Homemade Peanut Butter M&Ms (2024)

GFVGVDFNS

Jump to Recipe

So, you remember those peanut butter stuffed no-bake bites we made? OK.

Do you remember how we had leftover PB dough from the batch? OK.

Well, we’re gonna need that now soo go ahead and get it. I’ll wait…

OK seriously, how have I not done this before? I did make peanut butter patties and this is a very similar concept, only you roll the peanut butter dough up all teeny tiny and dip it in chocolate! Whoopeeee! Fresh Peanut Butter M&Ms are way better than the packaged kind.

If you didn’t make the no-bake bites and don’t have any of the PB dough on hand, worry not! It’s so simple to throw together. You simply need oats, dates, peanut butter, raw almonds, and roasted peanuts. Then comes melted chocolate – a VERY important element, clearly.

These M&Ms were SO so so so delicious. I offered them up at a recent party with friends and they got snatched up before the fancy dark chocolate squares did. They’re also no doubt healthier than their candy-coated counterparts and arguably better. The only problem? What’s a serving size? I mean really…who eats just FIVE M&Ms? If that’s you. Get out of here. This recipe isn’t for you ; )

I’m more of a1015 M&M girl myself.

Homemade Peanut Butter M&Ms

6-ingredient Peanut Butter M&Ms that are vegan, gluten-free, sweet, salty, slightly crunchy, and WAY better than the original.

Author Minimalist Baker

Print SAVE

4.67 from 3 votes

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 minutes minutes

Total Time 43 minutes minutes

Servings 50 (M&Ms)

Course Dessert

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly 1 month

Does it keep? 1 Week

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

1/4 cup rolled oats (GF for gluten-free eaters)
2 pitted dates (medjool or deglet noor)
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts
1/2 cup roasted, salted natural peanut butter
1 cup dairy-free semisweet or dark chocolate

Instructions

Add your oats to the food processor and mix until small pieces remain. Then add dates and process again until only small bits remain. Remove from processor and set aside.
Next add almonds and peanuts to the food processor and mix until they turn to meal – a few small chunks are OK.
Next add peanut butter to the nut meal and pulse until well combined. Then add dates and oats and process until the mixture forms a loose dough. If it seems too wet to handle, add more oats. If it seems too dry, add a couple more dates.
Scoop out small bits of dough and form them into small round balls – about 1/2 tsp. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and pop in the freezer to harden for 30 minutes.
Around the 25-minute mark, melt your dark chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second increments. Then work in small batches to coat the cookies. Take only 5 M&Ms out of the freezer at a time for dipping.
To dip, drop cookies one at a time into the chocolate, flip once, pick up with a fork or your finger and tap on the rim of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. A little excess is OK. Place back on a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop back in the freezer to set.
Repeat until all Peanut Butter M&Ms are dipped, re-warming chocolate as needed.
For optimum freshness, store cookies in an air-tight container in the freezer or fridge until serving.

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 50 servings)

Serving: 1 M&Ms Calories: 58 Carbohydrates: 4.5 g Protein: 1.7 g Fat: 4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 10 mg Fiber: 0.9 g Sugar: 3 g

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @minimalistbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #minimalistbaker so we can see all the deliciousness!

If you love this recipe...

Round-Up

35 Best Fourth of July Recipes

Round-Up

32 Plant-Based Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes

Dairy-Free

Top 20 BEST Easter Desserts

Recipes

Vegan White Bean Pot Pie Soup

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rating!

