Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Classic Candy with a Healthy Twist

If you hear the words “peanut butter cup”, I am sure you think of that certain candy with an orange wrapper, AKA chocolate-coated-peanut-buttery-goodness. Ah yes. They are certainly delicious, but those candies have 16 grams (8 per cup) of sugar! I’m sure you know by now that I have a huge sweet tooth [monster], and I’m definitely a fan of the classic peanut butter/chocolate pairing. Before I discovered the effects of sugar on my anxiety, I could gobble up 2 orange packages (32 grams of sugar!) without batting an eye…then, when I was lying in bed wide awake at 2 AM, I would wonder why my chest was tight and my heart was racing. *face palm*

For Zemirah’s stocking this Christmas I…I mean, Santa…decided to make refined sugar free candies, and peanut butter cups were first on the list! I made them again for her birthday, and they were a hit! If you ask me, these peanut butter cups taste even better than the ones with the orange wrapper; they are vegan, no bake, gluten free, can be made paleo, and the best part (to me) is that they are refined sugar free! Sweetened only with maple syrup, these peanut butter cups will give you the nostalgia of opening one of those orange packages, with an even better taste, and won’t send your blood sugar soaring! These little treats would be the perfect things to pack in your kiddo’s lunch box for their Valentine’s Day treat; they will love them, and you will love knowing they will still be able to focus in school without a sugar crash! Chocolate-coated-peanut-buttery-refined-sugar-free-goodness for the win!

Makes 6 large peanut butter cups. Could easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

• 6 oz of dark baking chocolate
• 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil  (my favorite because it doesn’t taste coconut-y)
• 1/4 cup of sugar free peanut butter (can be made paleo by subbing almond butter)
• 2 tbsp of coconut flour
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

• Line 6 muffin tins with parchment paper cupcake liners
• In a microwave safe bowl, combine the baking chocolate and 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil
• Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until completely melted and smooth
• Combine peanut butter, maple syrup, salt, and coconut flour in a separate bowl
• Fill each liner about 1/5 of the way with chocolate
• Scoop a large spoonful of the peanut butter mixture on top of each, flatten with a spoon
• Cover each peanut butter scoop with remaining chocolate
• Chill in refrigerator for about an hour, until firm
• Keep leftovers covered, in fridge, for 5-7 days (though they will be gone in 2!)

For more nut butter/chocolate goodness, check out my Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Bars, Two Layer Paleo Fudge, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Overnight Oats, and Wholesome Chocolate Chunk Cookies. And for more no bake desserts (is there anything better?!) check out my Microwave Molten Lava Cake, No Bake Chocolate Date Cake, and Chocolate Banana “Nice” Cream. I hope you find a treat you love for this Love Day, and don’t forget to pin it (at the bottom of the page) so you can keep coming back to it! Celebrate this Valentine’s Day with some refined sugar free chocolate, keep your sugar monster silenced, your blood sugar regular…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you; just a small pantry fund for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

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Molasses Cookies

This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small pantry fund for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It’s that time of year for Christmas cookies! Cookie exchanges, cookie decorating, full cookie jars almost daily; it’s certainly the most wonderful time of the year! If you’ve kept up with my blog thus far then you know how detrimental my sugar *monster* can be; if I eat too much refined sugar, I get headaches, my anxiety shoots up, and my ability to sleep goes out the window right along with my racing heart. You can read more about my journey with anxiety and trigger foods in this post, but, basically, I can’t be eating Christmas cookies every day. Sigh.

However, with this recipe, I can still enjoy a Christmas cookie…or two…or three, without all the side effects that come from refined sugar. These Molasses Cookies are refined sugar free, made with hearty whole wheat flour, sweet but not too sweet, and have all the warm Christmas-time spices; the texture is great, too: crunchy edges, slightly chewy, with a soft center. My friends and family, 22-month old included, loved these; my husband and dad could hardly stop eating them! I promise you won’t be disappointed in these cookies, but you may be disappointed by how quickly they’ll disappear.

