Frozen Peanut Butter Yogurt Cups

These small frozen cups combine a cocoa shell with a creamy peanut-butter yogurt center. They are portionable, require no oven, and soften to a spoonable texture after a few minutes at room temperature.

Details

• Yield: 12 mini cups
• Prep: 20 minutes
• Freeze: 90 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil

Equipment

Use a mini muffin pan, 12 paper or silicone liners, two microwave-safe bowls, whisk, teaspoon, and small offset spatula.

Method

1. Line the pan. Whisk yogurt, peanut butter, sweetener, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
2. Microwave chocolate and coconut oil in 20-second bursts, stirring after each, until nearly melted. Stir off heat until completely smooth.
3. Spoon one teaspoon chocolate into each liner and spread it across the base. Freeze 10 minutes.
4. Divide the peanut mixture among cups, keeping it away from the liner edge. Smooth the tops.
5. Cover each with remaining chocolate. Tap the pan gently to level the coating.
6. Freeze 60 to 90 minutes, until firm. Let stand 5 minutes before eating.

Cues and troubleshooting

The filling should be thick enough to mound. If loose, chill it 15 minutes; if stiff, stir in one teaspoon milk. Water makes melted chocolate seize, so bowls and utensils must be dry. If the top coating hardens before it spreads, warm it briefly. Do not overheat chocolate: residual heat finishes melting the last pieces. Keeping filling inside the edge helps the top and bottom chocolate layers join into a sealed cup.

Substitutions

Use sunflower-seed butter for a peanut-free variation, checking every chocolate label if allergies are involved. Almond butter also works. Full-fat yogurt makes the creamiest center, while lower-fat yogurt freezes more firmly. Dark or milk chocolate may replace semisweet. For texture, sprinkle finely chopped roasted peanuts over the top before freezing.

Storage and safety

Portioning tips

A small spring-loaded scoop makes the centers equal and keeps the liner edges clean. If using paper liners, set each frozen cup out for a minute before peeling to reduce sticking. Silicone liners release immediately. For a thinner shell, brush chocolate up the sides rather than adding more to the base. Keep the pan level during freezing so every layer remains even.

Keep cups in an airtight freezer container for up to one month, with parchment between layers. They soften quickly and should not remain at room temperature longer than two hours. Return uneaten cups to the freezer before they melt fully; repeated thawing and freezing damages texture. These contain peanut and dairy unless the corresponding substitutions are used, so label them clearly when serving a group.