Just 2 ingredients, these low carb peanut butter cups will knock your socks off! Whether you’re preparing for Halloween or just craving some deliciously low carb treats these keto friendly peanut butter cups are the dessert for you!
Are Keto Peanut Butter Cups Fat Bombs?
These cups are not directly labeled as keto fat bombs, however fat is the main macro in this dessert and makes the perfect fat supplement on a keto diet. While simple these chocolate peanut butter cups make a great end of day dessert or meal pairing on days when your fats are low. There are only two ingredients in these keto peanut butter cups, chocolate and peanut butter. No coconut oil, cocoa butter, or regular butter. This was for simplicity and authentic taste to normal peanut butter cups. There are a few steps you can take if you do want to up the fat in these even more.
- Add Coconut Oil or Butter – Adding 1 to 2 tsps of coconut oil to the chocolate can help to make a smooth and shiny chocolate. Just know if added they should be stored in the fridge as coconut oil and butter melt quickly and easily
- Top It – Feel free to sprinkle some pure cacao nibs or chopped peanuts on top before the top chocolate layer freezes. This creates a nice crunch as well as adds a bit of extra fat. Note carbs may increase slightly due to toppings but both peanuts and cacao nibs have plenty of fiber to lower the net carbs
If you do want a true low carb/ keto fat bomb check out our Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough fat bombs. Or download a copy of The Fat Bomb Bible.
Picking Quality Ingredients
Making these peanut butter cups is quick, easy, and affordable. Plus everyone knows homemade treats taste 10 times better! Not only is the quality of ingredients better, but so is the flavor. Many brands such as Lily’s, Atkins, and Weight Watchers have made keto peanut butter cups which tried to take the world by storm. While our favorite, Lily’s is delicious, we feel that the peanut butter inside is lacking in flavor and creaminess. The best way to remedy this is by using high quality ingredients with natural peanut butter.
Below we have compiled a list with the best ingredient options to make a delicious low carb peanut butter cup that satisfies your sweet tooth in a pinch.
What Chocolates are Keto Friendly?
The first ingredient to consider when making peanut butter cups is the chocolate. Without a good chocolate you just have, well, peanut butter. While a jar of peanut butter and a spoon is delicious, it’s also dangerously good so we recommend using sugar free chocolate to make these pre-portioned peanut butter treats.
There are quite a few low carb chocolate options to look at when making these sugar free peanut butter cups. If you aren’t going to use the sugar free
- Lilys – This is by far our favorite and we commonly use in this recipe. A smooth chocolate with a solid bite that still has a bit of a creamy break unlike a dark chocolate’s typical snap. Lilys carries milk and dark chocolate depending on your preference
- Bakers Chocolate 100% – Bakers chocolate is very easy to find in many grocery stores, normally in the baking isle. It is a great option for those looking to have practically zero net carbs or a more natural sugar alcohol free chocolate. Bakers chocolate is pure dark chocolate. IMPORTANT: This chocolate is NOT sweet, no really like at all. Bakers chocolate is an acquired taste and we recommend adding some stevia to it if you plan on using a chocolate this bitter.
- Lindt 85%+ – This may be way to dark for many people. Just like Bakers chocolate it is quite bitter. While more expensive than bakers chocolate in price per ounce, it is a very smooth chocolate. Some of the bitterness is cut by its smooth butter like texture. Again this is a great sugar alcohol free chocolate BUT it is VERY DARK AND BITTER. If you chose to use it make sure that you add stevia or erythritol.
- LUV Keto (a Vegan Option)- If you are interested in a more vegan keto approach, or just want something that is dairy free these chips are your best bet. They are already sweetened with stevia so there is no need to add extra sweeteners.
- ChocZero – While not our first choice ChocZero is still an option. Sweetened with monk fruit you can get white, milk, or dark chocolate varieties. Just be wary if you know soluble corn fiber effects your keto diet as these do contain excess fiber to balance the carbs.
Sweeteners to AVOID on keto!
