FRESH: I don’t think this is what your doctor meant when she suggested a plant-based diet.

OUT: Shhhhh.

Sometimes keeping things simple is best. This is one of those times. Our Vegan Peanut Butter Cups rival the ones in the orange wrapper with no refined sugar or dairy, at under 90 calories with zero net carbs, people. ZERO.

For easy portion control (and cleanup), we used this 24-well silicone candy mold, which you can almost always get on sale. Each well holds two fluid tablespoons, and each square is one decadently generous serving. It doesn’t get much easier than this.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

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Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 24 Pieces 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 8-ounce bag Lakanto Semisweet Chocolate Chips
• 3/4 cup smooth unsweetened, unsalted peanut butter (use a thick variety like Smucker’s or MaraNatha)
• 5 tbsp Swerve Powdered Sweetener, packed and leveled
• 1/4 cup lightly salted dry roasted peanuts, measured then finely chopped
• 1 tsp coconut oil, divided
• Pinch of salt
• Silicone mold with 24 wells, 2 fluid tablespoons each. 

Instructions

1. Clear space in refrigerator and freezer large enough to accommodate a small cookie sheet and the candy mold. 
2. Divide the chocolate chips evenly and melt half in a double boiler with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth and glossy. Divide the melted chocolate evenly between the 24 wells in the candy mold, then tip and swirl the mold in different directions to fully cover the bottom of each well and coat part way up the sides of each well. Bang the mold on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
3. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts into the wells, distributing evenly, then place the mold on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes. 
4. While the chocolate is chilling, clean out the top of the double boiler and set aside. 
5. In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, salt, and 3 tablespoons of powdered Swerve sweetener. Use a rubber spatula to fold the peanut butter over and incorporate the sweetener. Continue folding, adding the remaining sweetener, one tablespoon at a time. The mixture will be thick and heavy. Once all the sweetener is fully incorporated, refrigerate until the chocolate is done chilling. 
6. Once chilling time is up, remove the chocolate mold and peanut butter mixture from the refrigerator. Divide the peanut butter mixture between the 24 wells, shaping into squares. Push the peanut butter close to the edges but leave a little space for the chocolate to seep down.
7. Add the remaining chocolate chips and coconut oil to the double boiler and melt as previously instructed. Divide the chocolate between the wells, drizzling first around the edges of each well, then smoothing toward the center. We found it easiest to do one row at a time. 
8. Tap the tray on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Refrigerate one hour, then freeze 1-2 hours.
9. Remove from freezer and place the mold on the counter. Working row by row (4 across), grasp both edges of the mold and gently pull outward. You will see the right and left edges of the mold release the chocolate. Repeat for each row. Working column by column (6 down), repeat the process to release the other sides of the mold walls. Repeat this process one more time with rows then columns. We want a nice clean release and the sides may not be completely enclosed in chocolate, so they’re delicate. 
10. Invert the mold over the cookie sheet and place your thumbs diagonally near two corners of the back of a square (between the center and the corners). Pop the chocolate straight forward and out of the mold. Alternate corners if necessary and avoid touching the sides, which are fragile (this may smash the square down).

Notes

Refrigerate in an airtight container to store, up to 2 weeks. The peanut butter sets up more overnight, so these are even better the second day. We like them right out of the fridge, but they are stable at room temperature for serving as well.

Nutrition Estimate Per Serving (1 SQUARE) – Calories: 89.2, Sugar: .5g, Sodium: 44.6mg, Fat: 7.4g, Saturated Fat: 2.6g, Carbohydrates: 2g total/0g net, Fiber: 2.8g, Protein: 2.3g, Calcium: 8.5%, Iron: .8% (based on 2,000 calorie diet).

• Author: Fresh. Out.
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 10
• Category: Candy, Chocolate
• Method: Double Boiler
• Cuisine: Plant-Based, Vegan, Keto
• Diet: Vegan

Keywords: PEANUT BUTTER CUPS, VEGAN, KETO, PLANT-BASED, SUGAR-FREE, VEGAN CHOCOLATE, PEANUT BUTTER CUP, LOW-CARB CANDY, KETO CANDY, VALENTINE’S DAY, LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX, #LAKANTOSWEETENED

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