Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs
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Enjoy a healthier Easter treat with these easy chocolate peanut butter eggs! They taste just like the Reese’s version, but are naturally sweetened, vegan and gluten-free.
I love my healthier peanut butter cups, but with Easter coming up I couldn’t resist making healthy chocolate peanut butter eggs!
Don’t get me wrong, I love Reese’s peanut butter eggs, but they’re made with processed sugar, dextrose, hydrogenated vegetable oil, skim milk, TBHQ and citric acid… no thank you!
This recipe is naturally sweetened, vegan and made with just a few simple real-food ingredients so they are a much healthier treat for filling up those Easter baskets.
For this recipe I experimented with two different peanut butter fillings. The first is a little more decadent because it uses real deal peanut butter and maple syrup, but it’s also easier because you don’t need a food processor… you just stir everything together in a bowl.
The second filling option is on the lighter side of things and uses powdered peanut butter or peanut flour, almond milk, dates and a little sea salt for the peanut butter center. I’m highlighting option 1 in the blog post, but I share both options below in the recipe!
For the chocolate coating I made a homemade chocolate magic shell from cocoa/cacao powder, coconut oil, a few drops of stevia and a touch of maple syrup. It’s SUPER simple and tastes pretty darn good!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chocolate + peanut butter = the best combo ever!
- They’re a healthier Easter treat compared to store-bought candy.
- Super easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.
- Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free + naturally sweetened.
Ingredients Needed
- peanut butter – I prefer natural, drippy peanut butter that’s made with just 1 or 2 ingredients… peanuts and salt. You’ll also want to use natural, drippy peanut butter not a thick peanut butter spread. Some of my favorite brands are Wild Friends peanut butter and 365 organic creamy peanut butter. If you have a peanut allergy or nut allergy feel free to swap the peanut butter with your favorite seed or nut butter like almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter or tahini.
- coconut flour – I love using Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour. I don’t recommend subbing for another flour because coconut flour soaks up a lot of liquid so you can’t easily sub 1:1 with another flour like almond flour, all-purpose flour, oat flour, etc.
- maple syrup – the perfect natural sweetener for these chocolate eggs! Just make sure you’re using pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup, which is loaded with corn syrup… not the same thing! You should be able to easily swap the maple syrup for honey or agave if that’s what you have on hand.
- sea salt – to bring all the flavors together.
- chocolate coating – we’re making a super simple magic shell coating by combining cocoa powder, melted coconut oil, liquid stevia and maple syrup.
How to Make
Make filling: Combine peanut butter, coconut flour, maple syrup and sea salt in a medium bowl until dough is formed. Break off pieces (about 1-2 Tablespoons in size) and form into an egg shape. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for about an hour.
Make coating: Once your peanut butter eggs are frozen, combine cocoa powder, melted coconut oil, stevia and maple syrup in a small bowl. Remove frozen peanut butter eggs from the freezer, dip each (one by one) into the chocolate to cover. I like to use a fork for this to help any excess chocolate drip off. If you have any leftover chocolate after dipping all the eggs, you can drizzle it over the eggs like I did.
Freeze and enjoy: Place each egg back on the parchment paper and return to the freezer to harden for a few minutes. They freeze pretty solid but will thaw out quickly and be ready to eat within 1-2 minutes.
Tips For Success
- Use melted coconut oil: Make sure you’re using melted coconut oil for the coating. If your coconut oil is solid, just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to melt.
- Use parchment paper: Place the eggs on a plate or baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. This will make it easy to remove the eggs without sticking once they harden in the freezer.
- Skip the homemade coating: If you’re not inclined to make your own chocolate shell coating you can always dip and coat the eggs with melted dark chocolate chips. Just melt about 1/3 cup chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon coconut oil and follow the instructions below for dipping.
- Use a cookie scoop: To make the peanut butter mixture into egg shapes, consider using a cookie scoop. This will give you consistent and uniform sizes and will also make the process quicker and easier.
- Avoid over-dipping: When dipping the peanut butter eggs in the chocolate coating, be sure not to over-dip them. Doing so will result in a thick layer of chocolate, which can be overwhelming and take away from the peanut butter flavor.
- Experiment with toppings: If desired, you can add toppings to the healthy chocolate peanut butter eggs before the chocolate sets. Try crushed nuts, sprinkles or a sprinkle of flaked sea salt for added flavor and texture.
How to Store Leftovers
Make sure to store these chocolate peanut butter eggs in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for storage. They melt easily because of the coconut oil. They will stay fresh for about 1 week in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
I like to store them in my Stasher bags in the freezer. Whenever I need a sweet treat I pull one out and let it thaw for 1-2 minutes before eating.
More Simple Desserts to Try
Be sure to check out all of my Easter recipes as well as the full collection of dessert recipes on EBF!
- If you’re not inclined to make your own coconut oil chocolate you can always dip and coat the eggs with melted chocolate chips. Just melt your chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup) with 1 teaspoon coconut oil and follow the instructions above for dipping.
Serving: 1egg with filling option 1 | Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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