Caramel Chocolate Candy Cups (O’Henrys)

Caramel Chocolate Candy Cups (O’Henrys)

Get ready for a delicious and simple dessert recipe: Caramel Chocolate Candy Cups! These cups are inspired by my favorite chocolate bar from childhood, the O’Henry caramel chocolate bar. The combination of peanuts and sweetness of the caramel center with a buttery flavor, all covered with a chocolate coating was too irresistible to pass up. I’ve transformed this classic flavor combination into “candy cups” that feature a layer of soft caramel and peanuts at the bottom and a topping of rich chocolate, creating the perfect balance of sweet and salty for your taste buds.

The homemade caramel sauce is a standout ingredient, adding a sticky sweetness to the cups, while the peanuts provide a satisfying crunch. To enhance the peanut flavor even further, I experimented with adding peanut butter to the caramel! The best part is that this is a no-bake, freezer dessert, making it perfect for hot summer days when you don’t want to turn on the oven.

Follow along with step-by-step instructions in the recipe card to make these delectable treats for yourself. Trust me, you’ll want to try this recipe out! The result is a batch of irresistible, bite-sized chocolate cups that will be a hit with the entire family.

Why You’ll Love These Caramel Chocolate Candy Cups

They’re Easy to Make: With only a handful of ingredients and a few simple steps, these caramel candies are a breeze to make. Plus, you don’t need any fancy equipment or special skills to pull it off.

They’re a Crowd-Pleaser: These delicious treats are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them. One thing to keep in mind when making this recipe is that it does contain peanuts, so if you or anyone you’re making it for has a peanut allergy, then you’ll want to skip this one.

They’re Customizable: You can switch up the recipe by adding different flavors or toppings to the chocolate cups. Try adding pecans or hazelnut butter to the chocolate mixture for a twist on the classic recipe (a chocolate hazelnut chocolate coating)! Or, top with vegan white chocolate or vegan milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate!

Just be careful of serving these to anyone with tree nut allergies, as pecans and some other nuts (aside from peanuts) are considered tree nuts if they grow on trees, and this list includes many different nuts.

They’re Healthier Than Store-Bought: When you make these chocolate cups at home, you have control over the ingredients. No artificial flavors, no high fructose corn syrup, none of that! You can use high-quality chocolate and make an all-natural caramel to create a healthier version of the classic candy bar (in a cup form)! These are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth anytime you need a little pick-me-up.

Substitutions

Let’s talk about the star ingredients of this recipe: Chocolate and homemade caramel with coconut milk and coconut sugar! Chocolate and caramels are a match made in heaven, and this recipe brings the two together in a delightful way. You’ll need both chocolate and peanut butter to make the chocolate coating for the cups, as well as both coconut milk and sugar for the caramel filling.

Peanuts: Do not substitute, as crunchy peanuts are the mark of O’Henry’s!

Coconut Milk: Use full-fat, canned coconut milk. This milk is rich in fat and helps the caramel to thicken up. Do not substitute with any other milk, because the high fat content of the coconut milk helps it taste rich and have a chewy texture with refrigerated! I use coconut milk to make all the caramel sauces for the recipes I make. It’s an extraordinary ingredient and so versatile in everything from curries, acting as a fat replacement for condensed milk in fudge, or making caramel!

Chocolate Chips: Substitute with a chopped bar or chocolate chunks. Check the ingredient label to make sure the chocolate is vegan and doesn’t contain any animal products.

Peanut Butter: Use all natural, creamy peanut butter. It should only have one ingredient – peanuts! You can substitute with almond butter or coconut milk as well. This adds an extra peanut flavor, even though O’Henry bars don’t have peanut butter in their chocolate coating.

Coconut Sugar: Do not use any other sugar, aside from brown sugar (the recipe will not be considered refined sugar free though). The color of the coconut sugar (or brown sugar) helps to make the brown caramel color!

Caramel Chocolate Candy Cups Notes

• You can even serve them with a cold glass of milk or a hot chocolate for an extra indulgent treat!
• Optionally, add in some vanilla extract or a freshly scraped vanilla bean into the caramel layer for a vanilla caramel.
• Add a sprinkle of sea salt on top of the caramel for the flavor of salted caramel cups!
• I used regular-sized cupcake trays, but you can also make these into different sizes by using mini cupcake trays instead (and it will make more that way too)!
• These cups can get too soft in the refrigerator. Keep them in the freezer for a cold summer treat and to keep them from melting!

More Delicious Treats You’ll Love

Raw Nut & Seed Chocolate Bars

S’mores Fudge

Pecan Chocolate Bark

Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

Cookie Dough Bites

Mocha Nutella Ice Cream

Almond Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Kind Bars

Homemade Dark Chocolate Bars

Chocolate Caramel Candy Bars

If you make these Caramel Chocolate Candy Cups, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!