Halloween is just around the corner (or at least the retailers would like you to think so!), which means the return of my favorite candy of all time, peanut butter cups. Sadly, my favorite vegan brand can be difficult to find and, most tragic of all, my husband is deathly allergic to peanut butter. As an affordable and allergy-friendly alternative, I’ve got an easy recipe for homemade vegan sunbutter cups, which uses sunflower seed butter instead! You could also try other nut butters like almond, but I’ve found that sunflower seed butter in particular is the closest in flavor and texture to peanut butter. Let’s get started!

Vegan Sunbutter Cups

– 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter

-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

-1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

-1 1/2 cups of vegan chocolate chips

-Coconut oil spray

Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. You could also use the double boiler method for this step if you prefer.

Step 2: Place your cupcake liners into a muffin tin and spritz with a bit of coconut oil to prevent the chocolate from getting stuck to the paper. Then, place a heaping teaspoon of the melted chocolate into the bottom of the liners. To get an even bottom layer, tap the muffin tin on the kitchen counter a few times. Then, place in the freezer for a good 15 minutes.

Step 3: While your first layer is freezing, make the filling. Mix the sunflower seed butter, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla extract and stir together until it forms a paste. As an optional step, add a pinch of sea salt.

Step 4: Once the first layer of chocolate has hardened, spoon a small dollop of the sunbutter mixture on top, making sure to carefully smooth it evenly around the liner. Small tip: use two spoons sprayed with the coconut oil to help make it easier to get the sticky paste where it needs to be.

Step 5: Top with the remaining melted chocolate (again, tapping and wiggling the pan to ensure an even surface) and place in the freezer once more for about 30 minutes.

Eat and enjoy! That was easy, right? To store, I would recommend keeping your sunbutter cups in the freezer as they will soften and melt quickly.

Also by Sarah: DIY Homemade Yumm Sauce Recipe

DIY Homemade Almond Milk

How to Make Your Small Apartment Feel Bigger

How to Survive a Long Haul Flight

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Photo credit: Sarah McEwing