Run forest run, these are some bad sweeteners that not only mess with your stomach, but can also knock you out of ketosis. Make sure whatever chocolate you buy does not include this! Read our guide on keto friendly sweeteners for more info.
- Maltitol – A common sweetener in sugar free and low carb treats. These are the easiest sugar free treats to find and usually the cheapest. If you count net carbs, you should really only be counting half the carbs of these products because Maltitol increases blood sugar just like cane sugar
- IMO Syrup (Aka isomalto oligosaccharides) – Again this is another sweetener that does in fact effect blood sugar levels and can cause a hit to your blood glucose levels
- Sugar – This is obviously not keto, but has quite a few names so you may not realize all the different types. (ex. cane sugar, brown rice syrup, agave, honey, tapioca syrup, ect.)
Carbs in Peanut butter? That’s Nuts!
Don’t panic! Peanut butter CAN be incorporated into a keto diet. While some traditional keto dieters won’t enjoy this delicious delicacy since it is a legume, we can’t imagine a life without it! Legumes are just the edible seeds inside of pods that grow underground (1). There are carbs in peanut butter, however they are still pretty low and are more impacted in the other ingredients you may find in nut butters. We recommend natural peanut butter with only two ingredients, peanuts and salt. Here are our favorite peanut butters for the peanut butter filling:
- Crazy Richards – The only thing crazy about Richard is how little his brand is known! An amazingly smooth peanut butter with 1 ingredient and only 2 Net carbs per tablespoon, perfect for this peanut butter mixture!
- Low Carb Peanut Butter With MCT Oil – Have a little extra time and want to get fancy? Maybe you just want to try and make keto peanut butter? Check out our homemade sprouted peanut and mct oil nut butter!
- Kirkland Signature – For all the Costco shoppers this ones for you! The Kirkland signature peanut butter is two simple ingredients, but is extra creamy and packed with flavor. A toasty warm flavor with a hint of salt. Plus, they are organic. If you are concerned about spraying of pesticides on the peanut plants this is a great option for you.
Main takeaway: Avoid peanut butters with nasty fillers and sugars. You may read ingredients like hydrogenated oils, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, sugar, or cane sugar. These cheap oils and sugar can cause bloating as well as inflammation (2). The point of making keto peanut butter cups is so you can have all the sweetness without an upset stomach.
How to Make a Keto Peanut Butter Cup
These cups are certainly quick and easy to make requiring about 10 minutes active time and that’s it! Whip out an ice cube tray, stir a fresh jar of peanut butter, and melt some chocolate because easy keto treats just got a whole lot simpler.
- Start by melting your low carb chocolate in a microwave safe bowl- NOTE go in 10 second intervals to prevent burning, trust me I’ve burned too much chocolate in my lifetime by hitting the auto 30 seconds.
- Using ONLY 1/3 of your melted chocolate evenly cover 4 ice cube sections with a bottom layer of chocolate. Freeze for 15 minutes or until solid
- Evenly divide the smooth peanut butter filling between your 4 cups placing all peanut butter into the center as best as possible- Don’t fret if it isn’t perfect just try to keep it center so none spills out the sides. If you have really runny peanut butter you can try leaving it in the fridge before hand for a few hours as some will set in the fridge.
- Pour the remaining chocolate on top of the peanut butter layer and then freeze for an additional 30 minutes or until fully set.
These keto peanut butter cups are sure to wow your family as a quick and easy keto dessert. Perfect for halloween or even just a mid day pick me up.
Recipe Questions
Can I use PB2 Instead of Peanut Butter?
We do not recommend using PB2 or any powdered peanut butter substitute as it has a different texture than creamy fresh peanut butter. If you are looking for lower calorie peanut butter cups you can try half powdered peanut butter (Pre mixed with water to make an equal volume substitution) and half regular peanut butter, HOWEVER we have not tested this personally and cannot promise it will work well.
Crunchy or Creamy Peanut Butter?
Whatever you prefer! Normally we stick with creamy as it has the most authentic keto peanut butter cups texture, but you can do chunky if you want a contrast!
