These No Bake Paleo Nut Butter Cups are made with a combination of dark chocolate, tahini, and almond butter to create that irresistible Reese peanut butter cup taste. This easy to make treat is a healthier option that will still satisfy your sweet tooth. It also happens to be gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and refined sugar free.
If you’ve been here before, you know that I am all about creating recipes that are good for you while also tasting great. When it comes to eating foods that are good for you, I truly believe that it depends on each individual person. It’s important to figure out for yourself what foods make your body feel the best. For me, I’ve learned that peanut butter, dairy, refined sugar, and milk chocolate are some of the foods that don’t make me feel great. But that doesn’t mean I don’t still crave these foods, especially when it comes to chocolate and peanut butter. In my personal opinion, it’s one of the best combinations out there. So I wanted to recreate this taste with real ingredients that my body can handle and that’s how these No Bake Paleo Nut Butter Cups were developed.
A Healthier Treat
A healthier treat is the perfect way to describe these No Bake Paleo Nut Butter Cups. They are made from real ingredients that you can feel good about, yet aren’t the same as eating fruits and veggies. Let’s talk about the main ingredients that make these nut butter cups a better option that is still dangerously delicious.
1. Nut Butter
Although I love almond butter, I will be the first one to admit that it does not taste the same as peanut butter. I really wanted these nut butter cups to taste as close as possible to the real thing and I knew that almond butter by itself wouldn’t cut it. So, I combined it with tahini since this tends to have more of a nuttier taste. After experimenting with the ratios, the result is a nut butter that tastes pretty darn close to peanut butter!
2. Natural Sugar
All my recipes are refined sugar free and this one is no exception. To naturally sweeten these nut butter cups, this recipe uses honey and coconut sugar. These tend to be healthier options as they both have a lower glycemic index meaning that they have less of an effect on blood sugar levels. I have learned that my body cannot tolerate refined sugar but can handle more natural forms in moderation. But, as always, everyone is different and it’s important to see what works best for you.
3. Dark Chocolate
This recipe uses Hu Dark Chocolate Gems because they are made with only 3 ingredients that are dairy free, certified gluten free, refined sugar free, and Paleo approved. This is my favorite brand of Paleo friendly chocolate because you can’t beat the ingredients and it tastes just like milk chocolate!
With a few simple substitutes, these nut butter cups replace the processed ingredients with real foods to create that irresistible peanut butter and chocolate taste.
How to Make Paleo Nut Butter Cups
These nut butter cups don’t just taste delicious but they are also so simple to make and don’t require any baking! Start by grabbing your muffin pan and place muffin liners in each tin. This recipe makes a total of 12 cups and we will make them in three simple steps.
Step One: Bottom Layer of Chocolate
Heat half of the bag of Hu dark chocolate gems, about 3/4 cup, in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted. It should take about 2 minutes to melt, but make sure to stir after each 30 seconds to avoid burning the chocolate. Pour the chocolate into the muffin tins so that the chocolate is evenly distributed throughout all 12 cups. Take a spoon and smooth out the chocolate so that the bottom of each muffin tin is evenly covered. Place the muffin pan in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
Step Two: Nut Butter Filling
To make the filling, mix together the tahini, almond butter, honey, tapioca starch, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract. To get a smoother consistency, sift the coconut sugar before mixing it with the remaining ingredients. Also, if you use raw honey make sure to melt it in the microwave before mixing it with the other ingredients. Remove the muffin pan from the refrigerator and add about 1 tablespoon of filling to each muffin tin. Use a spoon to spread the filling evenly on top of the chocolate making sure the top is flat. Place the muffin pan back in the refrigerator while you melt the rest of the chocolate.
Step Three: Top Layer of Chocolate
Melt the remaining dark chocolate gems (about 3/4 cup) in the microwave in 30 second increments. Again, it should take about 2 minutes to melt but make sure to stir the chocolate after each 30 seconds to avoid burning it. Remove the muffin pan from the refrigerator and pour the chocolate on top of the nut butter filling. Use a spoon to spread the chocolate evenly so that the top of the nut butter filling is completely covered. Sprinkle salt on top of each cup (trust me, you don’t want to skip this step). Place the muffin pan in the refrigerator for at least 5 minutes or until the chocolate is hardened.
These No Bake Paleo Nut Butter Cups don’t contain peanut butter or milk chocolate, but they sure taste like they do! They are a healthier treat that is sure to satisfy your cravings. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!
-Kelsey
No Bake Paleo Nut Butter Cups
Course: Desserts12
cups15
minutes10
minutes25
minutesIngredients
1/2 cup tahini (*see note below)
1/4 cup almond butter (*see note below)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 Tablespoon coconut sugar
1 Tablespoon tapioca starch
1 Tablespoon honey
1 (9 oz) bag Hu Gems
Salt (to top the nut butter cups with)
Directions
- Start by placing 12 muffin liners in each tin of the muffin pan (see note below). Put half of the bag of the Hu dark chocolate gems (about 3/4 cup) in a microwavable safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted. It will take approximately 2 minutes to fully melt but make sure to stir the chocolate after each 30 seconds to avoid burning it. Pour the chocolate into the muffin tins so that the chocolate is evenly distributed throughout all 12 cups. Take a spoon and smooth out the chocolate so that the bottom of the muffin tin is evenly covered. Place the muffin pan in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
- To make the filling, mix together the tahini, almond butter, vanilla extract, coconut sugar, tapioca starch, and honey using a hand mixer. To get a smoother consistency, sift the coconut sugar before mixing it with the other ingredients. If using raw honey, melt it in the microwave before adding it to the remaining ingredients. Remove the muffin pan from the refrigerator and add about 1 tablespoon of filling on top of the chocolate. Use a spoon to spread the filling evenly on top of the chocolate making sure the top is flat. Place in the muffin pan back in the refrigerator.
- Heat the remaining dark chocolate gems (about 3/4 cup) in 30 second increments until it is melted. It will take about 2 minutes to fully melt but make sure to stir the chocolate after each 30 seconds to avoid burning it. Remove the muffin pan from the refrigerator and pour the chocolate on top of the nut butter filling. Use a spoon to spread the chocolate evenly so that the top of the nut butter filling is covered completely. Sprinkle salt on top of each cup and place the muffin pan in the refrigerator for at least 5 minutes or until the chocolate is hardened.
Notes
- If you can tolerate peanut butter and would prefer to use this instead of the tahini and almond butter you can! I tried making these with 3/4 cup of peanut butter (instead of the tahini and almond butter) and they turned out just as good!
- If using a regular sized muffin tin, you will get about 12 cups. You could also use a mini muffin tin, just note that it would make more cups and you’d get a thicker middle.
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