These Easy Maple Walnut Peanut Butter Cups are calling your name...
Don't you dare try and fight that craving for "Halloween candy" this time of year. Embrace it! By making your very own homemade peanut butter cups. Because really, aren't peanut butter cups just about everyone's fave candy anyways?
These precious little gems take only about 20 minutes to make from start to first bite! And they are waaaay healthier than ANYTHING you will find on a store shelf. Just FIVE ingredients and totally to-die-for delicious. Make these and "treat" yourself 😉 ..
Easy Maple Walnut PB Cups
vegan, makes about 7-9 large cups
3 tablespoon organic virgin coconut oil, melted
⅓ cup dark chocolate chips or chunks, vegan
1 cup raw walnuts (about ½ cup once processed + packed)
3-4 tablespoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon salt
optional: ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
optional: ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (or some cayenne for spicy cups!)
Also:
nut butter (peanut OR almond butter)
muffin liners (about 7-9)
Directions:
1. Process the walnuts in a Vitamix or food processor until a chunky "walnut meal" forms.
2. Combine the walnuts with the maple syrup and salt in a small bowl. Add in optional vanilla and cinnamon too.
3. Add the coconut oil and chocolate to another small bowl and microwave for a few seconds (about 30) and then stir briskly to melt the chocolate with the oil. If you need a few more seconds in the microwave, go for it.
4. Combine the chocolate mixture with the walnut mixture.
5. Spray your muffin liners with canola oil. (I forgot this step for a few cups and the edges got a bit messy. For clean edges, spray with oil!)
6. Add 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture, then add about ½ - 1 teaspoon peanut or almond butter, then add another layer of the chocolate mixture to cover the nut butter.
7. Continue until you make all your cups.
8. Place in the freezer until firm enough to eat, usually about 10-15 minutes, but longer if your cups are extra large.
Store uneaten cups, covered, in the freezer. And allow to that a minute or so before eating. My husband LOVES them crumbled and served over top vegan frozen yogurt. I like to just nibble on them straight from the freezer.
Check out more of my homemade Halloween chocolate treats here.
Happy Halloween week!!
viper8888 says
WOW, look simply AWsuM, the photo's are amazing as well !!!!!!!
TeaJae says
these look too delicious for words, I gotta modify it allergic to walnuts but I bet this would be super yummy with almonds or even cashews so gonna make these, it's easy too♥
Kathy Patalsky says
This recipe is quite versatile - either way works. The nut meal can be very chunky or super fine. As you can see from the cups there are a few larger chunks - while some is more fine in texture (but that blended in with the coconut oil and chocolate to produce some body.
I did half and half. But you could easily use all fine meal ( thick flour texture) or use all chunky nut bits for super chunky cups with a creamier overall texture.
The reason I didn't include a specific pic is because different blenders/fp's will produce different results, all of which will work! Hope that helps.
Sent from my iPad
Daniel says
Could you explan more, for us less kitchen savy people, what walnut meal looks like? Maybe a picture? Are we going for chunky, powder, pieces? Or should I let my eyes tell me when to stop?
Thanks for helping out with food ideas; as a almost vegan endurance athlete anything that is prepared quickly and does not taste like paper is awesome in my book.
Sara says
Holy moly, making these asap! YUM!!!
Kathy Patalsky says
Good question! Either way works, I like them half chunky and half fine. Depends how "crunchy" you'd like them.
ann chervin says
when you process the nuts do you leave them chunky or process till fine? I see pieces of nuts so I wasn't sure
Lina says
Great quick fix for a sweet tooth. Thank you!
Kathy Patalsky says
Canon 7D. Thanks!! 🙂
Lina says
The funniest question a photographer can get 🙂 Why doesn't anyone ask a cook what kinda oven or stove s/he uses :)))
Kathy Patalsky says
I love Enjoy Life brand, Vogues vegan dark chocolate bars are AMAZING, and I actually found a vegan scharffen berger chocolate chunk bag recently that I love. SO many options. Whole Foods vegan chocolate chips are good too.
How about you guys??
And ps.. I AM picky! Better chocolate, better pb cups.
Warm Vanilla Sugar says
These are so fun! Love this recipe. What brand of vegan chocolate do you use? Or are you not picky??
Christina says
These look INCREDIBLE!! Your pictures are always gorgeous, may I ask what type of camera you use?
bianca tang says
these sound so delicious! way better than a regular pb cup!