Homemade Protein PB Cups: A Special Treat Without All the Junk

For those of you who know me well, you know my favorite candy is Reese’s. I love peanut butter and chocolate as well as mint chocolate. You’ve probably figured that out from all the chocolate peanut butter snack recipes we’ve posted on the site. If you’re a chocolate peanut butter person, you get it! It’s so rich and yummy! If that’s you, you should totally try these Homemade Protein PB Cups!

The best Reese’s are the ones shaped like Easter eggs, Halloween pumpkins, Christmas trees, and Valentine’s hearts. The ratio of chocolate to peanut butter is just right. There are 2 main problems with these “best Reese’s ever”: 1) They disappear between Easter and Halloween. I call this the “great drought” and hate having to wait until Halloween to satisfy a pb cup craving. 2) I feel the sugar rush and crash after I eat them. There have been so many times where I literally weigh in my head if it’s worth feeling like crap to eat just 1 delicious pb egg.

What if you didn’t have to feel like crap afterwards? What if you could throw something together in about 10 minutes that would satisfy that pb cup craving, while not only avoiding junk food but even adding protein into your day? That’s why I am in love with these Homemade Protein PB Cups! They are so simple and peanut butter chocolatey! When I make them, my husband and I love having a small treat that we can munch on all week! I absolutely love it anytime I can find a healthy way to celebrate the seasons without having to go “off-plan” every single time!

How Can I Make Homemade Protein PB Cups that Look More Like a Reese’s Cup?

The key is the dish you chill it in. If you want more of a cup-like shape, you can use Silicone Muffin Pans. That will give you more of that “cup” shape. I went with the time-saver method. I wanted you to see that you can just layer it in a dish and pop it in the fridge. I’m all about saving time and energy and still keeping delicious, healthy snacks in the house. Either way is great; it just depends on what you’re going for.

How Do I Make Homemade Protein PB Cups That Are Healthy?

If one of your main reasons for trying this recipe is to have more protein and a healthy treat you can enjoy, then I’ve got you covered! The key is to check your labels for the ingredients you’re using. A lot of peanut butter, protein powders, and chocolate have added sugars and yucky sweeteners that aren’t good for you. Just make sure you know what’s going in your recipe, especially when it comes down to these 3 ingredients.

For peanut butter, you can find natural peanut butters in the store that don’t have added sugar. Most of your generic ones do have sugar in there; the label will tell you really fast if it’s got added sugar or not. For this recipe, my favorite protein powder is Orgain Vanilla Bean Protein Powder. It has natural ingredients and adds a sweet flavor to most recipes. For the chocolate, you can use 80 percent or higher to avoid a lot of the sugar. Some other brands we love that have healthier sweeteners in place of sugar are Bake Believe and Lily’s Chocolate Chips.

What is a Good Chocolatey Layer or Coating That I Can Use For Healthy Treats?

Using the healthy chocolate options above, you can make all kinds of treats and snacks. We’ve been experimenting more and more with covering fruit in chocolate. To get a healthy chocolate that hardens, you can melt chocolate together with coconut oil. This makes a nice and glossy chocolate that hardens pretty fast. For a richer flavor, you can even add in some natural peanut butter, which we did with our Blueberry Muddy Buddy Recipe.

Why Add Protein to a Peanut Butter Cups Recipe?

Protein is super important for good health. It is what repairs and rebuilds muscles after a workout. It can also help anchor a meal with carbs or sugars. If I don’t eat protein for breakfast or do a high-sugar or high-carb snack without protein, it throws off my sugar levels. Just adding a little protein can make a huge difference.

Adding protein can also help with gaining muscle and getting more toned and even with losing weight. My husband added in a high-protein snack before bed each night and it actually helped him break thru a plateau and lose weight faster. Protein is a building-block for our bodies. Anytime I can add in a little protein, I know it’s that much healthier. I pay attention to how I feel, but I anchor almost every meal or snack with a protein of some kind.

What If I Don’t Like Meat; Is Protein Still Important?

If you don’t get enough protein, your body can’t repair the tissues you break down from exercise and daily use. I’m not always crazy about meat. You can add in protein so many different ways, from homemade protein smoothies to nuts to beans and dairy. In recipes like this, just sneaking in an all-natural protein powder, almond flour, and peanut butter can add in enough protein to help you better reach your daily goals. Doing that consistently can help you look and feel your very best!

Having Treats Like This Homemade Protein PB Cups Recipe Can Make A Healthy Lifestyle Sustainable

Do I eat homemade protein pb cups for lunch every day? The answer is no. There are many days where I get a small serving of some kind of chocolatey treat sometime during the day. Moderation is a key, but so is having a healthy alternative to junk food. If chocolate is your “thing”, what kind of healthier chocolate can you keep in the house so you don’t grab that regular Reese’s egg that makes you feel the immediate sugar rush?

Giving yourself healthy options and removing the unhealthy ones can make a huge difference! I’m a lot more consistent with staying on plan when I give myself healthy snacks and treats I enjoy. There are times to tighten up and cutting back even healthy treats can help you reach your fitness goals. However, there are also times when just having a healthy treat can make the difference between giving in to those cravings and still feeling amazing and on track!

The more we’ve discovered recipes like these Homemade Protein PB Cups, the more we’ve been able to stay consistent and avoid sugar and processed junk food. Finding foods you love that are also good for you can help you stay consistent and love the journey you take getting there!

Here Are Some Other Sweet Treats