Raw Peanut Butter Cups

Make this tasty Raw Peanut Butter Cups recipe for a healthier version of your favorite treat. Healthy peanut butter cups use natural sweeteners combined with peanut butter and chocolate.

A stack of several almost raw peanut butter cups sit on a white counter with more peanut butter cups behind it.

Try as I may to resist it, I have a sweet tooth. There’s really no denying it. But with all the negative press sugar is getting lately, I’ve decided it’s time to take a serious look at creating even healthier versions of some of my favorite sweets. These Almost Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups could be considered my stage one intervention.

Don’t you hate it when you get typecast in a role? I think that’s something Jennifer Anniston should be saying, not me.

But you know, I grew up with this reputation for having a sweet tooth. And I’ve embraced that reputation! I even coaxed it along a little. OK. A lot.

I still love sweets, I’m just trying to redefine it…a little.

What You Need

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • Walnuts
  • Cocoa
  • Mejdool dates
  • Oatmeal
  • Flax meal
  • Vanilla
  • Peanut butter
  • Agave
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Plant-based milk
  • Coconut oil

How to Make Healthy Peanut Butter Cups

You can make your homemade peanut butter cups healthy by using a combination of natural sweeteners and some added nutrient dense ingredients, like ground flax seeds. I love using ground flax seeds in my Peanut Butter Energy Bites too!

Step One: Create the Brownie Base

To create the delicious chocolate brownie base, place these ingredients in a food processor: walnuts, cocoa powder, pitted dates, and oatmeal. Pulse these until everything is good and combined.

Then you’ll add the flax and vanilla and pulse again for several seconds. Test the batter by pressing a bit of it between your fingers. It should be slightly sticky and hold together well. If necessary, pulse again for a few more seconds.

Press the batter into the bottom of your prepared muffin tins.

Step Two: Create the Peanut Butter Filling

Don’t even bother cleaning out the food processor bowl. Just add these ingredients to it: peanut butter, medjool dates, flax meal and agave. Now, pulse until it’s all smooth.

Regarding dates: If your dates are not soft, I recommend placing them in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat them up for 10 seconds or so. They should soften up quite a bit. Otherwise, you can place them in a bowl with hot water. Just be sure to drain the water.

Once the mixture is nice and smooth, take a taste and determine if you’d like to add more flax or agave. If so, add one tablespoon of each.

When you’ve reached the desired taste and consistency, press the peanut butter filling over the chocolate based in your prepared muffin tins.

Looking down on a food processor bowl full of peanut butter, dates, oatmeal, and more.

Step Three: Make the Chocolate Topping

To make the chocolate topping, place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl with plant-based milk and coconut oil. Stir these together and place in the microwave and cook for about 1 minute. Remove and stir. The chocolate should be mostly melted. If necessary, heat for another 30 seconds.

Note: To make this a truly raw recipe, you may want to consider using carob chips instead of chocolate chips.

If the mixture is a bit too thick, then stir in another tablespoon of plant-based milk.

Drizzle the chocolate topping over the peanut butter cups.

Place the finished cups on a counter. Allow them to set for 10-15 minutes, up to an hour or so to let the chocolate set. They’re delicious when the chocolate is still soft on the top, but a little less messy. Waiting until the chocolate fully sets will minimize the mess.

Quick Fix Tip

To help the chocolate set faster, place the tray in the fridge. The cool air will harden the chocolate faster.

Remove the finished cups from the muffin tins by pulling up on the waxed paper pieces. Place raw peanut butter cups in a sealed container and store in the fridge. They will keep up to 7 days in the fridge. They can also be frozen where they will keep up to 2 months.

A hand holds a spoon drizzling melted chocolate over peanut butter in mini muffin molds.

What I Love About These Almost Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I mean, chocolate and peanut butter. Together. Need I say more? OK. Given the opportunity, I will almost always say more. 🙂

If you’re trying to take a serious bite out of your sweet tooth, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are the way to go. Because they’re sweet, but not so sweet that you’ll need to be carried out in a stretcher 10 minutes after you eat them. Save the stretchers for the people eating the Ho Hos.

I have a serious thing for peanut butter and chocolate together. And then one day I made these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites. Delicious! And so eventually I thought…why not have an energy bite peanut butter cup? This is just the way my brain works, people!

I made these Date Sweetened Sesame Balls awhile back, but I haven’t used them much since then. But dates are such a natural and healthy way of sweetening treats. I bought a package of mejdool dates from Costco which made them much more affordable too. Warning: expect more date-sweetened treats to come!

Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

These Almost Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups have a delicious chocolate brownie base, followed by a creamy peanut butter filling and topped with a thick layer of chocolate coating. It’s enough to make a person swoon.

I need a bumper sticker that reads: I swoon for chocolate.

