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Home By Dessert Type

Protein Peanut Butter Cups

★★★★★ 5 Reviews Recipe Print
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By: Erin2/2/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Protein Packed Peanut Butter Cups 1
Protein Packed Peanut Butter Cups 1

Spoil your taste buds with your very own homemade Protein Peanut Butter Cups. Made with rich chocolate and protein powder, these provide decadent flavor and healthy nutrients all in one.

peanut butter cups

Chocolate peanut butter protein cups right at home

What’s your favorite candy? For me, it’s always been Reese’s peanut butter cups. They just can’t be beaten! The chocolate mixed with the rich peanut butter is just a flavor combo that I’ll never get over.

On my most recent trip to the store, I found myself reaching for a bag, but quickly decided that I had to be able to make some at home that taste just as rich and creamy! Lo and behold, I was right.

After mixing a few different peanut butter ingredients and deciding on sugar free (yep, sugar free!) chocolate chips, I was able to reach an almost identical flavor. And the best part? By using protein, these protein peanut butter cups are packed with extra oomph.

peanut butter cups

Ingredients in protein peanut butter cups

The ingredients in these treats are exactly what you’d expect: chocolate, peanut butter, and more peanut butter! We’ll mix these with almond milk, sea salt, and protein powder to achieve delicious, rich flavor.

  • Chocolate chips: To start, we’ll be melting chocolate chips! You can use sugar free, as the peanut butter and almond milk will provide enough sweet flavor.
  • Protein powder: To amp up the protein, throw in 2 tbsp of protein powder.
  • Peanut Butter: Next up, 2 tbsp of natural peanut butter will be key to getting the centers correct!
  • Peanut butter powder: For extra peanut buttery-ness, include 1/3 cup of peanut butter powder.
  • Almond milk: Next, almond milk will help achieve the proper consisntecy. Use 1/4 cup.
  • Optional: Finally, grab your sea salt for sprinkling on top! This is an optional step, but it tastes fantastic.
makings of peanut butter cups
peanut butter cups

Tools needed to make homemade peanut butter cups

For this recipe you’ll need only a handful of simple kitchen tools. Grab your muffin tin, some liners, a sauce pot and glass bowl (aka double boiler), a stirring utensil, and a mixing bowl, and let’s dive in!

The complete list:

  • Muffin tin
  • Muffin liners
  • Sauce pot
  • Glass bowl
  • Spatula or other stirring utensil
  • Medium mixing bowl

For measuring, you will need the following increments: 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1 cup.

How to make protein peanut butter cups

Making homemade peanut butter protein cups isn’t as tricky as you may imagine. We start by melting the chocolate and mixing the peanut butter center, and then it’s just a matter of stacking everything inside the muffin liners! In total, expect about 10 minutes of hands-on prep time.

Melting the chocolate

First, bring a double boiler to a boil. You can use a saucepan full of water with a glass bowl on top.

Once boiling, add the chocolate chips to the top glass bowl (the steam from the boiling water will melt the chocolate without burning it). If you want to use a different method, feel free.

Occasionally stir the chocolate until fully melted.

Meanwhile, line a muffin tin with liners.

Creating the peanut butter filling

In a medium bowl, mix the protein powder, peanut butter, peanut butter powder, and almond milk until well combined.

Add 1 tsp of melted chocolate to the bottom of each liner and spread it around the base.

Next, roll 2 tsp of the peanut butter mixture into a flat disk and place it on top of the melted chocolate base.

Cover the peanut butter dough with chocolate until all of it has been used up, starting with 2 tsp. It should look like a Reese’s cup!

Optionally, sprinkle with sea salt.

Freeze for 30 minutes before eating.

peanut butter cups

Recipe Tips

Here are some quick recipe pointers to help you perfect your at-home Reese’s experience!

Can I use milk chocolate chips?
Of course! Any type of chocolate chip will work well. I chose to use sugar free simply because this recipe gets enough sweet flavor from other ingredients, and I really like the combo of the sugar free with the powders. But any type of chocolate will work!

Mix things up with white chocolate
To take things a step further, you could even make copycat white chocolate Reese’s by swapping the regular chips with a white chocolate version! It will taste magnificent.

Including graham crackers
Some peanut butter cup recipes suggest using graham crackers. I’ve never tried it, but this question may come up. In any case, I say go for it! Include them when you mix the peanut butter ingredients.

