Pretzel Peanut Butter Cups

Line your 24-count mini muffin pan with muffin liners. Set aside.

Into a small saucepan over medium heat, add the peanut butter, butter and brown sugar, stirring until melted, smooth and well-combined. Remove from the heat and begin to gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing well until the mixture comes together. Set aside and cool while you continue with the next step.

Melt the chocolate chips and the shortening in a microwave safe dish (I use a glass measuring cup), heating it in the microwave in 30 second increments and stirring between each increment. When it’s smooth stop heating it. Use a teaspoon and spoon chocolate into the bottom of each muffin liner.

Using a small cookie scoop or a teaspoon, get a small amount of the peanut butter mixture and roll it into a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc. Place the disc of peanut butter on top of the melted chocolate and press down gently to encourage the chocolate to come up around the sides of the peanut butter. Spoon more melted chocolate on top of each of the peanut butter discs to cover. Press a pretzel gently into the top of each candy.

Refrigerate about 30 minutes until set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for serving. Or these also keep well in the refrigerator or freezer.

Note: You can make full-sized peanut butter cups out of this recipe using a standard-sized muffin tin and muffin liners. This would make 12 full-sized cups.

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.