Tonight is Halloween! It is so fun to see all of the cute costumes that come to our door. It just feels like a special time.

What I don’t love about Halloween is being tempted to eat all of the candy. So instead of digging into the candy bucket, I decided to make something a smidge healthier, but equally yummy.

I am warning you- these are addictive. But they are a healthy alternative to processed candy (I’m looking at you Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups).

Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants, which have cancer fighting properties, and is proven to boost your mood.

Almond butter packs a lot of protein and fiber, as well as healthy fat that lowers both cholesterol and blood pressure.

I hope you enjoy these almond butter cups tonight, or any night you need something sweet without the icky stuff.

Happy Halloween!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Recipe

Makes about 12-14 small cups or 5-7 large cups

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips (look for 70% cacao or higher)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup peanut butter (could use almong or sunflower butter instead)
• 1 teaspoon honey or pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. If you have a double broiler, use that to melt the coconut oil and chocolate chips. If you don’t…
2. Fill a medium sized pot about half way with water. Place a small/medium sized glass bowl on top of the pot so it is partially in/partially out of the pot. The water should just be touching the bottom outside quarter of the bowl, so dump some water out if it is too full.
3. Place the pot on the stove over medium/high heat until water almost comes to a boil. Turn the heat to medium/low.
4. As you are waiting for the water to heat up, combine the nut butter, honey and salt in a medium bowl. Stir.
5. Fill a mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake baking cups. You could use a regular sized cupcake pan and baking cups instead, they just take longer to freeze.
6. Once the water is hot, add the coconut oil to the glass bowl that is over the how water and let it melt. Place the chocolate in the bowl and stir frequently until is has completely melted. Turn off the heat but keep the pot and bowl on the stove.
7. Add vanilla to the melted chocolate and stir.
8. Drizzle melted chocolate into the baking cups so they are about 1/3 full and they are covering the bottom of the baking cups.
9. Roll the nut butter mix into little balls that will fit into the baking cups. Flatten the balls a little and place on top of the chocolate in the baking cups, smooshing them into the chocolate a little.
10. Top the nut butter balls with more melted chocolate so that they are complete covered.
11. Repeat steps 8-10 so that all of the baking cups are filled.
12. Place the cupcake tin in the freezer. Let set for about 30 minutes and then enjoy!

Keeps well in the fridge for a week, freezer for months, I think. They’ve never made it that long with us!

#dessert #winter #fall #vegetarian #glutenfree #dairyfree