Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Date Cups
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These Peanut Butter Date Cups are made with only 4 ingredients and are such a delicious, healthier version of a classic peanut butter cup! They are a no bake dessert, easily made in the freezer, and are topped with flaky sea salt.
These date peanut butter cups are so delicious and very hard to stop eating!! Luckily, the recipe makes 24 peanut butter cups!
I love topping these with a flaky sea salt. It really takes them to another level. I also like to make these around Christmas time, but really, they’re perfect all year long!
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make these Date Peanut Butter Cups:
Ingredient Notes
- Chocolate Chips: You can use any preferred chocolate chips. I used Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips for this recipe, as they’re allergen-friendly.
- Peanut Butter: I used a salted peanut butter. You can use an unsalted peanut butter, but may want to add a little bit of salt to the peanut butter filling.
- Maple Syrup: This is optional. If you don’t eat much sugar, you may not need the maple syrup!
Additions
- Flaky Sea Salt: I love topping my peanut butter cups with flaky sea salt! It really elevates them. I add the sea salt before I put the cups in the freezer to harden.
Substitutions
- Chocolate Chips: You can use any kind of chocolate chips you’d like!
- Medjool Dates: You can use other types of dates, I just find medjool to be sweeter and a better consistency to blend.
- Peanut Butter: You can use any nut butter or sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.
Tools For This Recipe
- Food processor
- Small microwave-friendly bowl
- Silicone mini muffin pan (so peanut butter cups don’t stick – use non-stick muffin liners if you don’t have a silicone muffin pan)
How to Make Peanut Butter Date Cups: Step-by-Step
For the full recipe with the exact ingredients, scroll down to the printable recipe card below!
Step 1: Cover dates with hot water and let them sit for 5 minutes to soften.
Step 2: In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips by microwaving them for about 1.5 minutes, careful not to burn them. Stir to fully melt the chocolate chips.
Step 3: Put about 1 teaspoon of the melted chocolate at the bottom of each muffin cup in the muffin pan. Place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes while you make the peanut butter filling.
Step 4: Drain dates and add them to the food processor. Add peanut butter and maple syrup and process until it looks like a paste.
Step 5: Scoop a small spoonful of the date peanut butter filling on top of the frozen chocolate in each muffin cup.
Step 6: Melt the remaining 3/4 cups chocolate chips in the microwave and top each peanut butter cup with melted chocolate. (Optional) Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of each cup. Place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes, until the chocolate has hardened.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Help the peanut butter filling and the chocolate stick together better by scraping some of the base layer of melted chocolate onto the sides of the muffin cups/liners, forming a little cup to put the peanut butter filling in. You will want it to connect with the top layer of chocolate.
- You will probably have some leftover peanut butter filling. You can either make thicker peanut butter cups or store the leftover and eat it with some dark chocolate (like my husband does!).
Storage
- Freezer: Store leftover peanut butter cups in a freezer-safe storage bag or container. Take them out when you’re ready to eat them. They take a couple of minutes on the counter to get soft enough to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course! Use any kind that you like. I prefer to use dark chocolate chips simply because they usually have less sugar and more nutrients.
Yes! You can use any nut butter you’d like or use sunflower seed butter if you are making these for someone with a nut allergy. Just know that using a different nut butter/sunflower seed butter will change the flavor profile.
They still taste delicious this way! However, to help them from separating, you’re going to need to make your base layer of chocolate come up the sides of each muffin liner/cup so it can connect with the top layer of chocolate. This may require a bit more melted chocolate than the recipe calls for.
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Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Date Cups
Ingredients
- 8 medjool dates, pitted
- 3/4 cup peanut butter, creamy and salted
- 1.5 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, (optional)
- Flaky sea salt, (optional)
Instructions
- Cover dates with hot water and let them sit for 5 minutes to soften.
- Meanwhile, melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips in a small, microwave-safe bowl, by microwaving them for about 1.5 minutes, careful not to burn them. Stir to fully melt the chocolate chips.
- Put about 1 teaspoon of the melted chocolate at the bottom of each muffin cup in the muffin pan (I use a silicone muffin pan, but if you don't have one, use non-stick muffin liners in your muffin pan). Place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes while you make the peanut butter filling.
- Drain dates and add them to the food processor (NO date water). Add peanut butter and maple syrup to the food processor and process until fully blended and it looks almost like a paste.
- Take the muffin pan out of the freezer and scoop a small spoonful of the date peanut butter filling on top of the frozen chocolate in each muffin cup.
- Melt the remaining 3/4 cups chocolate chips in the microwave and top each peanut butter cup with melted chocolate. (Optional) Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of each cup.
- Place in the freezer for at least 15 minutes, until the chocolate has hardened.