These 5 ingredient Copycat Reese’s Shapes are just like the real thing but with better for you ingredients and have a fun summertime twist! I know there are countless recipes for Reese’s on the internet, but I’m confident this will be your favorite. Reese’s have always been my favorite candy and I wanted to ensure that this recipe was as close as possible to the real thing before sharing it. It’s taken years, but I’m so excited to finally share it!
Copycat Reese’s Shapes
I take my chocolate and peanut butter desserts very seriously because they are my absolute favorite! So when I tell you this is the only Reese’s recipe you’ll ever need, I mean it. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying the actual candy from time to time, it’s fun to have an option to make at home using ingredients that are better for you and fit in with your dietary needs, which is exactly why I created this recipe in the first place!
What is so fun about these, aside from the fact that they’re delicious all while being made up of better for you ingredients, is that you can make them into any shape that you want! Feel free to use any cookie cutter you’d like to achieve fun shapes and themes of any kind.
TIPS & TRICKS
- In my opinion, the best part of Reese’s holiday shapes is the fact that the inside is a thick, delicious layer of peanut butter filling coated in a thin layer of chocolate. To achieve this, roll your peanut butter dough into a thick layer before cutting out your shapes.
- The thick layer of peanut butter not only helps replicate the taste of Reese’s, but it helps for the shapes to hold better.
- When cutting out the shapes, remove them very carefully with the cookie cutter so that they don’t break in any smaller areas. If they do, no biggie! Just re-roll your dough and cut them out again. Also note that you won’t want your shapes to be too big or else they can become floppy and not hold their shape well.
- I like to gently remove excess chocolate from the outside when dipping the shapes to get that thin outside coating that Reese’s have. It makes them taste more authentic!
- Be sure the peanut butter shapes are super cold and frozen before coating.
- The coconut oil is not mandatory in the chocolate coating, however it does help create a super smooth and thin shell. Note that it does melt easier when touched/eaten, but it’s super delicious regardless!
- Don’t dip the peanut butter shapes in the chocolate right after it has been melted. You’ll want it to cool slightly so that the shapes don’t get to warm in the coating process.
- Store them in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container once they’re done!
DIETARY NOTES
This recipe is made with real ingredients and fits seamlessly into the following dietary needs when using the products/brands (or ones that are similar) listed in the recipe:
- gluten free
- soy free (using compliant chocolate)
- refined sugar free (using compliant powdered sugar and chocolate)
- egg free
- dairy free (using compliant chocolate)
- vegetarian
- vegan (using compliant powdered sugar and chocolate)
- paleo (using compliant powdered sugar, chocolate and subbing compliant nut butter)
PRODUCTS/BRANDS I USED & RECOMMEND
This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, paleo compliant and/or vegan compliant when using the products listed below. Here is a list of what I have tested and used in order to fully recommend each item for this recipe. Click on the following in order to be taken to the specific product:
Note: Use a creamy peanut butter with no additives other than salt, where possible, as well as pure maple syrup!
Dairy Free Version:
- Dairy Free Chocolate (my favorite!)
Paleo Version:
- Powdered Sugar
- Sugar Free Chocolate OR Paleo Chocolate
- Also, be sure to use a compliant nut butter!
Lower Sugar Version:
- Monkfruit Powdered Sweetener (use in place of powdered sugar)
- Sugar Free Chocolate
A Note on Calorie Count, Nutritional Info and Serving Sizes
Due to my past experiences, I do not include most of the above information within my recipes as it is unsafe for me to do so personally. While I try to share a rough estimate when it comes to the serving size, please note that it is very subjective as we all have different hunger levels both from person to person and even from meal to meal.
If any of the above information is important to you, I understand! We are all different and have various goals and needs. If you’d like, you are welcome to calculate the information needed based on the ingredients you use when making one of my recipes.
I hope you understand! This comes from a place of love and protection both for myself and others like me. If you ever have any questions, send me an Instagram message for the quickest response time! Thank you for being here!
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
Here are some more easy and healthy dessert recipes to add into the rotation:
- 4 Ingredient Chocolate Tart
- French Silk Pie
- Hot Fudge Pop Tarts
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread
- Better for You Puppy Chow/Muddy Buddies
- Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
- Refined Sugar Free Chocolate Avocado Mousse
- Healthy Gluten Free Cosmic Brownies
- Easy Coconut Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- Vegan Chickpea Cookie Dough
FOLLOW ALONG
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok to see all of the behind the scenes of recipe creation as well as how to videos to watch them come to life! You can also head over to my Pinterest to save all of my recipes in one spot that you plan whip up in the future.
PS – If you make this recipe or any of my other recipes, I would be so grateful if you left a review so I can hear what you think! I also am happy to answer any questions you may have on here, but if you want a quicker response, be sure to shoot me a message on Instagram. Thank you so much and talk soon!
Copycat Reese’s Shapes
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup powdered sugar (check for compliant ingredients as needed or sub monk fruit powdered sugar for sugar free)
- 1 cup chocolate chips (check for compliant ingredients as needed)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (optional, see the "Tips and Tricks" section for why!)
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together peanut butter, maple syrup and powdered sugar until completely combined, then form the dough into a ball.
- Lay down a piece of parchment paper and set the dough ball in the center, then cover the ball in another piece of parchment paper.
- Press your hands down on the parchment covered dough ball to flatten, then continue to flatten it with your hands or a rolling pin. Be sure to leave the dough somewhat thick in order to replicate the taste of real Reese's.
- Using a cookie cutter or a knife, cut out desired shapes and place each piece onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Combine the scraps of dough to form another dough ball and flatten again in order to use all of the dough. Repeat until no dough remains!
- Freeze the shapes for 10 minutes to set. If they are still soft, freeze them for a little bit longer.
- When the shapes have 5 more minutes to freeze, add the chocolate to a bowl with coconut oil (optional) and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
- Dip the shapes in the chocolate, gently flipping to coat the full surface, with a fork. If skipping the coconut oil, I recommend removing excess chocolate off of the top of the shapes with the edge of a fork in order to create a thin coating. If using coconut oil, the excess chocolate should slide right off.
- Place each coated shape on a cooling rack over top of parchment paper to dry. You can spray the rack with avocado oil if you'd like to prevent sticking.
- Opt to cool the hearts in the fridge or freezer if you'd like. Keep cold until ready to serve and enjoy!
Hi Kayla,
Do you use all natural pb or just regular for the recipe? Thx
I use peanut butter where the ingredients are just peanuts.
They taste absolutely delicious!! But about half of mine were casualties because I couldn’t get them off the wire rack without breaking. I greased the rack and froze them. Any tips to reduce them breaking next time? Thanks!!
I wouldn’t freeze them on the rack next time! That was your culprit. But regardless, glad they tasted great. 🙂
I’ve been dairy free for years due to a severe allergy. Reese’s used to be my favorite candy before my allergy. These taste even better than the highly processed manufactured candy 😉 OBSESSED.
This made my day! I’m so glad you love these. 🙂