I think this might be the sweet treat of my dreams. A bold statement, considering I have made a lot of Healthified desserts over the years. While I might have thought it was my peanut butter cheesecake, or even some chocolate-peanut butter-banana trifecta, these cups are in the running for my favorite.
As you might have guessed, I love peanut butter, so it only seemed natural that a Healthified peanut butter cup would be included in my round-up of Halloween treats, and yet, there are so many recipes already out there. I wondered how I could create a cup that was a little more unique. A peanut butter cup filled with a Healthified “cookie dough?” You betcha.
This is also where the internet is helpful. Recently, there are a lot of viral better-for-you cookie dough concoctions circling around social media. Ingredients such as cottage cheese, protein powder, and nut butter are being used to make what almost everyone loves to eat raw…cookie dough. Now you can do so in a healthier way.
How to make these cookie dough-filled peanut butter cups
The ingredients you will need to make these cookie dough-filled peanut butter cups include:
- Chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (I love unsweetened Pascha chocolate chips to reduce the sugar content of my recipes, but they aren’t sweet, so if you need a lower percentage of dark chocolate, use 70%)
- Coconut oil
- Peanut butter
- Honey or maple syrup
- Oat flour
- Chocolate protein powder (vanilla would work too, or omit)
- Vanilla extract
- Sea salt
The chocolate cup aspect is exactly how you make my Healthified Crunch Bars. I translated that peanut butter chocolate mixture right to this recipe, and it worked wonderfully. It was so nice having silicone muffin molds on hand (I used these, but also have this silicone muffin “tin” as well), but you could also use paper muffin liners. While the bottom layer of the cups is chilling, you make the cookie dough, and after a couple more steps, they are done! You can always look at my reels on Instagram to see a step-by-step video on how to make them.
Cookie Dough-Filled Peanut Butter Cups
Equipment
- saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Muffin tin and liners or silicone molds
Ingredients
For the chocolate
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter or nut/seed butter of choice
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
For the cookie dough filling
- ¾ cup oat flour or almond flour
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder or vanilla, or omit
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dash of sea salt
Instructions
- Make the chocolate mixture. In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Cook over low-medium heat until the mixture starts to melt, about 1-2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and honey, and continue to cook until all of the ingredients are melted together, about 3 more minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally and watch the mixture carefully so it doesn’t burn.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate mixture into the bottom of the muffin liners and transfer to the freezer to set. Set the remaining chocolate mixture aside.
- Meanwhile, make the cookie dough filling. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, protein powder, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Stir until a crumbly dough is formed. You might have to use your hands until well combined (the consistency should feel like damp sand).
- Press about a tablespoon of the cookie dough mixture on top of the chocolate in the liners. Spoon the rest of the chocolate mixture on top of the cookie dough until covered and all of the chocolate is used up. Place back in the freezer to set (about 30 minutes) or transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours. Store in the refrigerator.
