These Homemade Reese’s Ghosts are such an easy Halloween treat and honestly one of my favorite ways to use this peanut butter filling. They have a thick, creamy peanut butter center surrounded by a smooth milk chocolate shell, but instead of pumpkins, I used ghost shaped silicone molds to make them perfect for Halloween.
If you love that classic Reese’s combination of milk chocolate and peanut butter, these are SO good. There’s no dipping or trying to shape the candy by hand either. The silicone ghost mold does basically all of the work for you!
They’re perfect for Halloween parties, treat trays, or just keeping in the fridge when you need something sweet. And if you want your ghosts to look a little more ghostly, I also made a white chocolate version that’s just as easy!
RECIPE TIPS
Chocolate
I used Ghirardelli milk chocolate melting wafers for these ghosts. The milk chocolate paired with the creamy peanut butter filling gives them that classic Reese’s flavor that I was going for.
Melting wafers work really well here because they melt smoothly and set back up into a firm chocolate shell. I prefer them over regular chocolate chips for molded candy because you get a much cleaner finish and that little snap when you bite into them.
When melting the wafers, microwave them in short 30 second intervals and stir well between each one. Once they are almost completely melted, keep stirring rather than continuing to microwave them. You don’t want to overheat the chocolate.
Using a Silicone Ghost Mold
A silicone ghost mold makes these SO easy.
Start by adding a small amount of melted chocolate to each cavity and spreading it across the bottom and up the sides. You want the entire cavity coated so the peanut butter filling is completely enclosed once they’re finished.
Pay particular attention to any smaller or more detailed areas of your ghost mold. Make sure those spots have enough chocolate so they don’t break when you remove the ghosts later.
Using White Chocolate
I also made a batch of these ghosts using Ghirardelli white chocolate melting wafers, and they are such a fun variation for Halloween. The white chocolate gives you that classic white ghost look while still being SO good with the peanut butter center.
You can follow the exact same process for the white chocolate version. Simply swap the milk chocolate melting wafers for white chocolate melting wafers. I used one bag of Ghirardelli white chocolate melting wafers for my white chocolate batch.
Adding the Peanut Butter Filling
Once your chocolate shell has hardened, gently press the peanut butter mixture into each cavity.
Don’t fill the mold completely to the top. Leave a little bit of room so you can cover the peanut butter with another layer of chocolate. I like to flatten the peanut butter filling as much as possible before adding that final layer so the backs of the ghosts are nice and even.
Getting Them Out of the Mold
This is another reason I love using silicone molds for homemade candy. Once the chocolate is completely firm, gently flex the silicone away from the chocolate rather than trying to pull the candy straight out.
Take your time, especially around any thinner parts of the ghost shape. If the chocolate is properly chilled and completely set, they should release pretty easily.
If one feels soft or doesn’t want to come out cleanly, you can pop them in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.
Storage
These Homemade Reese’s Ghosts can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, but I prefer keeping them chilled. Store them in an airtight container and bring them out whenever you’re ready to serve them.
If your kitchen is warm, definitely keep them in the refrigerator so the chocolate shell stays firm.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Store them in an airtight freezer safe container, and let them thaw before serving.
These are one of those Halloween recipes that look like you put way more effort into them than you actually did. The combination of the creamy peanut butter filling and milk chocolate shell is SO good, and the ghost molds make them such a fun addition to any Halloween spread.
If you make them, be sure to leave a rating and comment below. I’d love to hear what you think!
Homemade Reeses Ghosts
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup salted butter melted. you can use unsalted butter if you prefer!
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 bag Ghirardelli Melting Wafers milk chocolate or your preferred flavor
Instructions
- Melt the milk chocolate melting wafers in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, until smooth.
- Spoon a small amount of melted chocolate into each cavity of your silicone ghost mold. Use the back of a spoon or a small brush to spread the chocolate evenly along the bottom and sides of each cavity, making sure the entire shape is well coated. Allow the chocolate to harden, about 10 minutes. If you'd like you can put them in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- While the chocolate is setting, add the peanut butter, melted butter, vanilla extract, light brown sugar, powdered sugar, and kosher salt to a medium sized bowl. Mix until smooth and thick.
- Gently press the peanut butter filling into each chocolate lined ghost cavity, leaving a little space at the top for the final layer of chocolate. Flatten the filling so the tops are as even as possible. Spoon additional melted milk chocolate over the peanut butter filling to completely seal each ghost. Smooth the chocolate across the top.
- Let set for about 30 minutes, or until completely firm. Once set, gently flex the silicone mold away from each ghost and carefully pop them out. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container.