All commentsI made thisQuestions

Jayne says
October 28, 2019 at 6:39 pm
Can you replace Oats with something else?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  October 29, 2019 at 10:11 am
  Hi Jayne, another reader mentioned success with coconut flour. Let us know if you give it a try!
  Reply
  See Also
  Baking “Goodbye” to Shawn and Gus: It’s a Psych Party Rice Krispie Date Balls The Holy Grail of Cinnamon Pies: ‘Psych’ edition Book - Celiac and the Beast
Helena says
October 27, 2019 at 2:47 pm
Easy, healthy and delicious
Reply
RB says
September 17, 2019 at 7:30 pm
Could almonds be left out?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  September 18, 2019 at 8:38 am
  We wouldn’t recommend that, but you could try subbing another nut/seed. Let us know if you give it a try!
  Reply
May says
April 13, 2019 at 10:17 am
I finally got around to making these–oh my God. They are so good! My alterations were from my lousy memory because I forgot to buy peanuts, so I did all unsalted almonds and tossed in some extra salt. I did a mix of Kraft and regular peanut butter and used flaked oats because that’s what I had on hand, and I got lazy with the chocolate and just generously drizzled it on top. Even with my tweaks, the end result was a delicious candy that everyone in my household is trying to forget is in the freezer because we’ll eat them all.
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  April 16, 2019 at 11:35 am
  Thanks so much for sharing, May. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
  Reply
Tara says
July 24, 2018 at 6:30 am
OMG!!! GO MAKE THESE RIGHT NOW!!!! Triple batch because they are going to be gone before you can even finish making them. It takes a bit of time to coat them in chocolate, but let me tell you, it is so worth it. They thaw out and get soft pretty fast, so keep them in a container in the freezer.
Reply
Heather says
December 23, 2017 at 5:18 am
Can you make this recipe without the dates/is there an adequate substitute?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  December 23, 2017 at 7:32 am
  Hi Heather! We haven’t tried it, but soaked raisins may be a good substitute! (Soak for 2-3 minutes in hot water)
  Reply
Sarah says
October 30, 2017 at 10:44 am
Have you tried with all almonds and almond butter rather than PB? Thanks!
Reply
Agata says
September 25, 2017 at 4:49 am
Hi,
I am looking for a recipe to make vegan “reese’s pieces”, because I want them to have orange and yellow colour for decorating purposes. Do you have any idea how I could make these but so the final product is orange?:) I will be grateful for any help:)
Reply
- alison says
  May 15, 2019 at 2:29 pm
  white chocolate…with food colouring?!
  Reply
Bryon Tsuyama says
April 20, 2017 at 2:33 pm
Can you use steel cut oats?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  April 21, 2017 at 8:13 pm
  Yes!
  Reply
Laurie says
March 29, 2016 at 9:29 pm
OMG!! I am totally in love with this recipe! I added a couple more dates to the nut mixture and a touch of salt.
Can’t wait to make another batch and share with friends. This batch is ALL MINE!!
Reply
Stan says
See Also
our favorite chocolate chip cookies
June 20, 2015 at 10:47 am
I wouldn’t call these M&M’s though…
Reply
erin says
June 20, 2015 at 8:55 am
Made the dough and found it tasted like exactly what it was made of. I didn’t find it sweet enough to be called PB m&ms. Added about 1/2 cup icing sugar (I know, I know…) and it brought the dough to a more junk food level. They were good without out it but more candy-like with the added sugar.
Thanks for the recipe!
Reply
Maggie says
April 22, 2015 at 2:18 am
How are these even M&Ms?
Reply
Kathy says
March 11, 2015 at 4:20 pm
Just stumbled upon this. Yum and nice. Applause.
Reply
rose says
August 8, 2014 at 3:25 am
Made these with 70% dark choc and they were a little bitter…so I covered them with honey then froze again and they were divine! Everyone I tried them on adored them. I’d say either sweetness coat them or use a milk or less dark chic. Yum! Thank you!
Reply
Anusha says
May 4, 2014 at 10:57 pm
