These healthy keto peanut butter cups are decadently delicious and completely sugar free. Learn how to make the best keto peanut butter cups – packed with protein and with only a few ingredients. You’ll be surprised how easy they are to make!
These peanut butter cups really are AMAZING. So amazing that I made the recipe 4 times in one week! My carb loving family, who usually stay away from my keto treats couldn’t get enough! So I am so pleased to be sharing this recipe with you… It really is SO easy and your non-keto friends will love them too!
WHAT IS A PEANUT BUTTER CUP?
A peanut butter cup is simply chocolate covered peanut butter. It is made by moulding chocolate and encasing peanut butter in the middle. This delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate is very popular in America. The most famous being Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
WHAT’S IN REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS?
The most famous peanut butter cups are Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. These are mass produced candies which contain 23 grams of carbs per serve. If you’re limiting carbohydrate intake on a ketogenic diet, one serving of Reese’s would be close to your entire carb intake for the day!
In addition to high amounts of sugar, Reese’s also contains lactose (from the milk chocolate), dextrose, soy lecithin, corn syrup and preservatives.
KETO PEANUT BUTTER CUPS RECIPE VS. REESE’S RECIPE
These healthier keto peanut butter cups aren’t loaded with sugar like Reese’s, making them a much better option for us keto-glowers. And they aren’t loaded with preservatives or lactose either – making them perfect for those following a dairy free or vegan diet. And even if you’re not following a keto diet, they are still a clean healthy treat to load up on healthy fats.
WHAT ARE KETO PEANUT BUTTER CUPS MADE OF?
This recipe is made up of two main ingredients – the chocolate and the peanut butter.
THE CHOCOLATE
The chocolate used in this recipe is homemade, so you know exactly what goes into it. Many recipes use store-bought keto chocolate for their peanut butter cups, but with only 3 ingredients, it’s just as easy to make your own.
The chocolate used in these keto peanut butter cups is dairy free and vegan friendly. It is also slightly sweeter than the 90% Lindt many recipes use. You can find a separate copy of my keto chocolate recipe here.
POWDERED MONK FRUIT/ERYTHRITOL BLEND
It’s often hard to find the right sweetener for refrigerated keto products. Many granulated sweeteners tend to crystallize with cooler temperatures. But I used the powdered Monk Fruit by Lakanto and it worked a treat. My chocolate was smooth and creamy, just what you want.
Unlike Maltitol, powdered Monk Fruit has a zero glycemic index and tastes exactly like sugar. Monk Fruit has been used for hundreds of years in eastern herbalism to improve well-being. Consequently it has earned the nickname ‘The Immortals Fruit’. You can find powdered Monk fruit at Woolworths if you live in Australia, or purchase online from Lakanto.
If you can’t find powdered Monk Fruit, you can use any powdered erythritol or Allulose if you live in the US.
THE PEANUT BUTTER – PROTEIN PACKED
Many peanut butter cups recipes call for various ingredients to be added to the peanut butter mix. But I’ve kept it simple. All you need to add to the middle layer is peanut butter.
The best peanut butter to use is an all natural version. I used Mayver’s Protein + Peanut Butter with Hemp Seeds. This peanut butter has that added extra ingredient – hemp seeds. Along with their high protein count, hemp seeds have a heap of other benefits. You can find out more about the benefits of hemp seeds here.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST PROTEIN PACKED KETO PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
In a nutshell (no pun intended), the hardest thing about making these peanut butter cups is waiting for them to set. There are only a few simple steps that go into making them:-
- Prepare the mould. Place a silicon mould on a flat tray – this will stop the chocolate mould from bending when you place it in the freezer. Alternatively, you can line a muffin tray with 12 patty cake papers. Set aside.
- Make the chocolate – Melt the cacao butter in a microwave or double boiler at low heat. If using a microwave, melt at 30 second intervals until the cacao butter is clear. Stir well.
- Remove from heat and add the powdered monk fruit sweetener. Stir well.
- Add the cocoa powder and mix well.
- Divide the chocolate mixture into two and set the other half to the side (this will be for the top layer of the peanut butter cups).
- Pour half of the liquid chocolate mixture into the moulds/lined tray and freeze for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and then spoon a little peanut butter onto the centre of each bit of chocolate. Try to leave an edge of about 2mm.
- Place the moulds back in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.
- Remove from the freezer and distribute the second half of the chocolate onto the peanut butter. Then place back into the freezer to set again for 20 minutes.
- Once set, remove from the moulds and serve cold.
READER FAVOURITE RECIPES
If you love this recipe, why not try some of my other keto desserts…
Protein Packed Keto Peanut Butter Cups
Equipment
- chocolate moulds
- Double boiler (optional) or microwave safe bowl
Ingredients
Chocolate Layer/s
- 100 g cacao butter
- ⅓ cup Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener ((I like Lakanto))
- 50 g unsweetened cocoa
- 10 drops flavoured liquid stevia (optional)
Middle Layer – Peanut Butter
- 3 tbsp. natural peanut butter ( I used Mayver's Protein + Peanut Butter with Hemp Seeds)
Instructions
Make the Chocolate
- Start by making the chocolate. Place a silicon mould on a flat tray – this will stop the chocolate mould from bending when you place it in the freezer. Alternatively, you can line a muffin tray with 12 patty cake papers. Set aside.
- Melt the cacao butter in a microwave or double boiler at low heat. If using a microwave, melt at 30 second intervals until the cacao butter is clear. Stir well.
- Remove from heat and add the powdered monk fruit sweetener. Stir well.
- Add the cocoa powder and mix well.
- Divide the chocolate mixture into two and set the other half to the side (this will be for the top layer of the peanut butter cups).
- Pour half of the liquid chocolate mixture into the moulds/lined tray and freeze for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and then spoon a little peanut butter onto the centre of each bit of chocolate. Try to leave an edge of about 2mm.
- Place the moulds back in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.
- Remove from the freezer and distribute the second half of the chocolate onto the peanut butter. Then place back into the freezer to set again for 20 minutes.
- Once set, remove from the moulds and serve cold.
Notes
-
Store chocolate in the fridge or freezer – they shouldn’t melt (but I find it tastes much better cold)
- These beautiful keto peanut butter cups are great for a holiday party or you can even be used as gifts for friends and family (you don’t even have to tell them they’re healthy!)
- Perfect with a cup of tea or Keto Superglow Latte
If you made this, tag it on Instagram @myketo_glow for a chance to be featured:)