Let’s talk Easter candy.

I distinctly remember my childhood favorites, despite my typically terrible memory.

5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups | edibleperspective.com #vegan #glutenfree

First. The mini malted milk chocolate eggs. That crispy shell and creamy, malty center. Mmmhm

Definitely Cadbury Crème Eggs. Oh my gosh. Those were the Easter basket jackpot.

The tiny carton of egg gum. Still to this day my mom sends me a couple of those packs around this time. I have no idea why I like them so much, seeing that their flavor disappears in about 10 seconds. I think it’s because they are tiny + adorable.

And in later years Starburst Jellybeans stole the show.

However, I was never a huge fan of Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs or the plan PB cups. No clue why.

5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups | edibleperspective.com #vegan #glutenfree

So what about now? I think if I had a handful of those malted milk eggs I would fall over from sugar shock. Way too sugar sensitive these days!

But I still get candy cravings that have to be filled. I typically go for either a super dark chocolate bar or homemade peanut butter or almond butter cups. Not too sweet and super satisfying.

5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups | edibleperspective.com #vegan #glutenfree

But once in a while the peanut butter center just isn’t enough for me, so I’ll scoop a dollop of peanut butter on top of the cup.

Oy.

5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups | edibleperspective.com #vegan #glutenfree

And that is where this recipe was born. It’s for the extreme peanut butter lover.

The flaked sea salt topping is a MUST and the chocolate-date center is fudgy and perfect. I could have used melted chocolate for the center but I wanted it to be soft like a traditional peanut butter cup. I also wanted them to be fully homemade.

5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups | edibleperspective.com #vegan #glutenfree

These can be sweetened to any level you like and are made with just 5, whole-food ingredients. I ground raw coconut sugar until powdered and mixed that in with melted peanut butter and coconut oil.

The coconut oil is crucial so the cups actually solidify. It also adds an extra layer of coconutty flavor.

5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups | edibleperspective.com #vegan #glutenfree

Because we’re making these so au-naturel they must be kept in the fridge or freezer to remain solid. If you happen to have cacao butter, I think using that in place of the coconut oil would make them much more stable at room temp. That is an ingredient I have yet to play with, so let me know if you give it a shot.

5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups | edibleperspective.com #vegan #glutenfree

Print this!

5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups

gluten-free, vegan // yields 10-12 large cups

1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil
3-5 tablespoons powdered coconut sugar, sifted
10 medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
topping: large flaked sea salt

Line a standard muffin tin with 12 liners.

Melt the coconut oil over low heat and stir in the peanut butter until fully combined. Whisk in the powdered coconut sugar until smooth. Taste and whisk in more if desired.

Pour a scant 1 1/2 tablespoons into the bottom of eat liner. Place muffin tin in the freezer for about 10 minutes until almost fully hardened.

While in the freezer, place the pitted dates in a large food processor with the cocoa powder and turn on until it comes together and forms a sticky ball [refer to photo 3]. About 20 seconds.

Remove the cups from the freezer. Flatten about 2 teaspoons of the date mixture into an 1/8-inch thick disk and place on top of the cup. Leave about an 1/8-inch border around the edge.

Top with 1 tablespoon or so of the melted peanut butter mixture to cover the chocolate. Press down on the chocolate center if needed.

Place in the freezer for 8-10 minutes until nearly set. Sprinkle with sea salt and place back in the freezer until hardened. Keep stored in a sealed container in the freezer.

notes: To make coconut sugar, simply place 1/2 - 1 cup in your blender and blend until fully powdered. Store excess in a sealed jar. I used homemade peanut butter but the more stiff/stabilized peanut butter will also work [and possibly remain more stable at room temp]. If making homemade PB I highly recommend using dry roasted unsalted peanuts for the best flavor. No need to roast! If using store-bought drippy peanut butter be sure to stir it together extremely well. If you didn’t use all of the date mixture keep stored in the fridge and eat as a pre-workout snack or add to smoothies.

5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups | edibleperspective.com #vegan #glutenfree

I love chopping them into 1/4 pieces and storing them in a glass container in the freezer. It’s the perfect little satisfying snack with no resulting sugar shock.

Aaaand another new week has begun.

Cheers!

Ashley

Coconut Pie Bites

gluten-free, vegan // yields ~24 1 1/2-inch bites

1 cup raw nuts, walnuts/cashews/pecans or a mixture of all three

16-20 large medjool dates, pitted

2 1/4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

scant 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

melted dark chocolate, optional

Place nuts in a large food processor and turn on until well chopped. Pour into a bowl. Next, process 16 pitted dates until they’re fully chopped and sticking together. Break apart with your hands if a large ball formed.

Place nuts back in the food processor along with the coconut, vanilla, and sea salt. Pulse to combine with the dates and then turn on for about 5 seconds. Squeeze the mixture between your hands to see if it holds together. If not, turn on for another 3-5 seconds and test again. If it’s still not holding well empty the mixture into a bowl. Add 2-4 more dates to your food processor and process until fully chopped. Add the mixture back in, pulse to combine, then turn on for about 5 seconds. Test the mixture again to see if it holds together. Repeat until mixture holds together easily.

I used 18 dates that were on the sticky side. If your mixture is too gooey/sticky, pulse in more coconut 1/4 cup at a time until a bit more firm.

Pack the dough into ~1 1/2-inch balls by passing back and forth between your hands. You don’t actually roll these. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with chocolate if desired, and refrigerate for about an hour [to firm]before storing in a sealed container or bag. Best kept in the fridge for about 2-3 weeks.

notes: It’s important to use medjool dates for this as they’re much more plump and sticky than some of the other date varieties. You can typically find them in bulk bins or with packaged dried fruit. Costco, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, etc. all typically carry them. I also highly recommend using the unsweetened shredded coconut. Not a sweetened version and not a low-fat version. If you only have large flaked coconut you could try first grinding that in your food processor until shredded.

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5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups

5 Ingredient Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups

Coconut Pie Bites

Coconut Pie Bites

Edible Perspective

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