These maple syrup peanut butter cups are made with extra dark chocolate and sweetened with Vermont maple syrup. With Halloween approaching, I wanted a healthier way to engage in the festivities. I used my favorite 85% dark chocolate (from Trader Joe’s) to coat tiny fluted paper cups. Then I combined natural, creamy peanut butter with maple syrup for a delectable candy filling. A sprinkle of flaked sea salt over the top provided the perfect balance of sweet and salt. These candies are healthier than anything your kids will bring home after trick-or-treating and they’re easy enough for tiny hands to help.
By now, we’ve all heard about the merits of dark chocolate. Choco-holics, like myself, have been eagerly touting its benefits since the first Mayo-Clinic study was released. Dark chocolate, especially when made with at least 70% cocoa, is high in magnesium, low in sugar and can satisfy a sweet tooth without the guilt. To pacify our killer sweet tooth, Kenny and I keep a bounty of dark chocolate bars in our home. Enjoyed with a mug of herbal tea, a few squares of dark chocolate is a perfectly satisfying weeknight dessert.
Food + History
While enjoying our evening treats, Kenny and I have been watching The Foods That Built America . This show has become a fast favorite in Casa Campos as it combines our love of history and food. We recently watched the episode about H.B. Reese , the venerable genius who decided to combine chocolate with peanut butter. The cinematic shots of creamy peanut butter enrobed in chocolate made our nightly squares of dark chocolate seem a lot less satisfying.
In order to indulge a bit without adding processed sugar, I made these maple syrup peanut butter cups. Using 85% dark chocolate helped keep the overall sugar levels low without sacrificing taste. This was the perfect compromise!
You can make these treats with your kiddos or just to share with a special someone. I hope you enjoy and have a fun and safe Halloween!
Other Halloween treats you might enjoy:
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maple syrup peanut butter cups
Ingredients
- 3.5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (I use 85% dark)
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter, creamy and salted
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- Flaked sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Place ⅔ of the dark chocolate into a heat proof bowl.
- Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water.
- Stir the chocolate until it just melts, 5 minutes.
- Remove the melted chocolate from the stove and add the remaining chopped dark chocolate into the bowl.
- Stir until fully melted and combined.
- Line 12 holes of a mini muffin tin with mini muffin wrappers.
- Drop 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate into each muffin wrapper and swirl each wrapper so the chocolate coats ¼ inch of the sides.
- Once all of the muffin wrappers are chocolate coated, place them in the freezer to set up.
- While the chocolate is hardening, combine the peanut butter and maple syrup in a medium bowl. Stirl to fully combine.
- Transfer the peanut butter filling into a zip lock bag. Snip off one corner of the bag so you can pipe the peanut butter into the chocolate.
- Distribute the peanut butter filling among the 12 chocolate cups and put it back in the freezer to set up for 5 minutes.
- Top each peanut butter with another teaspoon of chocolate and a sprinkle of flaked salt (if using).
- Place the finished peanut butter cups in the fridge until they’re fully set up, 30 minutes.
- Keep chilled and enjoy straight from the fridge.
Notes
To temper the chocolate, start by melting 2/3 of the chopped chocolate. Then add the remaining 1/3 of the chopped chocolate until its fully melted and combined.