Molasses Cookies

Makes 33 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1.5 tsp of cinnamon, plus 1/2 tsp set aside
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup coconut sugar, plus 1/4 cup set aside
• 1/2 cup room temperature coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup of molasses (that is my favorite brand; dark, but not too strong tasting)
• 1 tsp of vanilla

Directions:

• Combine first 7 ingredients (flour through cloves) in a small mixing bowl
• Whisk until combined
• In a separate large bowl, beat together the coconut oil and coconut sugar until fluffy
• Add in eggs one at a time, combing well after each egg
• Add the molasses and vanilla, mix until combined
• Add the flour mixture in three parts, mixing well after each addition
• Place bowl with dough in the freezer for about 15 minutes, until dough is firm enough to handle
• While dough is freezing, heat oven to 350 F
• Prepare three baking sheets with non-stick spray or, my favorite baking tool, these silicone mats (which would make a great stocking stuffer 😉 )
• On parchment paper, combine 1/4 cup coconut sugar and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• Once dough is firm, roll into tbsp sized balls, roll balls in cinnamon sugar mixture, and place on baking sheet 1 inch apart
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are dark brown
• Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to let cool completely
• Store in covered container for up to a week

If you need a decadent hot coco to go along with your molasses cookies, check out my Death by Hot Chocolate for the ultimate chocolate fix, and for more cookies to stuff your cookie jar with, bake up a batch of my Wholesome Chocolate Chunk Cookies, or bar cookies like Dark Chocolate Paleo Brownies or Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Bars. Let me know what your favorite seasonal cookie is! Keep those cookie jars full this season…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

Dark Chocolate Paleo Brownies

This post contains a promo code and affiliate links. If you purchase using these links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small pantry fund for me! Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy! 

Chocoholics Unite!

I think it’s about time I come clean… I’m a chocoholic. I mean, really. Not just like, “why, yes, I do enjoy a cookie from time to time” more like frantically shouting, “babe, you need to hide all of our child’s Halloween candy somewhere or it will be gone by tomorrow and I’ll be miserable!” I have to keep treats out of the house or I’ll go chocoholic crazy and eat them all without even blinking, but sometimes you just need a chocolate fix.

So what do you do when those chocolate cravings just won’t quit? Binge on less than satisfactory, high sugar candy bars that you stole out of your child’s Halloween bucket? (that’s not just me, right?) No! You whip up a quick batch of Dark Chocolate Paleo Brownies! Gluten free and sweetened with coconut sugar, these cake-like brownies are every chocolate lover’s dream! 100% cacao powder leads to a rich chocolate flavor, made even chocolatey-er (yeah, it’s a word…) by the dark chocolate chips studded throughout. Follow a fresh brownie with a glass of cold almond milk, and you have a delicious treat that satisfies the chocolate craving…without all the guilt!

Dark Chocolate Paleo Brownies

Makes one 8×8 pan. 

Ingredients:

• One cup of gluten free flour (this 3 lb bag is 20% off until 11/16!)
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Grease 8×8 pan
• In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour through salt)
• Add wet ingredients (eggs through vanilla), stir until well combined
• Fold in chocolate chips
• Spread batter into prepared pan
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
• Let cool 10-15 minutes before slicing
• Store covered at room temperature for 5 days

If you like healthier baked goods, you may like my Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookie Bars, Wholesome Chocolate Chunk Cookies, and breads: Pumpkin Bread with Crumb Topping and Banana Bread with Granola Crumble; these wholesome treats are sure to satisfy a sweet tooth! If no-bake is more your style, I also have Chocolate Banana “Nice” Cream and No Bake Chocolate Date Cake; both are deliciously simple and sweet! No matter if you bake or blend up a batch of nice cream, I hope your sweet tooth is satisfied and your chocolate cravings silenced in a healthier way. Happy dessert-eating…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!