Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups-Low Sugar

I love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

I don’t, however, love the 11 grams of sugar per cup or the lengthy list of artificial, inflammation-promoting ingredients:

Milk Chocolate [Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Non-Fat Milk, Milk Fat, Lactose, Lecithin (Soy), PGPR, Emulsifier], Peanuts, Sugar, Dextrose, Partially Defatted Peanuts, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil [Palm Kernel Oil, Soybean Oil], Contains 2% of Less of: Corn Syrup, Contains 2% of Less of: Salt, Contains 2% of Less of: Palm Kernel Oil, Contains 2% of Less of: Artificial Color (Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Blue 1 Lake), Contains 2% of Less of: Confectioner’s Glaze, Contains 2% of Less of: Lecithin (Soy), Contains 2% of Less of: Modified Corn Starch, Contains 2% of Less of: TBHQ and Citric Acid, Contains 2% of Less of: To Maintain Freshness, Contains 2% of Less of: Carnauba Wax, Contains 2% of Less of: Vanillin, Contains 2% of Less of: Artificial Flavor.

So I decided to create a healthier chocolate peanut butter cups recipe.

Let’s compare this recipe to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups:

1. Higher in protein (6 grams vs. 2 grams).
2. Lower in sugar (4.5 grams vs. 11 grams).
3. Contains only all-natural, plant-based ingredients (no dairy, soy, or gluten).

Now, a quick disclaimer: this peanut butter cup recipe is higher in fat (16 grams per cup) so moderation is important (as with any sweet treat).

But I’ll substitute a little fat in my diet for sugar any day of the week (particularly from coconut oil, which contains medium chain triglycerides, which may have some health benefits).

Let’s take a look at the ingredients.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ingredients

*Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free

Bottom Layer (Chocolate)

• 1/3 cup all natural, unsweetened peanut butter
• 3 T coconut oil (melted)
• 2 T maple syrup or honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla bean powder or extract
• 1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 T Pure Food Cacao Protein Powder with Probiotics or Pure Food Cacao REAL MEAL Meal Replacement Powder
• Optional: melt 1 T of cacao butter and/or dark chocolate with the coconut oil for an extra chocolate kick

Top Layer (Peanut Butter)

• 1/3 cup all natural, unsweetened peanut butter
• 2 T coconut oil (melted)
• 1 T maple syrup or honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla bean powder or extract

This recipe made about 10 peanut butter cups for me.

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