This peanut butter ganache recipe will take your desserts to a new level! It's silky, creamy, and perfect for drips, frosting, or fillings.
I’ll be honest—sometimes, I eat peanut butter straight from the jar with a spoon. No regrets. If you have a peanut butter obsession, too, and you’re looking for a way to take it to the next level, let me introduce you to something even better: homemade peanut butter ganache! It’s irresistibly smooth, full of peanut butter flavor, and unbelievably easy to make. Whether you drizzle it over desserts, dip fruit in it, or just eat it by the spoonful (no judgment 😉), this ganache is about to become your new favorite treat.
Love easy to make desserts and toppings? Try my Easy Salted Caramel Sauce, my No-bake Chocolate Cheesecake, my Homemade Chocolate Syrup, and my easy Dulce de Leche Mousse.
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What is Peanut Butter Ganache?
Peanut butter ganache is a rich, creamy mixture of peanut butter, chocolate, butter, and heavy cream - perfect for drizzling, spreading, or whipping into frosting. It has a rich peanut butter flavor, but isn’t as sweet as buttercream frosting.
Think of it as the perfect balance—smooth, indulgent, and just sweet enough. Whether you want a silky drip for your cake or a fluffy filling for cupcakes, peanut butter ganache is a game-changer for any dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super Versatile: Pour it over cakes, use it as frosting, fill pastries, or spoon it onto just about any dessert.
- Easy to Make: Simple ingredients, minimal prep, and almost impossible to mess up.
- Rich & Creamy: Packed with peanut butter flavor and an ultra-smooth texture.
- Easily Scalable: If you need a larger batch, you can double or triple the recipe. Just keep in mind that it will take longer to set.
- Perfect for Any Dessert: Chocolate cakes, cupcakes, cookies, layer cakes—you name it! Amazing with this Triple Chocolate Cake!
What you need to make this recipe
Ingredients for peanut butter ganache
- Cream: Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream to achieve the right consistency.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter.
- Peanut Butter: Stick with creamy peanut butter for the smoothest ganache.
- Chocolate: I prefer high-quality white chocolate chips, but dark or semisweet chocolate works, too.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Equipment you'll need
- mixing bowls
- small saucepan
- immersion blender
- rubber spatula
- plastic wrap
- piping bag & tip (optional)
How to make peanut butter ganache
Step-by-step Instructions
1. In a saucepan, warm the cream until it’s just about to simmer—avoid boiling.
2. Then pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute.
3.Gently stir from the center and moving outward until the chocolate is fully melted.
4. Add the peanut butter and the butter, then blend with an immersion blender until smooth and well combined.
Use immediately for a pourable ganache, or cover with plastic wrap (pressing it directly onto the surface) and chill for 1.5–2 hours for a thicker consistency.
Recipe Notes
Storage Tips & Freezing Instructions
Refrigerate
Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed against the surface.
Keeps fresh in the fridge for up to about 5 days.
Freeze
Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then stir, or microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
Variations
- Dairy-Free Option: Swap heavy cream for coconut cream to make a delicious dairy-free white peanut butter ganache.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache: Swap white chocolate for dark or milk chocolate for a bolder flavor.
- Salted Peanut Butter Ganache: Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top for a sweet-and-salty combo.
- Whipped Ganache: Once thickened, whip it with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy—perfect for frosting cakes and cupcakes!
- Chunky Peanut Butter Ganache: Prefer texture? You can use chunky peanut butter—great for fillings but not ideal for drips.
✔️ Tips for success
- Use High-Quality Chocolate: The better the chocolate, the better the ganache.
- Weigh Your Ingredients: For the most consistent results, use a digital scale.
- Stick to Smooth Peanut Butter: I don't recommend natural peanut butter because it can cause the ganache to separate.
- Don't Use Milk or Half-and-Half: Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) is a must—anything with less fat won’t give you the right consistency.
- Prevent a Skin from Forming: Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ganache before refrigerating. This keeps air from drying out the top, ensuring a beautiful smooth and creamy consistency.
- Reheating for Drips: Warm chilled ganache over a pot of simmering water or in short microwave bursts, stirring in between.
- If scaling up, allow more time to set: When doubling or tripling the recipe, remember that larger batches of peanut butter ganache will need additional time to set in the refrigerator.
Frequently asked questions
Warm a little heavy cream over low heat and stir it into the ganache until you reach the perfect drip consistency.
Butter adds richness and helps make the ganache smooth. It also creates a more stable mixture.
Absolutely! Once the ganache has thickened, you can use it as is for a smooth, creamy frosting. For a lighter, fluffier texture, beat it with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until airy and spreadable after it thickens.
More peanut butter recipes to try!
Did you make this recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out and leave a rating and review below! I'd love to hear from you! ❤️
Recipe
Peanut Butter Ganache Recipe
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- small saucepan
- immersion blender
- rubber spatula
- plastic wrap
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (170g)
- 1 cup white chocolate chips (170g)
- ½ cup smooth peanut butter (125g)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (15g)
Instructions
- Place the white chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, heat the cream until it's just about to simmer—avoid boiling. Alternatively, heat the cream in the microwave in 10-second intervals until it just begins to bubble (about 40-60 seconds).½ cup + 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (170g)
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 1 minute. Then, gently stir from the center outward until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.1 cup white chocolate chips (170g)
- Add peanut butter and butter, then blend with an immersion blender until well combined. You could also use a spoon.½ cup smooth peanut butter (125g), 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (15g)
- For a Pourable Ganache: Use immediately for drizzling or glazing.
- For Piping Consistency: Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for 1.5–2 hours until thickened.
- For Whipped Peanut Butter Ganache: Once it's firm enough to pipe, beat it with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until it's fluffier and lighter in color.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Use High-Quality Chocolate for the best flavor.
- Weigh Ingredients with a digital scale for accuracy.
- Stick to Smooth Peanut Butter—natural varieties can cause separation.
- Use Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream Only—lower-fat options won’t work.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the ganache before refrigerating to prevent a skin from forming and keep it smooth and creamy.
- Reheat for Drips by gently warming and stirring.
- Easily Scalable: Double or triple the recipe as needed, but allow extra time for it to set.
- Dairy-Free: Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream for a dairy-free version.
Thanks for stopping by! Let me know what you think: