Peanut butter, banana, and chocolate in one delicious bite! These chocolate cups have a creamy, fudgy dark chocolate filling, smooth peanut butter, and topped with a piece of banana. This super fun and secretly healthy peanut butter cup recipe is paleo-friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free, and vegan. Plus easily made nut-free to suit any restrictions or preferences!
What Do These Healthy Chocolate, Banana, & Peanut Butter Cups Taste Like?
The only way to describe these healthy peanut butter cups is that they are absolutely INSANE! It’s a chocolate shell with a silky smooth and luscious truffle-like fudgy filling, a creamy peanut butter layer, and topped off with a sweet banana chunk. I like to add a sprinkling of flakey sea salt on top, but that’s totally optional. And while peanut butter is the classic choice here, feel free to use any nut/seed butter you like to suit your preferences or dietary needs!
Here’s why you will LOVE these healthy PB Cups!
- Peanut butter, banana, and chocolate is an always delicious flavor combination.
- So fun and easy to make.
- The perfect freezer-friendly treat!
- Naturally sweetened with maple syrup.
- No bake and vegan! Easily made peanut or nut free.
What Ingredients Are Used to Make These Healthy Peanut Butter Cups?
These paleo Peanut Butter Cups are made with only 6 total real, simple ingredients! This recipe is healthier as it contains no refined sugars, flours, or oils. These cups are paleo-friendly meaning they are gluten free, grain free, and dairy free. They also happen vegan and easily made nut free!
Here’s a look at the ingredients you’ll need and some possible variations:
- Chocolate – I recommend using finely chopped chocolate in this recipe but chocolate chips will also work. Try to use a good quality dark chocolate. My current go-to is Theo’s Pure Dark 70% chocolate, it’s organic and fair trade! To keep these strictly paleo use your favorite maple or coconut sugar sweetened chocolate like Hu Simple Dark or Eating Evolved.
- Coconut Cream – Makes the fudge filling lusciously smooth and creamy. Use the solid layer from the top of a fresh can of coconut milk. I use and love this brand.
- Maple Syrup – Adds sweetness to the chocolate fudge filling and keeps these refined sugar free. Sub with honey or coconut nectar if you prefer.
- Nut/Seed Butter – Adds creaminess to the fudge filling and for the creamy nut/seed butter layer. I use this creamy peanut butter, but use your favorite nut or seed butter with only one ingredient. To make these nut free use sunflower seed butter. This would also be delicious with almond butter!
- Coconut Oil – Helps stabilize the fudge filling.
- Banana Slices – Fresh banana slices to top off these fun peanut butter cups. Try not to use a large banana and choose a medium/small banana (or 2) that is not too wide so the banana slice does not take up the whole cup top.
- Salt – To balance the sweetness. And maybe some flakey sea salt for the top too, if that’s your jam.
How Do You Make This Homemade Healthy Peanut Butter Cup Recipe?
These no bake Peanut Butter Banana Cups are so quick and easy to make! This recipe makes 12 delicious mini nut or seed butter cups and they can be done in about 30 minutes! Check out the step-by-step photos below!
Here’s an overview of how to make peanut butter cups from scratch with some tips to ensure your (no) bake success!
- Prepare a mini muffin pan. I recently upgraded my bakeware to include this mini muffin tin (currently on sale!) and it’s by far the best mini cupcake/muffin pan I’ve used to date. And I use these eco-friendly mini baking cups for liners.
- Melt the chocolate. To melt the chocolate place chocolate in a heatsafe bowl and melt in a microwave in short 5 second bursts or over a double boiler. I find that finely chopped chocolate works best for this recipe as the resulting melted chocolate is easier to spread up the edges of the cups. Plus chocolate from a bar is usually better quality than chocolate chips.
- Make the chocolate cup base. Pour about a tablespoon of melted chocolate into the base of a baking cup and use a small spoon or spatula to spread the chocolate up and around the edges of the liner. Place in freezer to set.
- Make the fudge filling. Pour 1/2 cup of melted chocolate into a smaller bowl and stir coconut cream, maple syrup, nut/seed butter of choice, coconut oil, and a dash of salt until thick and creamy. It’s very important to use room temp or just warm ingredients when incorporating them into the melted chocolate. If you add cold ingredients to the melted chocolate it shocks the chocolate causing it to “seize”. This will make your chocolate go from smooth and fluid to grainy and clumpy. If your coconut cream or maple syrup have been in the fridge bring them to room temp a few hours beforehand. Or heat them together slightly in the microwave then let cool until just warm.
- Fill the cups. Once the cup base is firm and fudge filling is cool, fill the cups! Fill the cups halfway with a scoop of the fudge mixture, then add a dollop (about 1/2 teaspoon) of your favorite nut/seed butter, and top with a slice of fresh banana.
- Close the chocolate cups. With the remaining melted chocolate create the cup tops. Pour chocolate over the top of the cups, shake the pan back and forth slightly to create an even layer and place muffin tin back in the freezer for a few more minutes to set. Some tips: I like to pour the chocolate around the banana so you can see which kind of cups these are and as a fun presentation. However, pouring the chocolate over the banana is a bit easier. If your melted chocolate has firmed slightly during the filling process reheat the chocolate in the microwave and let cool for a few minutes before creating the cup tops. Keep the unfinished cups in the freezer while the chocolate cools.
- Enjoy once chocolate is firm and set!
Storage Tips: Store finished Peanut Butter Banana Cups in an airtight container in the freezer for several weeks!
These Peanut Butter Banana Fudge Cups are a classic and always delicious flavor combination that is sure to become a new favorite cup flavor. These fun PB Cups are so easy to make and made with only six ingredients, vegan, and easily nut free! It’s the perfect refreshing no bake treat during these warm summer months. Made with real, simple ingredients and secretly healthy these are an awesome midday snack or dessert and sure to put a big ole smile on your face.
paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), naturally sweetened, vegan, easily nut free
More Healthy Peanut Butter Dessert Recipes!
- Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownie Cookies (paleo, easily nut free)
- Peanut Butter & Jam Thumbprint Cookies (grain free & dairy free)
- Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies! (grain free & dairy free)
SHARE THE LOVE!
If you make this recipe, please spread the love by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see and share your creation! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna in your feed or stories and I will share on my account!
Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Fudge Cups
Peanut butter, banana, and chocolate in one delicious bite! These chocolate cups are filled with a creamy ganache-like chocolate filling, smooth peanut butter, and topped with a piece of banana. Easily made nut-free to suit any restrictions or preferences!
paleo-friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free vegan, easily nut free
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (8 oz) finely chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp (40 grams) coconut cream (solid part from the top of a fresh can of coconut milk)
- 2 tbsp (20 grams) maple syrup
- 4 tbsp (60 grams) peanut butter or other thick and creamy nut/seed butter of choice with 1 ingredient
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- dash sea salt
- 12 slices fresh banana, 1/2 inch thick*
Instructions
Prepare a mini muffin pan by lining with baking cups.
Melt the chocolate in a medium bowl by microwaving in short 5 second bursts until the chocolate is completely melted. Or, melt the chocolate in a small bowl over a double boiler. Once chocolate is mostly melted stir until smooth and shiny.
Make the chocolate cup base. Pour about 1 tbsp of melted chocolate into each baking cup and, using a small spoon, spread the chocolate up and around the sides of the cup. Rock the the muffin pan gently, side-to-side, to distribute the chocolate and create an even base. Place the muffin tin in the fridge or freezer to set the chocolate.
Make the fudge filling. Pour 1/2 cup of melted chocolate (85 grams) into a small bowl add the coconut cream, maple syrup, 1 tbsp peanut butter, coconut oil, and a dash of salt and stir until until thick and creamy. Be sure to use room temp ingredients when adding to the chocolate if any of your ingredients are cold see notes below. If fudge mixture is warm, let cool slightly before add to chocolate cups.
Create the cup filling. Scoop the fudge filling into the base of the cup, filling halfway, then add a dollop (about 1/2 teaspoon) of peanut butter, and press a slice of fresh banana into the cup.
Close the chocolate cups. Pour 1-2 tsp of the melted chocolate on top of each cup and spread into an even layer. Rock the pan gently, side-to-side, to evenly distribute the chocolate to the edges. Place back in the freezer to set.
Enjoy once chocolate is firm and set!
Recipe Notes
Helpful Kitchen Tools: mini muffin tin, eco-friendly mini baking cups, silicone spatula, kitchen scale
Storage Tips: Store finished cups in an airtight container in the freezer for several weeks!
How to Prevent Chocolate From Seizing: It’s very important to use room temp or just warm ingredients when making the fudge filling. If you add cold ingredients to the melted chocolate it shocks the chocolate causing it to “seize”. The chocolate mixture goes from smooth and fluid to a grainy separated mess. If any of the fudge filling ingredients are cold, heat them together slightly in a small bowl in short bursts in the microwave. Be sure the ingredients are warm, not hot, before incorporating them into the melted chocolate. To test this, dip a fingertip in the ingredients and if it feels comfortably warm, not hot, it's ready.
Chocolate Cup Tops and Presentation Tips: I like to pour the chocolate around the banana so you can see which kind of cups these are and as a fun presentation. But pouring the chocolate over the banana is a bit easier. If your melted chocolate has firmed slightly during the filling process reheat the chocolate in the microwave briefly and let cool for a few minutes before closing the tops. Keep the unfinished cups in the freezer while the chocolate cools.
Ingredient Substitutions/Variations:
Chocolate - I recommend using finely chopped chocolate in this recipe but chocolate chips will also work. Try to use a good quality dark chocolate. My current go-to is Theo’s Pure Dark 70% chocolate, it’s organic and fair trade! To keep these strictly paleo use your favorite maple or coconut sugar sweetened chocolate like Hu Simple Dark or Eating Evolved.
Nut/Seed Butter – Peanut butter is the classic choice here but feel free to use any thick and creamy nut/seed butter you like that contains only one ingredient (I like Once Again's Creamy PB). To make these strictly paleo and nut free use sunflower seed butter. This would also be delicious with almond butter!
Banana - Try not to use a large banana and choose a medium/small banana (or 2) that is not too wide so the banana slice won't take up the whole cup top.
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