These healthy, homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are easy to make with just 4 ingredients! I originally posted this recipe in 2014, but am republishing it today with updated photos. Most the the text is from the original post. If you’ve never tried this recipe, I hope you will try it soon!
Last weekend, Meghan and Tim went on a Father-Daughter camping trip. I use the term “camping” lightly, as they slept in a cabin that was equipped with a bathroom, electricity, and even had a TV.
It was an organized trip with a group through the Y with a goal of strengthening relationships between fathers and daughters. The mom who introduced the group to us warned me that it would be candy-filled weekend. All the girls come to camp loaded with snacks and candy.
You know I cringed thinking about sending Meghan with store-bought candy that is filled with preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and unhealthy oils. I decided to make her some homemade treats that would lessen the toxic load, even if just a little.
These homemade chocolate peanut butter cups might not be as pretty as a Reese’s Cup when you open the package, but you get the winning combination of chocolate and peanut butter in a much healthier way. You can trust me when I say looking perfect is not what matters to Meghan when it comes to chocolate. She and Luke keep begging me to make more of these.
I have been making different versions of homemade chocolate peanut butter cups for years now, and I always have tried to mimic the texture of the peanut butter inside the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. This time I just used peanut butter and guess what? I love it with just pure peanut butter! You don’t need powdered sugar or anything else added to the peanut butter.
Also, if aesthetics are important, don’t be lazy like me. Freeze each layer before you do the next layer. Clearly, I don’t have time for that. I drop the chocolate into the paper cup, add the peanut butter, then add the chocolate. My family doesn’t mind the little imperfections this causes and neither do I. I totally could have done it the slow way for the pictures, but I thought I’d keep it real. I hate it when I make something and it doesn’t turn out like the pictures, don’t you?
Edited to add: the picture above is of one I did take the time to freeze the layers. I also used a full-sized muffin tin for the updated pictures. You can use either a full-sized muffin tin or a mini-muffin tin.
One last thing, then I’ll get to the recipe, I promise. I used mini-sized paper cups. You can make these into full-sized cups if you prefer, but the ratios I’m talking about refer to mini-sized. I found the best ratio of chocolate to peanut butter was 1 teaspoon chocolate+3/4 teaspoon peanut butter+1 teaspoon chocolate. I was playing with the ratios so there are some with more chocolate and less peanut butter, and those are shown in the bottom two pictures. Nobody liked those as much. Just so you know. Ok–recipe time!
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Healthy 4-Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 9 1x
Description
These healthy, homemade peanut butter cups are a great way to get your chocolate fix!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- peanut butter (I just scoop straight from the jar–who likes measuring peanut butter?!)
Instructions
- In a small blender, blend together the cocoa powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup until it is creamy. If you don’t have a small blender, then you can whisk the ingredients together by hand. Just make sure you use a deep bowl so the cocoa powder doesn’t go everywhere and you whisk it very well.
- Put your paper liners on a cookie sheet.
- Using a teaspoon, drop 1 teaspoon of the chocolate mixture into the cups.
- You can lift and drop the cookie sheet on the counter to help the chocolate lay flat.
- Next, use a teaspoon or a 3/4 teaspoon to drop 3/4 teaspoon peanut butter on top of the chocolate. Finally, add an additional teaspoon of chocolate on top of the peanut butter.
- Again, you can lift and drop the cookie sheet to help the chocolate lay flat. Or you can use your finger. 😉
- Place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes to allow the chocolate to harder.
- These need to be stored in the fridge or the freezer. Enjoy!
- Note: If you use a full-sized muffin tin, you will use more of the chocolate mixture and peanut butter for each cup, and you will get about 4 cups. If you use a mini-muffin tin, you’ll get about 9.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Desserts
Nutrition
- Calories: 214
- Sugar: 8.6g
- Sodium: 79.5mg
- Fat: 17.5g
- Carbohydrates: 14.1g
- Protein: 4.5g
Thank you so much for this recipe! Love these clean eating goodies!!!
