These Protein Peanut Butter Cups have a creamy peanut butter center coated in rich dark chocolate and 9 grams of protein per serving, making them the perfect better-for-you treat. Made with minimal ingredients, they come together with just 10 minutes of prep time and stash easily in the freezer for a quick, high-protein dessert.
"Wowww were these good! I actually prefer them to the traditional candy - perfect amount of sweetness for me. I’ll be making these again ASAP." - Marie
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 40 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 6
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 232 kcals and 9 grams of protein per cup.
- 📋Main Ingredients: Natural peanut butter, vanilla protein powder, dairy-free chocolate chips, coconut oil, and almond milk.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, high-protein, and can be made paleo or vegan-friendly.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: These protein peanut butter cups are thick, creamy, chocolatey, and taste like a healthier homemade version of your favorite candy, no dairy required.
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Indulge in your favorite dessert a little more often. Made with natural peanut butter and vanilla protein powder, the creamy filling comes together quickly and is coated in a smooth, hardened shell of melted chocolate chips, the perfect treat for peanut butter lovers (and exactly the kind of sweet-meets-protein combo I rock inside my Strong and Sweet Protein Guide).
These peanut butter protein cups turn a classic candy into a better-for-you option (the same inspiration behind my protein balls without peanut butter and recipes like high protein rice krispie treats), all while giving you a satisfying boost of protein. If you’re working on increasing your intake, learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why it can make such a difference.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: Minimal ingredients (only 6!) and no major kitchen skills. Just melt, pour, and freeze. You'll have them ready in about 30 minutes.
Freezer-friendly: These protein peanut butter cups are a freezer-friendly snack, which means they're great for meal prep!
Versatile: You can also transform these into a full-on dessert like protein buckeyes, or keep them as is for a snack. They're a hit with kids and adults alike.
Ingredients and Substitutions
If you have well-stocked gluten-free pantry essentials, you'll probably already have the ingredients you need to make the recipe (and these high-protein almond butter dark chocolate cups).
- Peanut butter: Make sure to use natural peanut butter, and you want it to be a bit on the runnier side and not thick (better yet, use no oil peanut butter). This is going to help make the middle of the desert creamier.
- Vanilla protein powder; This recipe originally used a vegan vanilla protein powder, but know that other protein powders will work; however, the one you choose will affect both the flavor and the texture of the peanut butter cups.
- Mini chocolate chips; Make sure that your chocolate chips are both dairy-free and gluten-free, if needed. I use enjoy life chocolate chips for this reason because they come out perfect every time, and it's a brand that I trust.
- Coconut oil: This is used to thin out the chocolate mixture; however, there's not enough of it that the outer shell won't hold together when sitting at room temperature.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
You can adjust these peanut butter protein cups to be exactly what you need them to be. Below are a few flavor variations we've tried in the house and enjoyed.
Nut butter: Peanut butter is a life staple, but almond hazelnut butter is a delicious switch-up.
Texture: Opting for the crunchy peanut butter is a wonderful texture swap.
Toppings: Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top, drizzle with coconut milk caramel sauce, or even pop some sprinkles on top for a special occasion.
Paleo-friendly: You can make the chocolate peanut butter protein cups paleo-approved by using a beef isolate protein powder or collagen powder.
How To Make Protein Peanut Butter Cups
Step 1: In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, protein powder, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth.
Step 2: In a small pot over low heat melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil until just melted. Mix until smooth.
Step 3: Portion half the chocolate mixture into silicone muffin cups, followed by a spoonful of peanut butter.
Step 4: Portion the remaining melted chocolate over the top and smooth it out. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Important Teaching Tips
Protein powder is slightly unique in its breakdown, which means that the kind you choose is going to affect the texture of the filling. Make sure to really mix your filling ingredients so that the peanut butter mixture is smooth and not grainy.
- Vegan protein powder absorbs more than other blends, so if your mixture is TOO thick and nothing is stirring, add a splash of almond milk or maple syrup.
- Beef protein powder like Equip Protein (which is my favorite for flavor!) results in a stickier center.
- You can also use collagen powder (learn more about what collagen powder is), which is perfect for kids as it's such a clean protein source and results in a crazy creamy center because it doesn't absorb too much liquid.