So if you’re craving creamy, sweet, chocolate, combined with nutritious and filling peanut butter, this little treat has your name all over it!

More Chocolate Candies

Wanting something a little more indulgent? You’ll love these chocolate candy recipes too:

A hand holds a half-eat chocolate peanut butter cup with melty chocolate on top.

I hope you like this recipe as much as we do! If you give it a try, I’d love it if you’d share a photo of it with me using #namelymarly on Instagram. It’d make my day!

Almost Raw Peanut Butter Cups - a healthy alternative to the store-bought candy bar.

Almost Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Get this Almost Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups recipe that’s easy-to-follow and low in processed sugar – the perfect healthy snack or dessert.
5 from 1 vote
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 330kcal

Ingredients

For the Brownie Base;

  • ½ cup walnuts
  • ¼ cup cocoa
  • 10 pitted mejdool dates
  • ½ cup oatmeal
  • 1 tablespoon flax meal
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Creamy Peanut Butter Filling

  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • 10 pitted mejdool dates
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons flax meal
  • 1-2 tablespoons agave

For the Chocolate Topping

  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 -2 tablespoons plant-based milk
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions

For the Brownie Base:

  • Prepare 12 muffin tins by giving each cup a light spray of vegetable spray and add pre-cut strips of waxed papers that extend beyond the sides of the cups (to help with removing the treats when you’re done.
  • Place all walnuts, cocoa powder, pitted dates, and oatmeal in a food processor and pulse for several seconds, until the ingredients are well-combined.
  • Add the flax and vanilla and pulse again for several seconds. Test the batter by pressing a bit of it between your fingers. It should be slightly sticky and hold together well. If necessary, pulse again for a few more seconds.
  • Press the batter into the bottom of your prepared muffin tins.

For the Creamy Peanut Butter Filling:

  • Using the same food processor bowl, add the peanut butter, 10 dates, 1 tablespoon of flax meal and 1 tablespoon of agave. Pulse until smooth.
  • Take a taste and determine if you’d like to add more flax or agave. If so, add one tablespoon of each.
  • When you’ve reached the desired taste and consistency, press the peanut butter filling over the chocolate based in your prepared muffin tins.

For the Chocolate Topping:

  • Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of plant-based milk and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Stir these together and place in the microwave and cook for about 1 minute. Remove and stir. The chocolate should be mostly melted. If necessary, heat for another 30 seconds.
  • If the mixture is a bit too thick, then stir in another tablespoon of plant-based milk.
  • Drizzle the chocolate topping over the peanut butter cups.
  • Place the finished cups on a counter. Allow them to set for 10-15 minutes, up to an hour or so to let the chocolate set. They’re delicious when the chocolate is still soft on the top, but a little less messy if you wait until it sets.
  • Remove the finished cups from the muffin tins by pulling up on the waxed paper pieces. Place them in a sealed container and keep refrigerated.

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 506mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2.1mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

8 Responses to Raw Peanut Butter Cups

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyCortesha Cooks Reply

    5 stars
    I’m not a vegan but I have been watching watch I eat trying to be healthier and came across you webpage. You have some extremely amazing recipes that I will be bringing on to my new healthier life. Hey you never know I just might end up being vegan soon. Thank you so much.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Cortesha. First, I have to say it, love your name! 🙂 Second, good for you for making the commitment to a healthier lifestyle. You can do it! I am currently in the middle of a program that includes a nutrition counselor (seriously?), personal trainer, and wellness promotion. I’m trying to get rid of that winter middle. 🙂 But I was really thrilled with my numbers – my cholesterol was 130!! That’s the lowest it’s ever been. How cool is that! It’s so exciting to make changes to your diet, and to commit to taking more steps each day (and other physical activity) and to see your life transform before you. I’m wishing you the very best in your journey to a healthier life too. Keep me posted!

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyJamie | Jamie's Recipes Reply

    One of my favorite combos! I love the “raw-ness” about it and really need to work more dates into my life.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      I like the idea of having more dates in my life – both the fun and the fruity kind! Oh, I’m just kidding. I think I declare just about every night “family date night”. It’s ridiculous. But when you’ve got good food and a little bit of popcorn…doesn’t that seem like date night? OK. And Costco? Costco is my cure for needing the fruity kind of dates in my life. I love that big pack of Mejdool dates!

  3. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyLori Reply

    This will be new for us, but, there is just something about this that I like.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hope you like it! Let me know how it goes!

  4. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyJune Burns Reply

    I love this idea! The raw brownie base sounds fabulous–such a great idea. I think I’ll have to try these soon 🙂

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      I could have stopped at the Raw Brownie Base, it tasted so good, June! But then it would have been hard to call it PB Cups, so I kept going! 🙂

Rate / Comment

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.