{Healthy} Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups {Grain-Free | Dairy-Free | Vegan}

It’s almost here.

Halloween.

I have a love/hate relationship with his “holiday”, particularly now that I’m a mama. Don’t get me wrong – I adore the whole idea of dressing up as something or someone that I am not, spending time with friends, and romping through the leaves on a cool autumn evening, as much as the next gal, particularly now that my #1 is really of age (now 4).

She’s totally into it and can’t wait to dress up as Rapunzel (translation a “Renaissance Princess” costume that I got in a consignment store). To my dismay, she’s insanely obsessed with princesses and really wanted to be Ariel.

This costume took some serious positioning on my part, but after some back and forth, she finally went for it. It was either this or a slutty Barbie costume that she had been eyeing on the rack. I’ll pick my battles.  Because I’ve brainwashed educated her so, Halloween is more about dressing up, not getting a bunch of crap. At least that’s how it was last year after I took my own advice on how to create a blueprint for a healthy (& goblin-free) Halloween. Read that here.

So after our evening out last year, I held her goodie bag hostage, gave her the pencils and relatively benign items, and tossed the rest into our gingerbread bling basket for the coming holiday. Well, except for the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Those went into my belly. I. Am. Human.

That’s what the 80/20 rule is for. Right?

Chocolate and peanut butter. That’s my weakness. Chocolate and anything, really. But I digress. So this year, to avoid the temptation to steal a little girl’s candy to get my fix (not to mention the GMO-factor), I figured I’d make my own to have on hand for the big night (or every night).

I never realized how ridiculously easy these things were to make, and…wait for it…healthy. Yes, you read that right. You can actually make these an antioxidant and nutrient-dense powerhouse that’s low in sugar, using raw cacao butter and powder, coconut flour, and raw honey. Check out these stats:

• Raw cacao (butter and powder): high in antioxidants, which, in addition to removing free radicals, help decrease inflammation that can contribute to arthritis and other diseases. The flavonoids found in cacao can also have significant benefits for your cardiovascular system as well as interfere with the development of cancer. In addition, cacao can help to increase circulation and availability of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in brain, improving mood and combating depression.
• Coconut flour: high in protein, fiber (a whopping 5 grams per 2 tbsp.), and lauric acid, a healthy saturated fat that is essential for immune health, as well as promoting healthy skin a thyroid function.
• Raw honey: the darling in the natural sweetener world, raw honey is loaded with many essential vitamins and minerals, and has been used for centuries for its healing properties, offering antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, treating allergies and boosting immune function. It also supports healthy gut bacteria – mainly Bifidobacteria –  which is essential for efficient digestion.

Kick this D-I-Y project up a notch further by opting for sprouted almond butter in lieu of peanut butter. Oh. Em. Gee.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not condoning these as a viable alternative to a body nourishing bone broth, but a girl’s gotta live a little, right?

Are there any Halloween treats that {no matter how crappy}, you give yourself permission to indulge in? Have you ever tried a D-I-Y version?   I’d love to hear. Please leave a comment below.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups {Grain-Free | Dairy-Free | Vegan}

2014-03-20 01:17:47

Serves 24

Use organic ingredients when possible

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Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

25 min

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

25 min

Ingredients

1. 1 ½ cups raw cacao butter {buy here}
2. 1 cup of coconut flour {buy here}
3. 8 tablespoons of raw cacao powder {buy here}
4. 4 tablespoons of raw honey {buy here} or coconut nectar {buy here}, if opting to make vegan
5. A few dashes of Celtic sea salt {buy here}
6. ½ – ¾ cup organic creamy peanut butter {buy here} or sprouted almond butter {buy here}, if opting to make Paleo
7. Mini muffin tin {buy here}
8. Unbleached mini muffin cup liners {buy here}

Instructions

1. Line muffin tin with muffin cup liners. Set aside.
2. Melt the cacao butter on very low heat in a small saucepan. Once melted, whisk in cacao powder, coconut flour, honey/coconut nectar, and sea salt.
3. Spoon the chocolate mixture into each baking cup to fill the bottom of each one just under half full {Note: Only use half because you will need the other half to top the cup. To make this easier, pour the melted chocolate mixture into a glass measuring cup so you can gauge how much “half” is}.
4. Place in freezer to set for about 10 minutes.
5. Remove from freezer and dollop a teaspoon {or so} of peanut/almond butter on each frozen chocolate bottom.
6. Cover with remaining chocolate mixture, ensuring all nut butter is covered. Place back in freezer to set for about 10 minutes.
7. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 month {if they last that long}.

Notes

1. Alternatively, you can opt for larger nut butter cups by using regular muffin tins/cup liners, or my personal favorite these silicone muffin cup liners {they just pop out} and ditch the muffin tins altogether.

MIX Wellness https://mixwellness.com/

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 mini cup

• Calories: 250
• Total Fat:  24 g
• Saturated Fat:  13 g
• Cholesterol:  0 mg
• Sodium:  6 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 5 g
• Dietary Fiber:  5 g
• Sugars:  >1 g
• Protein:  3 g