How can I make the Peanut Butter Filling Sweeter?
If you love sweet treats have no fear! Add a few drops of stevia or
Why an Ice Cube Tray?
The ice cube tray was an idea we thought up for those who want a quick freezer peanut butter cup, but may not have silicone molds. If you have mini or regular silicone cupcake molds like these you are welcome to make the keto peanut butter cups in there.
Can I make my keto peanut butter cups sugar alcohol free?
If you are looking for a basic recipe that is easy to follow and whole foods keto approved you’ve found it. Go ahead and sub the lilys chocolate for 100% bakers chocolate and make sure your peanut butter is sugar free. The flavor will be a bit different and will not be sweet like a normal peanut butter cup so keep that in mind. Add additional stevia if you make these substitutions.
I can’t get them out of the tray
These are best when made in a silicon tray, but if you’re using a traditional ice cube tray you will want to be sure that the chocolate completely surrounds the peanut butter. This will prevent sticking and make them easier to remove.
Storing and Saving
We often treat these like fat bombs and love to make a ton that we can have on hand for times that fat should be added to our meals. If you want to make a big batch of keto peanut butter cups there are a couple ways to best store them so that they last a long time with the best flavor.
- Fridge – This is probably the best method for someone making a moderate sized batch and eating them throughout the week. They will store in an airtight container for about 2 weeks in the fridge
- Freezer – Freezing is a great option if keto peanut butter cups are a treat you just want from time to time. You can also make a big batch, freeze half and thaw in the fridge for a bit until ready to consume. The chocolate layer may become a bit firm, but after time in the fridge should be fine. Freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight Ziploc freezer bag.
Do not store on the counter. In warmer climates there is a strong chance of melting. Plus they are preservative free and won’t last out for more than a day or so.
Need More Peanut Butter Low Carb Recipes?
Try some of our other delicious sugar free treats that are low carb/ keto friendly.
No Bake Keto Peanut Butter Bites – If you have some peanut butter left over then throw in some coconut and make these amazing no bake cookies.
Peanut Butter Cup Lava Cake – This is one of our all time favorite recipes. A rich chocolate cake overflowing with a creamy peanut butter center.
Keto Peanut Butter Balls – Another low carb 5 ingredients recipe. These amazing keto peanut butter balls are no bake and definitely a keto friendly treat for all the peanut butter lovers out there!
Ice Cube Tray Peanut Butter Cups
What You Need:
- Ice Cube Tray
- Microwave
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Keto Chocolate Chips
- 1/4 cup Peanut Butter
Instructions:
- Place your ice cube tray in the freezer for 30 minutes prior to starting.
- Grease ice cube tray using a non stick spray or coconut oil.
- Melt chocolate chips by placing in a microwave safe bowl and heating in bursts of 15 seconds. If you have trouble getting your chocolate to melt you can add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to the chocolate chips. This helps with melting.
- Pour half of the melted chocolate into your ice cube tray. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate up the sides of the tray. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden.
- Remove tray from the freezer and evenly distribute the peanut butter on top of the hardened chocolate layer.
- Melt the remaining chocolate once again and evenly distribute on top of the peanut butter layer. Gently tap the ice cube tray so the top layer flattens out and completely covers the peanut butter.
- Place in the freezer for 2 hours. Crack the ice cube tray to remove the peanut butter cups. Use a knife to remove any cups that stick to the tray.
- Store in freezer for up to 3 months.
Video:
Notes
Yields: 12 servings  The best way to make this recipe is with a silicon ice cube tray so the cups are easier to remove at the end. It can also be made using a standard ice cube tray but you will likely end up with a few broken ones when you go to remove them.
Written by
Matt Gaedke
Matt is a former college basketball player turned computer engineer who discovered his passion for health and nutrition after cutting sugar from his diet in 2016. That year he founded KetoConnect with Megha in order to share their ketogenic lifestyle through recipes, videos, and educational content. Matt is always seeking to grow and try new things, a passion he shares with his wife and two amazing sons.
