vegan coconut peanut butter cups

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend!  Spring is in the air here in Arizona and made for the most beautiful weekend.  Woke up Saturday and hopped out of bed ready to get in a great walk before making the darling husband (who was out washing my car...thank you honey!) a healthy Tofu Scramble with a side of Garlic-Jalapeno Potatoes.

Being Easter weekend I really wanted something fun and junky for dessert.  My number one favorite Easter treat pre-vegan days - Peanut butter cups!  OMG, there is nothing like peanut butter and chocolate....my heaven! I had this crazy idea of taking my "cheese" cake crust, some creamy peanut butter, vegan chocolate chips and shredded coconut and coming up with a vegan version of heaven!!  I not only did that, but I knocked it out of the ball park!!  My husband told me it was the BEST thing I have ever made!  LOL! I TOTALLY agree!!



Vegan Coconut Peanut Butter Cups

Vegan Coconut Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 8-12
Ingredients
Crust
1 Cup Macadamia Nuts (or raw nuts of your choice)
1 Cup pitted dates (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes then drained)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Filling
Peanut Butter (or nut butter of your choice)
2 Cups Vegan Chocolate Chips
2 tablespoons Almond Milk
Shredded Coconut

Directions
In your food processor add nuts and pulse until chopped up well (don't over processes).  Remove dates from water and add to nuts in food processor, along with cinnamon.  Pulse all together until mixture sticks together well.

To make these pop out of the muffin tins easily, tear off a piece of parchment paper and cut into strips about 1/2" wide and 4" long.  Before spooning nut mixture into the muffin tin place the parchment strips in each hole.  Once these are done then you can pop out the desserts using the parchment paper strips! Using a muffin pan scoop in heaping 2 Tbsp amounts of crust and press with fingers. Place in freezer for 15 minutes.

Remove muffin pan from freezer.  Add 1-2 spoonful's of peanut butter on top of each crust, spread to cover.  Place back in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Pour vegan chocolate chips into a small sauce pan and place on top of a larger sauce pan filled with water.  Over med-high heat slowly melt chocolate chips.  I found adding a little almond milk at a time helps make the vegan chocolate chips smoother.   Once melted quickly remove from larger sauce pan and pull muffin pan out of the freezer.  Using a spoon quickly pour a couple of spoonful's over the peanut butter layer covering completely. Work fast before chocolate hardens.  Once all are covered sprinkle with coconut and place back in freezer for 15-20 minutes.  You can either keep in the freezer or refrigerator.  I like mine softer and we did eat them pretty FAST so the refrigerator worked great!  Enjoy!!

I had this crazy idea last night that I may need to make these again, but change out the peanut butter and add sliced banana...oh yeah! LOL!  I think I dream of food way too much.  Ended the weekend only being up about one pound, so not too bad.

Have happy and healthy week my friends!