You can still have your chocolate and peanut butter and eat it too.

I’m not alone when I say that Reese’s Peanut Butter cups are among my favorite dessert snacks. They’re just delicious – end of story. However, when it comes to watching your waistline, the last thing you should do is reach for the packaged variation. Instead, take 10 minutes and create your own refined-sugar-free version of this American favorite.

In one serving of Reese’s Peanut Cups, we’re looking at 210 calories, 110 of which come from fat. The 2-piece serving also carries with it 24 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 5 grams of protein, and 5 milligrams of cholesterol. Considering that one serving fulfills 20% of your daily allowance of fat and a whopping 21 grams of simple sugar, the treat is artery-clogging and contributes to spikes in blood sugar levels.

Ingredients include the likes of peanuts, sugar, dextrose, salt, stabilizer tertiary butyl hydroquinone, cocoa butter, chocolate, non-fat milk, milk fat, lactose, soy lecithin and PGPR. I can’t quite pronounce tertiary butyl hydroquinone, but it sure packs a toxic punch. The chemical preservative is rendered to be deadly when 5 grams or more are consumed. The overly processed milk used in Reese’s negatively affects digestion, hormones, and acne.

The wonderful part about Reese’s is that it is easy to change without compromising taste. This recipe revamp uses all-natural, unsalted peanut butter, low-glycemic maple syrup, and coconut butter. Not all fats are the same, and coconut butter brings with it 3 grams of dietary fiber in just 1 tablespoon. And no simple sugars here! Cocoa powder is paired with maple syrup to give you the sweetness without the sugar rush. Enjoy!

Homemade Healthy Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 6

Ingredients:

Chocolate Shell:

1/2 cup coconut butter, mixed well

3 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

Dash of sea salt

Filling:

3 heaping teaspoons unsalted peanut butter

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1/8 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of sea salt

Directions:

In a small saucepan, melt the coconut butter and mix in the remainder of the chocolate shell ingredients. Mix until thoroughly combined and remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, combine all the filling ingredients and mix until smooth.

Line 6 muffin tins with baking cups.

On the bottom of each cup, place about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate mixture. Spread so it evenly covers the base. In the center of the chocolate foundation, add 1/2 teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture.

Conceal the peanut butter layer with another teaspoon of the chocolate mixture. Spread so the top is flat.

After you’ve done all six, pop into the freezer and allow the peanut butter cups to harden. Remove the paper baking cups and enjoy!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

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