Salted Peanut Butter Cups with Coconut Oil
Miles and I have never been big on celebrating holidays. When it comes to Valentines Day we usually get takeout and we share a good bottle of wine. No boxes of chocolates, no flowers, no sappy cards. Its just never been important to us. I know it might sound cliche, but we don’t really need a specific day to celebrate how much we dig each other.
These Salted Peanut Butter Cups with Coconut Oil are something that I always have in my fridge. I like to pull them out for a quick dessert when people are over, or grab one in the middle of the afternoon with a cup of coffee. They’re simple to make, and only require a few ingredients. I like to use a little coconut oil in both the chocolate and the peanut butter filling in these because it gives a really nice mouthfeel and helps the chocolate spread evenly. Coconut oil is solid when it is cold but when it warms up it turns to liquid, so these cups melt really nicely in your mouth. This also means that these cups should be kept in the fridge or freezer until they’re ready to be eaten. I always use these muffin tin papers
Have fun!
- 10 oz dark chocolate (see notes below)
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 cup all natural, salted peanut butter (see notes)
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sifted organic powdered sugar (see notes)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil, plus 2 tsp
- Maldon salt flakes to top
- mini paper cupcake liners
- In a glass bowl or measuring cup, melt 4 oz of chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Meanwhile, line a mini muffin tin the paper liners.
- When chocolate is melted, add 1/2 tsp of coconut oil and stir until melted and totally combined. Add about 3/4 tsp chocolate to the bottom of each muffin tin. Shake the pan to make sure the chocolate covers the bottom of the liners, and add more if necessary. There might be a little chocolate left after this, but you'll use it in the next layer of chocolate. Put muffin tin in fridge (flat) while you prepare the PB filling.
- To make PB filling, add coconut oil, peanut butter, salt and sugar to bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk together on medium until smooth and then on high to incorporate a little air, for about 2 minutes.
- Add about 1 tsp of PB filling on top of first chocolate layer and set in freezer for 10 minutes or so until peanut butter is set so that the chocolate will layer on top.
- After 10 minutes melt the next batch of chocolate. In same bowl used for first batch of chocolate add another 6 oz chocolate and melt in microwave using 30 second intervals again. When melted add 1/2 tsp coconut oil and stir to combine.
- Remove cups from freezer and add about 1 tsp- 1.5 tsp to the top of each PB cup to cover the PB layer. The chocolate will not spread as easily as the first layer because it will want to solidify when it hits the cold PB layer, which is why you'll need a little more.
- Sprinkle with salt flakes and set to solidify in the freezer (for a quick set) or fridge. Store covered and in the fridge and enjoy right away out of the fridge or they might get pretty melty on you.
- For chocolate, I use the pound plus 72% bar from Trader Joes. It is great quality chocolate and not very expensive. Don't use chocolate chips here because often times they have a special coating on the outside that can prevent them from melting nicely.
- For the PB use the natural kind, not Jiffy or anything like that. The natural kind will give you the best flavor and texture.
- For the powdered sugar it is important to use organic in this case because it will give you the best flavor. I like the kind from TJ's the best. Make sure you sift it first otherwise the PB filling will be clumpy!
