Peanut butter cups – Low carb insanely yummy – Food Prep-spiration part 4

I don’t recommend sweets on a daily basis but once in a while it’s nice to have a sweet treat that doesn’t sabotage your weight loss and health goals. Because these are so much lower in carbs  (mini cup <2 grams, 74 calories, larger cup <4 grams 147 calories) than a traditional peanut butter cup (22 grams, 230 calories) and so much higher in fiber I find they don’t trigger my overeating snack monster that seems to take over once I start eating sweets or savory treat.

These are so easy and quick to make and they look pretty darn authentic. The small ones have less than 2 net grams of carbs and they are FILLING because of the fiber so you can’t eat a ton of them. You will need a muffin (or mini muffin) tin and paper liners. I prefer to make the smaller ones so if i eat two I feel like I’m really splurging.

Yield: 24 mini or 12 large peanut butter cups (serving size 1 regular or 2 mini cups)

Ingredients:

• 1 9 oz. package Lilly’s chocolate chips (or other stevia sweetened or keto-friendly chocolate chips). Be careful – some chocolate that is stevia sweetened has other sweeteners in it.
• 5 Tbsp + 2 tsp. unsalted organic or Kerrygold butter or coconut oil (I prefer the taste of butter myself but it’s your choice and you can mix them as well)
• 1/2 + 1/8 tsp Vanilla (optional)
• 3 1/2 Tbsp creamy sweetener free salted peanut butter (I used Trader Joe’s organic peanut butter)
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar-free powdered peanut (I got some on Amazon – PB trimmed PURE – just read the ingredients on your powder, many have sweetener)
• 1 pinch sea salt (optional, to taste)
• 5 tsp. powdered erythritol (I use Swerve confectioners you can probably use liquid stevia or monkfruit but I haven’t experimented with them yet). Taste as you go. Some people prefer more or less sweetener. I found Swerve on Amazon and other sites and Whole Foods sells it too.

Directions

1. Place mini muffin cup liners into mini muffin tin
2. Heat 1/2 of the chocolate (4.5 oz) and 2 1/2 Tbsp of the butter or coconut oil in a double boiler, stirring until melted. Can also heat in microwave stirring every 20 seconds. Add 1/4 tsp. of vanilla. I like to stir with a chopstick so I don’t lose a lot of my chocolate on the spoon.
3. Fill the bottom of the cups evenly with chocolate and place in freezer. Freeze for 10 minutes. Be sure that they are on an even surface or the chocolate may run to one side.
4. While the first layer freezes: mix the peanut butter, 2 tsp. coconut oil or butter in the double boiler or microwave like before, stir in the powdered sweetener, 1/8 tsp vanilla. Add salt and/or more sweetener to taste. Stir until smooth.
5. Take the tin out of the freezer and place a little blob of the peanut butter mix on top of each chocolate layer. Freeze for 10 mins.
6. make the top layer of chocolate like you made the bottom layer
7. Take the tin out of the freezer and place the chocolate layer on top
8. Freeze from 20-30 mins until firm.
9. Store in the freezer or fridge

Note: if you are not a huge chocolate fan, you can just do the bottom layer of chocolate and leave them open topped.