Peanut Butter Easter Cups

Yield: about 3 1/2 dozen

Ingredients

Easter Cups

• 1 2/3 cups (10 ounce package) Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
• 5 teaspoons shortening (not butter or oil)

Creamy Pastel Fondant

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Green, red and yellow food color
• 1/8 teaspoon mint, almond and lemon extract

Instructions

Easter Cups

1. Line small muffin cups (1 3/4 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups.
2. In microwave-safe bowl, place peanut butter chips and shortening. Microwave at HIGH (100%) for 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth when stirred.
3. With narrow pastry brush, thickly and evenly coat inside pleated surface and bottom of each paper cup with peanut butter mixture.
4. Refrigerate coated cups for 10 minutes.
5. Recoat any thin spots.
6. Repeat procedure, coating twelve cups at a time. (If necessary, microwave peanut butter mixture for 30 seconds to thin.)
7. Tightly cover cups; refrigerate until firm.

Creamy Pastel Fondant

1. In large bowl of electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and well blended.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Divide mixture into three parts.
4. Mix 1 to 2 drops green food color and mint extract into one part, red food color and almond extract into second part, and yellow food color and lemon extract into third part.
5. Fill each cup with desired color Creamy Pastel Fondant; decorate as desired.
6. Cover; refrigerate for at least one hour.
7. Carefully peel paper from each cup.
8. Store in refrigerator.