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.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
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"
Howtosavealife1122 says
Great read!
Kristen says
Not a lot of mint chocolate fans in this house (except me), but these didn't last an hour in this house. They are delicious and the perfect snack after the kids gymnastics class. Love them!
fitasamamabear says
Wahoo!
Janessa says
Wow, what a smart idea to mix protein powder with the peanut butter! I love Reese's so I'm super excited about this healthy treat that I can actually feel good about eating!
fitasamamabear says
Yes! Nice to have a treat that's still got a bit of fuel to it.
Stacey says
These are the perfect healthy treat to keep me from sneaking into the Halloween candy. We don't get any trick-or-treaters at our house, but my hubby will still buy a large bag of Reese's PB cups.
fitasamamabear says
Haha it's because the flavor combo is just too easy to resist!
JEnnifer says
Girl, I am ALL OVER THESE! This time of year when all the super-sized bags of reeses cups are out there calling to me, I need a better option to focus on!
fitasamamabear says
Haha those bags are EVERYWHERE. These are definitely a better option lol
Lily says
I love Reese's but these are so much healthier and just as good!
fitasamamabear says
It's a classic flavor combo!
Abhi says
Who does not love such a yummy and healthy quick snack? I would love to make it again!
fitasamamabear says
Right?! Glad you liked them!
nancy says
i love how you used protein powder to level up the protein content. it was really satisfying and easy to make
fitasamamabear says
Easy is key in my house lol glad you liked them!
Molly Pisula says
So delicious! Love having a healthier option than my favorite peanut butter cup guilty pleasure!
fitasamamabear says
Hehe it's a nice alternative for sure!
Katie says
Oh these protein cups are fantastic! i love how simple and easy they are to make. they're such a perfect sweet treat to have on hand!
fitasamamabear says
Definitely a great way to curb a craving!
Rosanna says
I’ve wanted to try making these for ages but never had the ingredients-but I just got them all and they were delicious! Such a great snack
fitasamamabear says
So happy you loved them!
Jess says
Such a delicious and healthy treat!
fitasamamabear says
You got that right!
Jennifer says
I don't tell anyone that these are good for me - they're such a treat and I love the boost they give me! Yum!
fitasamamabear says
Haha that's the best way to go!
Marie says
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.
fitasamamabear says
Same here!
Jere Cassidy says
I am new to using protein powder in foods, I normally throw it into a smoothie. The whole family loved these peanut butter cups.
fitasamamabear says
Smoothies are definitely easy but it's nice to be able to switch it up!
Natalie says
Oh, these peanut butter protein cups look adorable! It will be perfect for my bookmarked healthy snack ideas, thanks!
fitasamamabear says
I'm sure you'll love them!