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"
Gwen says
My favorite guilty pleasure is a really good peanut butter cup. Now that I have a healthy high protein recipe these will be my go-to weekly snack!
fitasamamabear says
Yes! I truthfully make them weekly lol
Jean says
My kids totally enjoyed this! Super easy to make and it's really delicious plus it's great because of the protein in them. So yum!
fitasamamabear says
Haha yea my kids are obsessed and I don't complain!
Harriet says
The combination of creamy peanut butter filling and sweet chocolate coating is seriously addictive. And I love that they're healthier than the traditional peanut butter cups and still tastes so good. Definitely making these again to keep on hand!
fitasamamabear says
Definitely one of my favorites!
Krisha says
I followed the tip about using runnier peanut butter for a creamier filling and it turned out so well. I love that they're no-bake and whip up in just 30 minutes. Excited to make a bigger batch for meal prep.
fitasamamabear says
Yes! it makes a big difference, glad you liked them!
Tanya says
My absolute new fave! So perfect since I've been looking for healthier option desserts and this one is also dairy and gluten-free! Love that this does not need any baking and it even taste so delicious!
fitasamamabear says
Best flavor combo ever, right?!
Kerstine says
These are incredibly delicious and easy to make. They satisfy any sweet cravings and they make for the perfect healthy snack option.
fitasamamabear says
Easy is key!
Hazel says
My kids couldn't get enough of these peanut butter cups. The peanut butter filling is so creamy and the chocolate is rich. They're already asking me to make another batch. lol
fitasamamabear says
Isn't it a major win when the kids approve??
Sabrina says
The texture of the peanut butter filling is so creamy and rich. And I love that these peanut butter cups are a no-bake recipe. It's perfect when you need a quick and easy dessert!
fitasamamabear says
Haha yea it's definitely one of my favorites!
GRETA says
They look so pretty and taste delicious! I made this today because I craving something sweet and it came out just like in the pictures. I recommend it!
fitasamamabear says
Haha my pictures are simple because I suck at fancy, so hopefully they looked similar!
Elizabeth S says
These were really yummy. I didn't feel guilty eating them either. HA! I think I am going to try white chocolate next time.
fitasamamabear says
Haha the lack of guilt is totally the best part!
Sharina says
My mom and I loves to have these adorable chocolate protein peanut butter cups during our tea time! They are always delicious and satisfying.
fitasamamabear says
Aw yay!!
Sara says
Absolutely delicious!! I used sugar-free SunButter instead of peanut butter, and they worked out great.
fitasamamabear says
I make them with sun butter for kiddos school- works beautifully!
Lisa says
These were so easy to make and tasted great. The extra protein makes them so filling too.
fitasamamabear says
They're definitely the best of all worlds!
Kelli Miller says
I recently tried the Chocolate Protein Peanut Butter Cups recipe and I must say, I am thoroughly impressed. As someone who enjoys working out and is always looking for ways to incorporate more protein into my diet, these cups were an absolute treat. The texture of the peanut butter filling is creamy and delicious, and the chocolate layer on top was just the right amount of sweetness.
What I loved most about this recipe is that it's a healthier alternative to traditional peanut butter cups. They are like Reese's cups that have been packed full of protein. I appreciate that I can indulge in a sweet snack while also fueling my body with the nutrients it needs.
The recipe was also incredibly easy to follow, and I appreciate that it didn't require any special equipment or ingredients. All I needed were a few pantry staples and I was able to whip up these delicious treats in no time at all.
fitasamamabear says
Kelli... you just made my DAY. Thanks so much for the positive words! I am so happy you enjoyed them (we gobble them up lol) and that they fit into your goals!
Mama G says
This is just the perfect little afternoon indulgence to get me through to dinner. It feels like I'm having something I shouldn't when in reality it's good for me. Love that chocolate and peanut butter combo!
fitasamamabear says
Haha that's the best kind of treat!!