Sometimes you just need chocolate. Am I right? Look, even as you're working hard on your healthy lifestyle and you've made some great progress, chocolate is part of the process ????
After all, you're only human (#truthbomb.) And every once in a while, you gotta have a treat or snack or sweet that really turns.
Your.
Crank.
Or else you just end up eating a whole sleeve of Oreos, when all you wanted was two. It happens to me too: if I restrict too much, I end up eating a whole bag of those Hint of Lime Tostitos, when all I really need is a handful.
Not to mention, if you can't have some chocolate or chips or whatever, as you move through this life, what's the point of it all, you know?
So if you are a sweet lover and happen to think chocolate and peanut butter is the best combination on the planet, have I got something for you: Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.
Oh yeah baby.
After years of seeing amazing-looking mounds of peanut butter cups on my Insta feed, I finally managed to create some Vegan Peanut Butter Cups of my own!
With only 3 (wooo 3!) ingredients, these are some of the easiest peanut butter cups to make.
But before I figured this out, "easy" would not be a word I would use to describe what I thought all those peanut butter cups looked like. I don't know if you're like me, but seeing rows and rows of these mouth-watering, homemade peanut butter cups looked like a pipe dream, as in: there's no way I could make that.
Well, whaddayouknow, I can! And you can too, my friend.
I source the vegan chocolate from my local Bulk Barn in Brantford but you don't have to use vegan chocolate if you don't want to.
And you can change up the filling if you want - I've made them with almond butter but the feedback I've got (re: my husband) is that natural peanut butter, the Kraft with Sea Salt one, is his number 1 filling choice.
I'll even sprinkle a few pieces of rock salt on top. A little goes a long way with this stuff so go easy 🙂
I've also been trying out my brand spankin' new Rivsalt grater with Himalayan Rock Salt I just got as a gift. I freakin' love it. It's gorgeous, a great conversation piece ("what is that?" and, "where'd you get that?" said most often.)
Here's a shot of the equipment I use - use a large pot, stainless steel bowl and the silicone muffin tin for freezing them in.
Because these Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups pack a load of sweetness, I really like making them in mini silicone baking trays. My favourite one is this one from Trudeau that I also happened to pick up at Bulk Barn. Or you can buy it on Amazon too.
I don't have any trouble freezing them in this tray or getting them out even or cleaning this tray. It's awesome. And so pretty, right?
If you wanted to make larger ones, you'd have to adjust the recipe accordingly. You'll need 3 cups of chocolate to make 24 of the small cups.
Here's how they look after the first "painting of chocolate" 🙂
And here they are all filled up with peanut butter and topped with a final layer of chocolate and ready for the freezer!
Here's one more shot of the amazing-ness coming your way!
So yes, this is not a "healthy recipe" (obviously) but you know what's really healthy?
Having some balance in your life and not depriving yourself so you can stay on track with your healthy lifestyle. Your mindset (ie, "non-diet") will go a long way to helping you stay on the path you want.
Hope you enjoy these Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups!
~April
Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Equipment
- Mini silicone baking cup tray
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegan chocolate chunks
- 1.5 cup natural peanut butter with sea salt or almond butter
- 1 teaspoon rock salt
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate. I find the easiest way to do this without burning it is to fill a medium-large pot with water and bring to a boil.
- Place a large stainless steel bowl on top of the pot and place 2 cups of the chocolate chips in. Stir frequently as they melt.
- Once melted, "paint" the inside of the silicone baking cups with the melted chocolate, using a pastry brush so there is a thin layer of chocolate. Don't worry - it's pretty forgiving! Doesn't need to be perfect. Just cover the inside of the cup.
- Paint all 24 cups. Place the tray of painted silicone cups into the freezer for approximately 30 minutes or until completely frozen and set.
- As the cups freeze, add the other 1 cup of chocolate chips to your bowl to melt them. Again, stir as they melt. Make sure you don't boil off all the water in your pot - check periodically.
- Once the first layer is set and hard, take the tray out of the freezer and fill each cup ¾ of the way with the peanut butter.
- Then top each cup with more melted chocolate. It's okay if it spills over a bit. Sprinkle a few grains of rock salt on each one.
Juanita says
Amazing! Whole family loved them.
April says
Yay!! So glad. We love 'em too. Thanks Juanita 🙂