Matcha Peanut Butter Cups

Matcha continues to be one of my favorite ingredients to put in desserts. I love desserts like my matcha cookies or matcha fudge. Typically, most desserts are very sweet and the addition of the bitterness of matcha balances that sweetness out. These matcha peanut butter cups are an easy, no-bake dessert that spotlights that balance between bitterness and sweetness very well. I love how the sweetness in the white chocolate is tempered by the matcha, and I also think matcha goes well with peanut butter!

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Creamy peanut butter – Creamy peanut butter is favorite kind of peanut butter to use. You can use chunky peanut butter, but I personally think peanut cups taste weird with peanut pieces in it. Other than peanut butter, you can also use other nut butters with this recipe. If you do choose to use other nut butters, make sure to adjust your powdered sugar accordingly. Add enough powdered sugar so your peanut butter filling doesn’t stick to your hands.
• Powdered sugar – Adds sweetness to the filling and dries out the peanut butter, so it doesn’t stick to your hands. This makes it easier to work with.
• White chocolate – I used white chocolate melts for this recipe because they have a smoother finish. You can also use white chocolate chips or a white chocolate bar for this recipe. However, I do not recommend using white chocolate chips because they are made to hold their shape, which makes them harder to melt. I go into detail below.
• Coconut oil – Gives the white chocolate a smoother finish and makes it easier to work with.
• Matcha powder – Gives the peanut butter cup its matcha flavor and green color. I use Aiya culinary grade matcha powder. The quality of your matcha powder affects the flavor and color of your dessert. I recommend higher quality culinary grade matcha for this recipe.

The best white chocolate to use for matcha peanut butter cups

This is so important for this recipe, so I thought I would discuss this further. Not every white chocolate is created equal. Some are better baked in cookies like white chocolate chips and some are better used as a coating like white chocolate melts. White chocolate chips are what most people use in all cases, but these unfortunately are harder to melt because they are made to hold their shape in the oven. For example, when you bake cookies, chocolate chips tend to look the same before and after they go in the oven. So if you use chocolate chips, it’ll be harder to get them to melt and to stay melted. Chocolate melts on the other hand are created to melt. They are easier to work with and have a smoother finish. I highly recommend chocolate melts if you can find them.

The final type of white chocolate you find is chocolate bars. I can’t speak to how easy bars are easier to work with because all of them are different. My favorite kind to work with are Bakers white chocolate bars because they work well in both baked goods and as a coating. However, they’re hard to find and can be expensive.

How to make matcha peanut butter cups

First, combine peanut butter and powdered sugar in a bowl. Mix until combined. Set aside. Next, make the matcha white chocolate coating. Add white chocolate and coconut oil to a bowl. Heat in the microwave for 10 second increments until the chocolate is fully melted. Stir in between each increment.

Add the matcha powder to the white chocolate and stir until a uniform green color. Line a mini muffin pan with cupcake liners, one in each cup cake mold. Spoon 1 teaspoon of matcha white chocolate into the bottom of a cupcake liner. Use a spoon to scrape some of the chocolate up halfway the side of the cupcake liner. Repeat this for every cupcake liner.

Add ~1 tablespoon of the peanut butter to each cup cake liner. Use your finger to smooth out the top. Add another 1 teaspoon of matcha white chocolate to the top of each peanut butter cup. Tap the muffin pan on the counter to smooth the matcha white chocolate out. Let it cool in the freezer for 20 minutes before serving.

How to adjust this recipe for a standard muffin pan

If you are using a standard muffin pan, this recipe makes 9 matcha peanut butter cups, not 12. Below are the changes I would make if using a standard muffin pan.

1. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of matcha white chocolate on the bottom and top of the peanut butter cup.
2. Use 1 1/2 tablespoon of the peanut butter filling for each peanut butter cup.

Tips on how to make the perfect matcha peanut

How to smooth out the surface of the chocolate

To smooth out the tops of your peanut butter cups, tap the muffin pan on the counter a few times. This will also help get rid of air bubbles.

What to do if the matcha white chocolate hardens too fast

If you find that your peanut butter cups are hardening too fast, put the chocolate back in the microwave for 10 seconds. Heat in 10 second increments until the chocolate is bake to the desired consistency.

How do you store matcha peanut butter cups?

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

Follow Cooking Therapy on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag and hashtag it with @cooking__therapy and #beccascookingtherapy.

Stay connected and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all my latest recipes.

Disclaimer: If you purchase anything through a link on this site, I may receive a small commission from the purchase at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I would personally use. Thank you so much for the support!