Like many inventions, peanut butter cups started as an accident. Kind of good. The butter cups themselves were intentional, but how delicious they were was due to a malfunction in some peanut roasting equipment owned by Harry Barnett Reese in the early 20th century.
“What makes Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups so delicious is the unique way his ineffective roasting equipment roasts the peanuts.” Mashed. “Which incidentally made it taste better than other peanut butter alternatives around.”
After years of working at various jobs trying to make ends meet for her family, this accidental peanut butter cup recipe was the key to Reese’s success. And today, you, of course, can still buy his creations. In fact, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are the best-selling candy in the United States.
But is it possible to buy vegan peanut butter cups? You’ll be happy to know the answer to this question is “yes”. And to celebrate, we’ve rounded up some of the best plant-based peanut butter cups on the market. But first, what exactly is a peanut butter cup? And Reese’s, which is owned by Hershey, finally catch up with a new vegetarian recipe?
What is a peanut butter cup?
Reese worked several jobs before creating her own peanut butter cups, including one at a Hershey’s chocolate factory. It was there that he got the idea to try selling his own hard candy, which he filled with peanut butter after learning how popular peanut butter candy was at the time.
Hershey eventually bought the Reese’s brand, and to this day, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (and many copycats out there) feature a hard chocolate shell filled with creamy peanut butter, just as Reese’s intended.
Are Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups vegan?
Because they are covered in milk chocolate, Original Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are not vegan. However, a new dairy-free, oat-based version of the recipe, called Reese’s Plant-Based, is coming soon.
That said, you don’t have to wait for the release of multinational Hershey’s Vegan Chocolate to enjoy a cup of plant-based peanut butter. And that’s because there are already plenty of vegetarian options on the market.
Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
Got a craving for vegan peanut butter cups? We hear you loud and clear. The good news is that there are plenty of options out there for you to try. Here’s a top pick of some of the brands offering vegan peanut butter cups right now.
Lily’s
1 Lily’s
If you love the taste of peanut butter cups but you’re trying to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet, try Lilly’s Stevia-Sweetened Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. They are creamy, rich and to be honest, quite addictive.
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Justin’s
2 Justin’s
Justin’s already specializes in almond butter, so it makes sense that it also offers delicious, chocolate buttercups. While the milk chocolate version isn’t vegan, all dark options are vegan, including the Dark Chocolate Crispy Peanut Butter Cup.
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love raw
3 love raw
UK brand Love has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to its delicious vegan milk chocolate products. There are cream wafer bars, nutty choc balls, and of course vegan peanut butter cups, available in vegan milk or white chocolate varieties.
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Nutty food
4 Nutty food
All Nutty Foods chocolate cups are completely vegan and sugar-free. While it offers almond butter and cookie dough options, it also has two vegan peanut flavors: Fluffernut Peanut Butter Cup and Classic Peanut Butter Cup.
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Go Max Go
5 Go Max Go
If you want the taste of milk chocolate, but you’re not interested in the actual milk part, try Cleo’s Peanut Butter Cups from Go Max Go. They are creamy, indulgent and completely dairy-free.
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unreal
6 unreal
Like many vegan peanut butter cup options on the market, Unreal’s dark chocolate selection is lower in sugar than some of its mainstream competitors. But that, they don’t sacrifice on taste at all
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No hooey! food
7 no hooey
No Whey prides itself on creating completely vegan, completely delicious chocolate snacks that are free of allergens like soy, sesame, gluten … and peanuts. Yes, the brand’s Peanut Butter Cups aren’t technically peanut butter cups, but to make them suitable for everyone, the brand uses sunflower instead.
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Pip and Nut
8 Pip and Nut
UK-based Pip & Nut started out as an almond butter specialist, but offering almond butter cups was the obvious next step. Its mini dark chocolate peanut butter cups are made entirely from vegan and ethically sourced chocolate.
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hero cup
9 hero cup
HeroCup has two vegan peanut butter cup options, both made with dark chocolate. Depending on your personal taste, it has 50 percent and 70 percent variations.
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chess
10 chess
Sjaak’s offers a selection of sweet treats filled with almond butter, which is why it offers a full assortment of almond butter bites. There are peanut butter dark chocolate and peanut butter milk chocolate flavors, but if you’re not a fan of peanuts, there’s also an almond butter flavor.
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Chump!
11 Chump!
Chump! is on a mission to give consumers a milk chocolate alternative without going anywhere near cows. Its delicious, completely dairy-free range includes Nutpaks, which contain creamy oat milk chocolate and peanut butter.
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Theo
12 Theo
For those looking for vegan, organic, and ethically sourced chocolate peanut butter cup options, Seattle-based Theo’s has a few options, including Extra Chocolate Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.
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trunk
13 trunk
Sold in bar form, NuGo’s Peanut Butter Cup flavored chocolate is not only delicious, it’s protein-packed, with 12 grams of protein per serving.
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Hail Mary
14 Hail Mary
Hail Mary’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are also packed with six grams of protein and are lower in sugar than many mainstream alternatives. But what you gain in nutrition, you don’t give up in taste. They are just as creamy and satisfying as the original.
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To know more about vegan desserts, read:
Charlotte is a writer and editor based in sunny Southsea on the south coast of England.