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Chocolate Peanut Butter Pumpkins

Chocolate peanut butter pumpkins with a pumpkin-pureed peanut butter center and orange-tinted chocolate coating. The filling is chilled and shaped into ridged pumpkin forms, then dipped and topped with a pretzel stem and green candy leaf for a festive bite.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
chilling and freezing 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 24 pumpkins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 120
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Peanut butter filling
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter Use smooth peanut butter for the best filling texture.
  • 0.5 cup pumpkin puree Blot dry before mixing to prevent a loose filling.
  • 1.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
Coating and toppings
  • 12 oz orange candy melts or milk chocolate Use orange candy melts for easiest dipping; add a few drops orange food coloring if needed.
  • 1 orange food coloring Add only as needed to deepen orange tone of the chocolate.
  • 24 pretzel sticks Use for pumpkin stems.
  • 1 green candy Use for leaf details.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the peanut butter pumpkin filling
  1. Blot pumpkin puree very dry, then beat it with peanut butter, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon until smooth with no grainy sugar streaks.
Chill to firm
  1. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes until it is firm enough to shape.
Shape and freeze
  1. Scoop about 1 tablespoon-sized portions and shape into pumpkin rounds, creating ridges by pressing with a toothpick or lightly with your fingers.
  2. Freeze the shaped pumpkins for 20 minutes until solid so the coating doesn’t melt the filling.
Coat and decorate
  1. Melt orange candy melts or milk chocolate until fully smooth, then dip each frozen pumpkin and tap off excess coating while it is still wet.
  2. Press a pretzel stick into the top of each pumpkin as a stem before the coating sets.
  3. Add a small green candy leaf and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

Notes

Pro tip: blot the pumpkin puree very dry—excess moisture can make the filling soft and cause chocolate to slide. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Freeze yes—layer with parchment and freeze up to 2 months. Dietary swap: use dairy-free chocolate and plant-based powdered sugar to keep it vegetarian; note that peanut butter varies by brand for allergy needs.