★★★★★
You’re welcome!
Can I skip the maple syrup all together? Is that just to hold it together better?
The maple syrup adds sweetness. They will be very bitter without it, but if you enjoy bitter chocolate, it might work.
Made these tonight and they were so awesome!!! Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that, Jen!
These are totally carb free and sugar free?
No, they are not carb and sugar free. 🙂
I have used your recipe before, and it is heavenly! However, I am on a keto lifstyle change. Can I use sugar free syrup? Or should I use another recipe? Say no! Lol thanks in advance!
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I’ve never tried sugar-free syrup, so I don’t know the consistency. Is it similar to maple syrup? I’m sure it would work!
Could you use a piping bag rather than trying to get the liquid in the case with a spoon?
Sure!
Tried this today and loved it! ? thanks! What I love about the recipe is that it’s ĺess dense than one with melted chocolate but still freezes beautifully. Absolutely smooth and yummy.
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Glad you loved this recipe! 🙂
Can you use honey instead of Maple syrup?
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Yes.
This looks AMAZING! I can’t wait to try it! Now of ways to hide it from the husband and kids……. ??? ?
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Haha! My problem exactly!
These are so delicious and super easy to make! I like the chocolate/coconut taste more than maple, so I used a little less than the recommended maple syrup the second time I’ve made them. These really are a great treat & I use cacao and all organic products so I feel like it’s a much healthier treat than storebought peanut butter cups.
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I agree! Thanks so much for your feedback. 🙂
I use an ice cube tray and pop them in the freezer to set up. After set I pop them out and put them in a container and keep in the freezer for a quick fix.
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Love that–great idea!
How many calories would you say one mini sized one was?
What is the serving size and calories? I’m wondering on the difference of regular and these! I wanna make them! 🙂
I made these in tiny cupcake patties about 15 minutes ago and just took one out of the freezer. Holy schamoly are they amazing! My boyfriend is raving over the chocolate alone, and he’s fussy!
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So glad to hear that Ness!
is it possible to use an artificial sweetener instead of maple syrup?
I don’t ever recommend artificial sweeteners. 🙂 What about trying stevia? Or xylitol? Both are natural sweeteners but sugar-free!
Thanks for mentioning xylitol that’s all my mom uses when she makes herself snack so thought of making these for her with xylitol
Perfect!
I made these today, but I made some alterations:
1c coconut oil (melted)
1c organic maple syrup
1 + 1/3c cocoa powder
organic PB
I filled a large muffin tin with ½tbs chocolate, 1ts pb, 1ts chocolate. I only wish I would have done ½tbs pb as well.
(I froze the leftover chocolate mix in an ice cube tray, can’t wait to try them as well.)
Thank you so much for the recipe!
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You’re welcome, Maddie! Thanks for sharing the alterations you made.
Is there anything you can use instead of the coconut oil? Thanks!
I had a friend try these with olive oil and said that it worked, but they were not as solid. You can try different oils, but I think it’d be best if you store them in the freezer to keep them firm until you want to eat them. I hope that helps!
HOOKED on these cups! I have made them several times and they don’t last long. So delicious!
Thanks for letting me know! 🙂 They don’t last long at this house, either.
How much peanut butter please?
I don’t measure the peanut butter. I scoop about 1/2-3/4 of a teaspoon of peanut butter for each cup. I hope that helps!
I’m addicted to the PB cups recipe from The Kind Diet but these look totally worth trying and delicious!
I’ve not tried the recipe from the Kind Diet. I love all things PB+choc though so I’m sure they are great! 🙂
Made these today and they are DELICIOUS!!!
Yay! Thanks for letting me know Kelli. 🙂
I made these today and used natural smooth peanut butter.. this not be so good as it doesn’t stay set for long enough unfortunately.
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I use natural peanut butter! 🙂