I dont know if i should call this crazy easy or super droolsome first. Looks amazing and am almost dying to try this. Beautiful pictures of the m and m s.
Reply
Stacy says
April 24, 2014 at 2:05 pm
Oh wow – these look so good & the recipe looks very simple to make. I cannot wait to try them out!!
Reply
Lee says
December 9, 2013 at 9:16 pm
OMG. How did I miss this. I LOVE IT. I love how simple this is. So perfect. I want to make a giant sunday with homemade M&Ms on top.
Reply
Shundara@SavyNaturalista says
June 30, 2013 at 1:17 pm
I will definitely try this recipe thank you so much!
Reply
stephanie says
June 20, 2013 at 6:59 pm
Are these better “as is” or have you baked with them?
Reply
- Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
  July 3, 2013 at 12:30 am
  better as is : ) Although I’m sure they’d be lovely in a cookie. They will be more melty than a traditional “M&M” though because there’s no “shell.”
  Reply
Holly @ EatGreatBEGreat says
May 20, 2013 at 3:42 pm
OMG…these sound amazing! PB and chocolate…can’t get better than that!
Reply
Heather says
May 5, 2013 at 11:06 pm
Do you have a suggestion of what could be substituted in for the oats? We are GF, but cannot do oats either. I tried skimping on this and using GF oats in a recipe recently and am itchy all over :( I can’t “cheat” again or I’ll be miserable, but these look SO good!
Reply
- Loula says
  May 18, 2013 at 11:53 am
  Hey Heather,
  I just made these using coconut flour. It worked out really well adding about a 1/4 c water to the mix to make up for the soaking quality of the coconut flour. Im sure part chickpea flour would work nicely, too.
  Loula
  Reply
- steve says
  July 30, 2015 at 1:46 pm
  Just use Bob’s Red Mill Oats if you’re GF!
  Reply
Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com says
March 25, 2013 at 12:40 am
What an awesome idea! These look delicious. I just made a different pb filling to make peanut butter eggs for Easter, but I think I’ll save some to roll as M&Ms. Cute!
Reply
Amanda@ Spiritual Sweat says
March 24, 2013 at 11:23 am
Holy Moly!! I don’t even know if I can handle this. I’m practically drooling :)
Reply
Izy says
March 22, 2013 at 6:36 pm
These are just WAY TOO CAH-YOOT! aww omg, I want to make them literally just because they are so adorable (…well, also because of the whole chocolate covered peanut butter thing too ahaha)
Reply
Roos says
March 22, 2013 at 12:04 pm
I developed a chocolate peanut butter addiction when I first had peanut butter M&M’s (we do not have those in Amsterdam) , I think this is a great alternative
Reply
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
March 22, 2013 at 11:17 am
This is SO creative and these are SO cute! They look 10 times better than M & M’s, too! :)
Reply
Sarah says
March 22, 2013 at 12:19 am
Gosh, these look insanely addictive. I could eat my wait in regular PB m&m’s, homemade would be another level.
Reply
Chelsea says
March 21, 2013 at 7:51 pm
you guys are killing me! this looks too bomb, too bomb i tell you!
Reply
Jaclyn C. says
March 21, 2013 at 4:04 pm
AHHHHH!!! This look so delicious! I am emailing this to T right now (since it’s gluten free…yay!).
Reply
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
March 21, 2013 at 11:28 am
This is like…. the most genius thing I’ve ever seen. I’m obsessed with all of it–from the idea to the pics to the healthy recipe! Totally making these little beauties in the near future.
Reply
Sarah says
March 21, 2013 at 11:11 am
Aaaaaaand now I must go home and make these in bulk.
Reply
Joy says
March 21, 2013 at 10:15 am
No you didn’t. You did not just make a homemade version of one of my favorite candies. This is dangerous. D.A.N.G.E.R.O.U.S.
Reply
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
March 21, 2013 at 9:20 am
OH my word, this is magic. Pure magic. And deliciousness.
Reply
Tieghan says
March 21, 2013 at 8:36 am
This is like my favorite candy!! Wow! I love these!
Reply
Anne Carlyle says
March 21, 2013 at 7:55 am
They’re just like healthier peanut butter buckeyes! Love it!
Reply
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
March 21, 2013 at 7:36 am
Um you did what now?! I am going to have to run home and make these, and then eat them all!
Reply