These protein peanut butter cups are the perfect healthy treat! They are high in protein, low carb, healthy, sweet, and SUPER creamy! Better yet, these peanut butter cups are 4 ingredients, kid friendly, and SO easy to make! Perfect high protein treat that your whole family will LOVE!
This recipe is my go-to high protein sweet snack without any protein powder! This is an easy healthy treat that is super quick to prepare, packed with protein, and perfect for the whole family.
Make this recipe ahead of time and store in the freezer for a quick chocolaty dessert or high-protein sweet snack at any time! This recipe is delish cold and stores easily in the freezer!
This recipe was inspired by one of my other favorite healthy, salty, and sweet snacks! My Chocolate Covered Almonds! A MUST try!
Step-by-Step Ingredients
The best thing about this recipe is that it is only 4 ingredients! Many of these ingredients you already have in your fridge or pantry! For this sweet, and flavorful recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Peanut butter powder-I highly recommend using peanut butter powder for this recipe! Peanut butter powder is low carb, high in protein, low in fat and packed with peanut butter flavor!
- Vanilla extract-The vanilla extract could technically be optional but I love mixing the vanilla with the peanut butter! It gives these peanut butter cups a sweet and gourmet flavor!
- Chocolate chips-I used semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips for this recipe. Feel free to use your favorite kind of chocolate for this recipe!
- Coconut oil-Unrefined coconut oil is the best to use for cooking and baking! The coconut oil really helps the chocolate set up in the freezer for that perfect satisfying crunch!
- Sea salt-While optional, a little pinch of sea salt on top of your peanut butter cups takes them over the top!
See recipe card for additional details and quantities.
Protein Peanut Butter Cup Instructions
For the full instructions and measurements for how to make this delicious recipe, please skip down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Use the following step-by-step instructions for how to make this delicious, healthy, and high-protein chocolate peanut butter cup recipe:
Combine peanut butter powder with vanilla extract and a ½ cup of water in a small mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Combine chocolate chips with coconut oil in a small microwavable-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, mixing each time, until melted completely.
Assemble the peanut butter cups. Drizzle a ½ tablespoon of melted chocolate in the bottom of each mini cupcake liner.
Then add a tablespoon of the peanut butter mixture to each liner, on top of the chocolate. Then drizzle the remaining chocolate on top of each peanut butter cup.
Place mini cupcake pan in the freezer for 25 minutes or until completely set.
Remove peanut butter cups from mini cupcake pan. Enjoy!
Hint: Be sure to use parchment, or aluminum, cupcake liners for your peanut butter cups. Avoid using paper, or fabric, lined cupcake liners which can leave pieces of paper or fuzz on your chocolate treats!
Healthy Peanut Butter Cup Substitutions
This naturally gluten-free recipe is so simple and makes substituting ingredients so easy for allergy, and diet, friendly alternatives!
- Vegan – You can use your favorite vegan chocolate chips for this recipe to easily make it vegan! These are the chocolate chips that I used for this recipe!
- Kid friendly – Skip the sea salt for picky eaters for this recipe to make it more kid friendly, if needed.
Tip: Feel free to use a regular sized cupcake pan and regular sized cupcake liners if you which to make larger peanut butter cups! This recipe will make 6 large peanut butter cups or 12 mini peanut butter cups.
Peanut Butter Cup Variations
This recipe is easily customizable with multiple fun and creative serving suggestions:
Variations:
- White chocolate
- Dark chocolate
- Caramel drizzle
- Granola
- Hemp seeds
- Graham crackers (crushed)
- Pretzels (crushed)
- Dried strawberries
- Cocoa nibs
- Marshmallows
The above topping, and peanut butter cup variations, make delicious healthy peanut butter cup that your whole family will love!
Equipment
This recipe is SO easy, and simple to make that it only requires one microwave safe bowl, one small mixing bowl, and a mini cupcake pan for creating these delicious protein peanut butter cups!
Tip: Make these ahead of time and give to people as gifts! This is the easiest gift to make for birthdays and holidays! Here are the gift bags that I purchased for gifting!
Storage
Store these delicious protein peanut butter cups in the fridge, in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.
My favorite way to store these peanut butter cups is in the freezer! Store these in a sealed freezer bag for up to 3 months! The perfect cold snack and the freezer keeps the peanut butter cups the freshest due to the oil content in the peanut butter powder! So convenient to grab for a quick treat.
Top tips
- Make this recipe ahead of time and store in the freezer for a quick chocolaty dessert or high-protein sweet snack at any time!
- Be sure to use parchment, or aluminum, cupcake liners for your peanut butter cups. Avoid using paper, or fabric, lined cupcake liners which can leave pieces of paper or fuzz on your chocolate treats!
- Feel free to use a regular sized cupcake pan and regular sized cupcake liners if you which to make larger peanut butter cups!
- Make these ahead of time and give to people as gifts! This is the easiest gift to make for birthdays and holidays! Here are the gift bags that I purchased for gifting!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The highest protein peanut butter is typically in powdered peanut butter! Powdered peanut butter has a higher amount of protein, less sugar, and lower fat content.
High protein peanut butter can be a healthy option to add to your recipes. Higher protein foods may help increase lean muscle mass, regulate blood sugar levels, and keeps your full longer.
The three main ingredients in Reece’s peanut butter cups includes: chocolate, peanut butter, and oil. Making homemade peanut butter cups at home has never been easier since you typically only need 3 ingredients!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Other Recipes
These are my other favorite recipes from the blog:
Protein Peanut Butter Cups
Equipment
- 1 Small Microwave-safe bowl
- 1 Small mixing bowl
- 1 Mini muffin pan
- 12 Mini cupcake liners
Ingredients
Protein Peanut Butter Cups
- 3/4 Cup Peanut butter powder or your favorite peanut butter
- 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla extract
- 3/4 Cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips or your preferred chocolate
- 1 Tsp Coconut oil Unrefined preferred
- 1 Pinch Sea salt Optional
Instructions
Protein Peanut Butter Cups
- Prep and measure all ingredients. Add cupcake liners to mini cupcake pan.
- Combine peanut butter powder with vanilla extract and a 1/2 cup of water in a small mixing bowl. Mix well and set aside. Combine chocolate chips with coconut oil in a small microwavable-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, mixing each time, until melted completely.
- Assemble the peanut butter cups. Drizzle a 1/2 tbsp of melted chocolate in the bottom of each mini cupcake liner. Then add a tbsp of the peanut butter mixture to each liner, on top of the chocolate. Then drizzle the remaining chocolate on top of each peanut butter cup.
- Place mini cupcake pan in the freezer for 25 minutes or until completely set.
- Remove peanut butter cups from cupcake pan and enjoy!
OMG!!! These are delicious and sooooo easy to make, i can have my own peanut butter cups at home! 🥜😋😍