How to store peanut butter cups

Homemade pb cups can be kept at room temperature, but I prefer to keep them in the fridge. Sometimes room temperature can be a little too warm, and I don’t like them to be messy! Keep them in a freezer bag or lidded container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

There are so many more peanut butter creations where these protein peanut butter cups came from. Below are recipes that dig into everything from pie and overnight oats to crisp bars and freezer brownies!

  • Healthy Peanut Butter Pie (Dairy-Free)
  • Creamy Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
  • Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Healthy Peanut Butter Crisp Bars
  • Raw Peanut Butter Cup Freezer Brownies

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photography by Moriah Sawtelle

peanut butter cups
★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews

Protein Peanut Butter Cups

Spoil your taste buds with your very own homemade Protein Peanut Butter Cups. Made with rich chocolate and protein powder, these provide decadent flavor and healthy nutrients all in one!

Prep: 20Cook: 20Total: 40 minutes
Yield 10 cups 1x
Print Pin it Rate

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar free chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp protein powder
  • 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter powder
  • ¼ cup almond milk
  • Optional – sprinkle of sea salt

Instructions

  1. In a double boiler (a saucepan full of water with a glass bowl on top of it), bring to a light boil. Add chocolate chips to the top glass bowl. The steam from the boiling water will melt the chocolate without burning it. Feel free to melt chocolate in another way.
  2. Stir chocolate occasionally until melted.
  3. Meanwhile, line a muffin tin with liners.
  4. In a medium bowl, mix together protein powder, peanut butter, peanut butter powder, and almond milk until well combined.
  5. Add 1 tsp of melted chocolate to the bottom of each liner. Spread it around the base.
  6. Roll 2 tsp of peanut butter dough into a flat disk and place on top of the melted chocolate base.
  7. Cover the peanut butter dough with chocolate until all of it has been used up, starting with 2 tsp. It should look like a Reese’s cup now!
  8. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  9. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before eating.
Author: ErinCategory: dessert, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-freeMethod: no-bakeCuisine: AmericanDiet: Gluten Free

Did you make this?

Leave a comment below and tag @erinliveswhole on social media!

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There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat 🙂

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Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Daura says

    Posted on 2/6 at 10:04 am

    Hello Erin! I’ve been making your GF banana bread for years now, and everybody loves it!
    I would love to try the PB cups, but can’t get my hands on peanut butter powder…can I sub for almond meal?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 2/6 at 3:44 pm

      Hi Daura, yes, same amount should work. Let me know how yours come out!

      Reply
  2. Emily says

    Posted on 1/13 at 12:23 pm

    I unfortunately can’t have peanuts. Should I add a little bit of almond flour if I want to try these with cashew butter? 🙂

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/13 at 10:52 pm

      Hi Emily, that should be fine! I haven’t tried that sub before so let me know how they come out!!

      Reply
  3. Tom says

    Posted on 8/23 at 10:04 am

    It’s amazing how well these came out! So delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/23 at 7:03 pm

      Hi Tom, so happy you loved them!!

      Reply
  4. Emily says

    Posted on 4/11 at 6:55 pm

    I love these so much! Super easy and the sea salt on top really makes them!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 4/12 at 8:10 pm

      Hi Emily, so happy you loved them!

      Reply
  5. Katie says

    Posted on 3/18 at 4:54 pm

    These are so good!! Taste just like a Reeses cup

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 3/19 at 12:12 am

      Hi Katie. so glad you liked them!!

      Reply
  6. Ashley says

    Posted on 3/11 at 6:59 pm

    Another amazing recipe! I made these as bars, so I just layered the PB down and poured the chocolate on top. I now keep them in the freezer for the perfect sweet treat 😋

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 3/12 at 12:48 am

      Hi Ashley, glad you loved them so much!!

      Reply
  7. Brooke says

    Posted on 3/5 at 10:24 am

    Best Peanut Cups EVER!!! I make these every week. Perfect guilt free chocolatey and protein-filled treat!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 3/7 at 7:20 am

      Hi Brooke, I am thrilled you enjoyed them!! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  8. Annie says

    Posted on 3/4 at 7:54 pm

    OOOO made these last week. The sprinkle of sea salt is the cherry on top!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 3/5 at 12:27 am

      Hi Annie, glad you liked them!

      Reply

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I’m Erin. Creator of Erin Lives Whole, a food blog with delicious and easy healthy recipes that will leave you feeling good. We’ve got everything from wholesome baked goods to comforting savory dishes. I can’t wait to see what you whip up! Read More...

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