate chips.
If you are using shortening or coconut oil, these can be melted at the same time as the chocolate chips.
Dip the hearts. You can use candy dipping tools or two forks. After coating the peanut butter heart, lift up and gently tap off any excess chocolate on the side of the double boiler.
Chill time. Place the chocolate peanut butter hearts into the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to set. Trim off any excess chocolate that formed along the bottom of the hearts, if desired.
Storage. The chocolate-covered peanut butter hearts keep best in an airtight container in the fridge, or you can freeze them for a month.
Helpful Chocolate Dipping Tools
Below are some helpful tools when making these chocolate-dipped peanut butter hearts!
Small Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter. Mine is from Michael's, but use what you already have or prefer. Note the size of your cookie cutter will change the amount of hearts you end up making.
Double Boiler. This is a very helpful tool when melting chocolate, but a bain-marie can be used in its place. I have not made these using the microwave to melt my chocolate. The double boiler over very low heat does a good job of keeping the chocolate from setting as the peanut butter hearts are dipped.
Wax Paper. Perfect for candy making and chocolates as they won't stick to the paper when placed in either the refrigerator or freezer for chilling.
Cookie Sheets. I typically use two—one for chilling the peanut butter hearts and the other for after they've been dipped into the chocolate. Make sure they fit in your refrigerator or freezer!
Candy Dipping Tools. These are helpful tools to use, but definitely not required. You can easily use two forks!
Additional garnishes. I prefer to keep my chocolate peanut butter hearts plain, but you can also top them with sanding sugars or sprinkles. Make sure to do this immediately after you have dipped the hearts into the chocolate.
Recipe FAQs
It should be soft, creamy, and a little sticky.
Sprinkle a little more powdered sugar to the surface and rolling pin.
Absolutely not. This is just what my Grammy used, and it's what I sometimes do when making them. As a substitute, you can use either two tablespoons of shortening or coconut oil. Both will help to thin the chocolate and give it a little shine.
You will more than likely have extra chocolate after you’re done with dipping your chocolate-covered peanut butter hearts, so take any kind of pretzels you have in the house and dip those into the chocolate! Or try other treats like chocolate sandwich cookies, almonds, and chips!
To melt the chocolate using a double boiler, fill the bottom pan with about 1 inch to 1 ½ inches of water. The same would apply if using a bain-marie.
More Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats to Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Hearts
Author:Ingredients
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- ¾ cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- ½ cup Marshmallow Fluff
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar (plus extra for rolling out the filling)
- 12 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (or milk chocolate)
- ½ square Paraffin Wax (or 2 tablespoons of either coconut oil or vegetable shortening)
Instructions
- Prepare a small cookie sheet lined with wax paper. This will be for the peanut butter hearts you cut out with the cookie cutter.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the unsalted butter, peanut butter, and marshmallow fluff on medium-high speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Switch the mixer speed to low, gradually adding in the powdered sugar one cup at a time until fully combined. The peanut butter filling should be soft, creamy, and a little sticky.
- Sprinkle some powdered onto a clean, dry surface as well as the rolling pin and roll out the peanut butter filling to about ¼ inch thickness.
- Take a small heart shaped cookie cutter and coat it with some powdered sugar before cutting out the hearts. If the filling sticks a little to the inside of the heart cookie cutter, very gently take your finger and press down until it releases from the cookie cutter. You can also try releasing the peanut butter hearts by gently shaking the cookie cutter in a downward motion. Repeat this step until all the peanut butter filling has been used. Space the hearts close together on the cookie sheet.
- Freeze the peanut butter hearts for a minimum of 45 minutes to 1 hour (or longer is okay too) until they are firm enough to dip into the chocolate.
- Line another cookie sheet with wax paper and set aside. This will be for the chocolate covered peanut butter hearts.
- Using a double boiler, fill the bottom boiler with about 1 inch -1.5 inches and simmer over low heat. In the top boiler, melt the wax uncovered until melted. Add in the bag of chocolate chips and stir continuously until completely smooth and melted. If you have any little lumps of chocolate or wax, press down firmly on them using a spatula until they disappear. If using vegetable shortening or coconut oil, you can melt them at the same time with the chocolate chips.
- Using candy dipping tools or two forks, dip each peanut butter heart into the melted chocolate. Gently tap any excess chocolate off, then place onto the wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Repeat until all the hearts have been dipped in chocolate, then place in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to harden.
- Trim off any excess chocolate from the bottom (optional step).
- Store the chocolate covered peanut butter hearts in an airtight container in the fridge or you can freeze them for a month.
Recipe Notes
- Prep time total of 1 hour, 15 minutes includes freezing time for peanut butter hearts.
- Cook time total of 1 hour 30 minutes includes 30 minutes for chocolate dipping and 30 minutes for hardening of chocolate.
- If you don't have a cookie sheet that can easily fit in the freezer, you can use a container that will, layering the peanut butter hearts with sheet of wax paper fitted to the container size.
- See also my hand rolled Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Eggs and my Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Trees, using a silicone tree mold.
Nutrition
Nutritonal information provided above is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Mel says
Hello,
What do I do if I don't have access to marshmallow fluff (we don't have any here is Australia). Can I substitute it with something else or is there a recipe to make my own?
Jennifer says
I haven't tried this, but you could melt down some regular size marshmallows or the super large ones (US stores carry those for outdoor s'mores making). Let it cool before you add it to the peanut butter dough. I would imagine for a 1/2 cup needing maybe 7-8 of the regular size, but again without testing this out myself I don't have the exact amount. I will look into doing this though so this info can be added!
Amy says
These are adorable!
Jennifer says
Thank you so much! Happy Valentine's Day!❤️