If the peanut butter mixture seems TOO thick, give it a taste and add a splash more maple syrup or non-dairy milk. For the beef protein powder, you may not even need the maple syrup as the protein itself is so sweet.
How To Store Them
You can store these chocolate protein peanut butter cups in the freezer or the fridge after they have set.
Freezer: After you let the peanut butter cups set, pop them out of the mold and place them in an airtight container. They'll last in the freezer for 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight to enjoy them or on the counter for about 20 minutes.
Fridge: Store the protein cups in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 days.
Though you can eat them right out of the freezer, they taste best chilled or at room temperature when they've had time to sit for a few minutes. This is when it will be the most creamy.
Chocolate Protein Peanut Butter Cups FAQs
You can, but you want to make sure that you add a little bit of liquid so that the powder actually blends into the peanut butter. Otherwise, you'll be left with a little bit of a gritty texture in the middle of the cup.
If you know you'll be eating the peanut butter cups relatively soon, you can store these chocolate peanut butter cups in the refrigerator. However, they also make a great recipe to have on hand in the freezer for when a chocolate craving strikes
You can make peanut butter cups with white chocolate chips for a bit of a flavor twist. Likewise, you can also opt for keto sugar-free chocolate chips if you want to take the carb content down a little bit.
Yes, you can make protein cups nut-free by replacing the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter.
Chocolate peanut butter protein cups can melt at room temperature if too much coconut oil is used. Since coconut oil is softer at room tempertaure it can affect their texture. However, using just a bit of coconut oil, the peanut butter cups will remain solid at room temperature.
Tired of snacking and still feeling hungry? These high-protein treats are made in minutes!
More Protein Powder Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Protein Peanut Butter Cups Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Protein Peanut Butter Cups (dairy-free)
Video
Equipment
- 1 Silicone Muffin Molds
Ingredients
- 1 tbs Almond milk
- ½ cup Natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup Vanilla vegan protein powder
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ cup Mini chocolate chips dairy-free as needed
- 2 teaspoon Coconut oil
Instructions
- Over low heat melt together the coconut oil and chocolate chips. Remove from heat before the chips are fully melted.
- In the meantime, mix together the peanut butter, protein powder, vanilla, and almond milk.
- Press the peanut butter mixture into mini silicone muffin molds. Make sure to press down hard so that they stick together.
- When chocolate is melted, divide and pour on top of the peanut butter cup mixture. Pop in the freezer to set.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Audra says
Yum! So so good, and without the guilt!
Lorraine says
This worked exactly as written, thanks! So tasty too!
Sage says
This was so good!
Giangi Townsend says
It's so good. My son loves Reese. Now he loves your recipe more.
fitasamamabear says
Literally the best snack.
jane says
So yum and very easy to make!
chhavi says
I made these to snack on after my workout, and they are so so addictive! So so good.
Vladka says
These peanut butter cups are just irresistible. Every time I make them, they disappear in no time.
fitasamamabear says
They're the best possible snack!
Melanie says
This has been my family's treats since last year! Been making these cups. It's allergy friendly and so so easy! Always grateful for your recipes.
fitasamamabear says
So happy to hear you love them. Thanks for coming back over and over!
Sydney says
These cups were so easy and tasty! My son just adored them and wanted to make another batch right away. Thanks!
fitasamamabear says
Always a hit when kids like them!
Jisel says
I can satisfy sweet cravings but guilt-free! So delicious!
fitasamamabear says
Life win.
Gwen says
Chocolate and almond butter are a match made in heaven! These are so much healthier than the store bought!
fitasamamabear says
It's the best flavor combo!
Radwa says
These peanut butter protein cups are irresistible! Plus, they're easy to make at home with just a few ingredients. I love them.
fitasamamabear says
Haha they're a hit with everyone!
Saskia says
Yum times ten!!! These turned out really well. I never knew that vegan protein powder absorbed more, so that would explain why other recipes haven't worked for me. Thanks for the tip!
fitasamamabear says
Happy I could help!
Dixie says
Tried making these with my kids, and they had so much fun! Such an exciting and easy recipe to make together as a family. And oh! They ate it all too! So safe to say that they really loved them.
fitasamamabear says
I love that you got the kiddos involved!