Raw banana cream pie “Reese’s” peanut butter cacao cups – a healthy version of a peanut butter cup made with organic raw cacao powder, coconut butter, coconut oil, and a banana nut butter coconut cream filling.

Party in your mouth-worthy and a great healthy dessert or Halloween treat alternative.  Children-verified and approved as well!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)

1/2 cup coconut butter

2 tablespoons raw cacao powder

1/2 – 1 banana or plantain (less if you want more dominant nut butter flavor)

2 tablespoons raw almond butter, cashew butter or peanut butter (i’ve used all three- all great!)

1/4 cup coconut milk

pinch of pink salt

Optional:  vanilla extract, coconut sugar, coconut nectar, or stevia if you like sweeter chocolate. I like a more bitter/plain chocolate (or really, not super sweet chocolate) and the sweet of the banana usually does the job for me, but you could try 1/2 tablespoon coconut nectar, one of my favorite alternative sweeteners that is low on the glycemic index.

*links above are to brands I approve and use myself

Equipment:

12-spot small cupcake tray

cupcake liners

blender

Directions:

Add banana, coconut milk, and nut butter to a blender and mix.  Remove mixture from the blender and place in a bowl.  Next combine coconut butter, melted coconut oil, cacao powder, and small pinch of pink salt (add optional sweetening ingredient here if you want) in blender and mix.  Once mixed slowly pour about a tablespoon in the bottom of each tin spot (see picture above).  Note: if coconut oil becomes solid and hard to pour the mixture, simply add it to a sauce pan on lowest heat and stir it until mixture gets to a more liquid pouring consistency (I had to do this, see picture at top).

From there add a spoonful (about 1/2 tablespoon) of your banana cream pie nut butter filling into center of each cup (see picture above).

Pour off your remaining chocolate mixture evenly into each cup so filling covered to the top (see picture below).

Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes if you want a gooey center, or longer for a solid center. 

Simple as that.

Enjoy!