Vegan Peanut Butter Cups with Added Protein

Remember the recipe I made with Oogio.net (an Israeli baking blog) a few weeks ago?

We actually made several recipes that day, including these vegan peanut butter cups. We added a little protein powder to the filling. Just because we felt like it.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that Omer Zuri (an Israeli athlete) joined us, too. I've known her for several years, going back to my running-group days, when she'd come run with me.

We used to race each other, mostly in sprints. I'll admit she left me in the dust pretty often. And trust me, passing me wasn't easy.

Omer is an inspiring CrossFit athlete who takes the idea of strength and femininity to another level. I recommend you run—not walk—to follow her on Instagram, or even try a training session with her. I promise it'll be an hour you won't forget.

Here's what Oogio.net wrote about our day together.

Photo: Natalie Levin (the Israeli baker behind Oogio.net)

Back to Those Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

These are a quick, homemade vegan take on everyone's favorite Reese's cups. Salty peanut butter meets dark chocolate. What's not to love?

We added a little protein powder to thicken the peanut butter filling and give it a protein boost. If you'd rather skip the protein powder, you can substitute the same amount of cornstarch or tapioca flour.

If your peanut butter is the firm, no-stir kind, you can skip the thickener entirely.

We sweetened our peanut butter with a little maple syrup. If yours is already sweetened, feel free to skip that part.

Nutrition Information from Noam Bachar (an Israeli clinical dietitian and fitness coach):

One vegan peanut butter cup, from a batch of 24, weighing 40 g (1.4 oz), contains:

134 calories

4 g protein

11 g carbohydrates

9 g fat

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups with Added Protein

For when you're craving something sweet and delicious.

Makes 24 peanut butter cups

Calories 134 kcal

Ingredients

• 300 g (10.6 oz) dark chocolate
• 200 g (7 oz) natural peanut butter
• 30 g (1.1 oz) vegan protein powder 1 scoop
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1.5 cups almond milk or another plant-based milk you like
• A little coarse sea salt, for topping

Instructions

1. Melt the chocolate completely in the microwave or over a double boiler.

   

2. Place paper liners in the wells of a muffin pan. Spread melted chocolate over the inside of each liner, covering the bottom and sides.

3. Freeze for about 15 minutes, until set.

   

4. Make the filling: In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, protein powder, and maple syrup until smooth. Gradually add the almond milk until the filling is smooth and thick.

5. Transfer the filling to a piping bag.

6. Remove the pan from the freezer and pipe the peanut butter filling into the chocolate shells.

7. Spoon 1–2 teaspoons of melted chocolate over each cup and smooth the tops.

8. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and freeze for about 1 hour, until set.

9. Remove from the pan and serve.