These 3-Ingredient Homemade Peanut Butter Cups are Sure to Get You in the Halloween Spirit

With October in full swing, there’s no better time to whip up something sweet and chocolaty in the kitchen. Especially a dessert reminiscent of trick-or-treating, but far more nutritious and whole. Trust us, there is nothing better to enjoy around Halloween (or any time of the year, TBH) than these homemade peanut butter cups made with just three ingredients.

The original Reese’s peanut butter cup is a dessert classic, but we can do so much better – health- and taste-wise. Reese’s cups contain a host of ingredients, three of which are all sugar-based. These offenders (milk chocolate, sucrose, and dextrose) are all processed and heavily refined versions of sugar, which promote insulin resistance, type-II diabetes,  belly fat accumulation, and weight gain.

These three ingredient homemade peanut butter cups are a far healthier option. Of course, it’s all in the way you make them. Choosing a high quality, organic, fair-trade, and minimally processed dark chocolate will ensure the most health benefits. This includes boosting heart health, increasing beneficial HDL cholesterol, and improving cognitive function and mood.

Dark chocolate is filled with vitamins and minerals including magnesium for nerve function, and blood pressure regulation, iron, calcium, zinc, and a high concentration of antioxidants.

FYI, industrialized and processed milk chocolate lacks all these amazing health benefits. In fact, a study found that milk proteins reduced the antioxidant activity of chocolate, compared with dark chocolate that contained no milk.

Along with high quality dark chocolate, these homemade peanut butter cups have just two more whole food ingredients: peanut butter and coconut oil. Always purchase organic unrefined coconut oil, which boasts the healthiest fats and beneficial health properties. Coconut oil is a rich source of antibacterial and antifungal lauric acid, along with medium chain fatty acids for providing quick boosts of energy.

The total star of these homemade cups, peanut butter is filled with beneficial fats as well as protein, vitamin E, and magnesium. Purchase peanut butter from a reputable, organic company (basically, not Jif or Skippy).

Conventional PB oftentimes contains hydrogenated oils, refined sugar, and other unappetizing ingredients including soy lecithin, high fructose corn syrup, and emulsifiers. Chose an organic brand that lists one ingredient on the label: peanuts. Feeling crazy? Chose PB with two ingredients: peanuts and salt.

We promise these homemade peanut butter cups are far more delicious than the original neon orange wrapped treat. Not only are they easy to make, but they’ll totally wow friends and family at your Halloween gathering. They are the perfect Halloween and October treat.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 8 Large Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients
160 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped (At least 80% cocoa)
¾ cup organic creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp melted unrefined coconut oil, divided

Directions

Line a muffin tin or mini muffin tin with paper cupcake liners and set aside.

Using a double broiler, gently melt two tablespoons of the coconut oil with chopped dark chocolate until smooth in texture and completely melted. Set chocolate aside to keep warm while you mix peanut butter.

Mix together the remaining coconut oil with creamy peanut butter until completely incorporated. You want this mixture to be nice and runny. If not, gently warm up peanut butter and coconut oil together.

Using the lined muffin tins, pour a heaping tablespoon of chocolate into the base of each liner. Place in the freezer and allow to set for about five minutes. Remove from freezer and add a heaping one to two tablespoons of the peanut butter mixture into the center of each cup. Place PB cups back in the freezer to set for five minutes more.

Scoop the remaining melted chocolate to cover the top of each peanut butter cup, about one to two tablespoons. Place PB cups back in the freezer to set a final time, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove peanut butter cups from liner if desired and store in an airtight container. PB cups will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator and multiple months in the freezer. Enjoy!

Notes:

-If you have a peanut allergy, swap peanut butter with almond, cashew, sunflower, etc.

-If your PB is unsalted and you’d like a sweet/salty thing going on, sprinkle a bit of flaky sea salt over the top of your cups before setting them in the freezer the last time.

-This recipe is adapted from Pure Ella’s peanut butter cups

Get social with us!

Making these homemade peanut butter cups? Tag and show us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with the tag #BeOrganic @OrganicAuthority – We can’t wait to get social with you! 

Related On Organic Authority
There’s an Organic Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Obsession in America and It’s Totally Insane
7 Healthy Halloween Dessert Ideas: These Treats Aren’t Tricks!
7 Peanut Allergy Friendly ‘Peanut Butter’ Recipes

Photos by Kate Gavlick

Tags:
chocolate, coconut oil, homemade, peanut butter, peanut butter cups

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Kate Gavlick

Kate is a Nutritionist with a Master"s of Nutrition from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon and the blogger and photographer of Vegukate. Kate believes in nourishing the whole body with real, vibrant foods that feed the mind, body, soul, gut, and every single little cell. Her philosophy is simple when it comes to food and nourishment: cut the processed junk, listen to your body, eat by the seasons, eat plates and bowls filled with color, stress less, and enjoy every single bite. When she"s not cooking in her too tiny Portland kitchen, Kate can be found perusing farmer"s markets, doing barre classes, hiking, reading, and exploring.