Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

For the chocolate base:

• 1/2 cup non-dairy chocolate chips
• 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut butter

For the peanut butter topping:

• 2 tablespoons coconut butter
• 1/3 cup natural unsalted peanut butter (*see note)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1/4 rounded teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean powder

Directions

1. Line a mini-muffin pan with 15–18 small muffin liners.

2. To make the chocolate base: Set a heat-proof bowl over a small pot or double boiler with a few inches of water in it. Turn heat to medium. Add chocolate chips and coconut butter to the bowl. Stir through until well combined and melted. Remove from heat, and spoon roughly one tablespoon of chocolate mixture into each liner. Once finished, transfer the pan to the fridge to cool completely. Reserve saucepan with hot water or double boiler (still with just a small amount of water in it).

3. To make the peanut butter topping: Add the coconut butter to another small bowl, place over the saucepan/double boiler, and allow it to melt. If needed, turn on low heat to help melt.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the peanut butter mixture. In a mini food processor, puree the peanut butter, coconut sugar, salt and vanilla. Add the melted coconut butter to the peanut butter mixture and puree until fully incorporated.

5. To assemble: Once chocolate cups are chilled and firm, spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter mixture on top of each of the chocolate cups. I use a small cookie scoop, and then gently smooth out the peanut mixture to cover the chocolate. Place the cups in the fridge until completely chilled, about an hour.

*Peanut Butter Note: You bet you can substitute a nut butter—try almond or cashew! If your peanut butter/nut butter does contain salt, reduce the salt measure to just under 1/8 teaspoon.