Seven ingredients and five minutes are all you need for this rich and decadent Peanut Butter Cup Dip! Perfect to share at parties, this make-ahead dip is full of chopped peanut butter cups and delicious with pretzels and graham crackers.

Do you love peanut butter? Do you love cheesecake?  How about peanut butter cups?  Then you are going to love this dip!

I’m not sure what it is about peanut butter and chocolate together, but they’re always a winning combination in my kitchen. This Peanut Butter Dip is no exception—it’s creamy, indulgent, and totally addictive! Whether you’re hosting a party or just looking for a sweet snack to enjoy with your family, this dip is an easy way to make everyone happy. The best part? You can throw it together in about 5 minutes with just a handful of ingredients!

Despite how easy and simple it is, this dip never fails to impress. Much like my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip (always one of the most popular recipes on my site around the holidays!), this is so perfect for a game-day snack, a potluck dessert, a holiday party, or really, any time at all. Plus, it’s so versatile – you can switch up the add-ins or dippers based on what you have on hand or what you’re craving.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Seven ingredients.  Five minutes.  That’s all you need to make this peanut butter cup dip.

To make this dip, you need:

• Cream Cheese: Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature so it mixes smoothly. Full-fat cream cheese gives the richest flavor, but you can use a reduced-fat version if you prefer; just note the texture will be less creamy. This recipe will also work with a non-dairy cream cheese substitute.
• Butter: Salted or unsalted work fine; I usually like the extra flavor from the salt. You’ll also want the butter to be at room temperature.
• Brown Sugar
• Peanut Butter: Use regular, creamy peanut butter for the best consistency, not natural peanut butter.
• Vanilla Extract
• Heavy Cream
• Peanut Butter Cups

That’s it.  I’d also recommend things to dip into it, but you know, fingers, spoons, etc., are all just as delicious.  The vehicle you use to get the dip into your mouth really doesn’t matter all that much.

Brown Sugar for the Best Flavor

The most common question I get about this peanut butter dip is if you can use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar. I get it – not everyone keeps brown sugar around, or perhaps you were all set to make this dip and discover that yours is as hard as a rock!

In a baking emergency, by all means, use the granulated sugar! The dip will still be good. But there is one very big reason why I always use brown sugar, which can all be explained by my favorite subject, kitchen chemistry.

Kitchen Chemistry

Brown sugar has a higher moisture content than granulated sugar due to the molasses it contains. This extra moisture can prevent the dip from drying out, even after refrigeration, resulting in a smoother, creamier, less gritty texture.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Dip

1. Beat the Cream Cheese: Start with room temperature cream cheese and butter. Beat with an electric mixer until completely smooth. This step is key to avoiding any lumps in your dip, so don’t rush it!

2. Add Other Ingredients: Add in the brown sugar, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Continue to beat for another 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed until the dip is light and fluffy. Don’t short out this mixing step – the heavy cream really needs to beat for a few minutes to lighten and fluff the dip.

3. Fold in Peanut Butter Cups: I recommend gently mixing in the chopped peanut butter cups so each scoop of dip has a little texture, but you could also sprinkle the chopped peanut butter cups on top of the dip.

4. Serve and Enjoy!: Transfer the dip to a serving bowl, top with any additional peanut butter cups or chocolate chips, and dig in! I love serving this with pretzels, graham crackers, or apple slices for dipping.

Make Ahead Dessert Dip

Not only does this only require seven ingredients, you can make the whole thing ahead of time!  Days ahead of time.  Make it on Wednesday after work and enjoy it on Sunday for your Super Bowl party.

Nothing makes entertaining easier than checking things off your list way in advance!

Straight out of the fridge, the dip gets pretty hard and stiff (I’ve broken many a pretzel trying to dip right out of the refrigerator!). Instead, let the dip sit out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving, then give it a quick whip with an electric mixer to fluff it up again, and transfer the dip into a serving bowl.

Serving Ideas and Suggestions

A spoon.  That’s all you need.  (Ha.)

In all seriousness, anything that you would eat with peanut butter is delicious in this dip.  Graham crackers.  Vanilla wafers.  Chocolate chip cookies. Oreo cookies. Buttery crackers.

The salty-sweet combination is the best so I love pretzels with a big scoop of this cheesecake dip.  Maybe even potato chips?   

Want to add a little fruit to your dessert table?  Apples, strawberries, or frozen banana slices are amazing with this dip. 

Tips and Tricks for the Best Peanut Butter Dip

1. Room Temperature Ingredients: Bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature before mixing so it will blend more easily with the peanut butter and other ingredients.
2. Creamy Peanut Butter: Use creamy peanut butter for a smoother dip, or crunchy peanut butter if you prefer more texture.
3. Make Ahead: Save yourself time and make the dip ahead of time for an easy and convenient stress-free party treat! For a lighter consistency easier to scoop onto your dippers, whip the dip with a mixer or blender briefly just before serving.
4. Refrigerate Leftovers: Leftover peanut butter cup cheesecake dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
5. Suggested Tools: Stand Mixer | Beater Blade

More Easy No Bake Desserts:

• No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
• 3 Ingredient No Bake Oreo Truffles
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
• No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
• No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake
• Mint Chocolate Chip Pie
• All No Bake Dessert Recipes »

This recipe was originally published in January 2018 and updated with new photographs and helpful tips in October 2024.