Pumpkin seed butter cups are a vibrant and allergy friendly alternative to peanut butter cups! These healthy sweet snacks require just four simple ingredients, are naturally gluten-free and easy to make vegan, and would be perfect Halloween or Christmas treats!
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Peanut butter cups are consistently one of the most popular candies in America. However, not everyone can enjoy peanut butter, and maybe some don’t want to consume all the extra ingredients that would come in a store-bought chocolate cup.
Instead of peanut butter cups, we’re going to make DIY pumpkin seed butter cups that taste so good no one will want to reach for a peanut butter cup again. It’s a great way to use up any leftover pumpkin seed butter that we made last week!
We’ve made bite size desserts like this before with my dark chocolate salted caramel cups, dark chocolate banana and almond butter cups, and classic almond butter cups. It’s the same simple process of melting chocolate, then layering it in a mini muffin tin with the filling. If you don’t mind a little mess, it’s also easy enough for kids to make themselves!
I was honestly a little surprised how much my kids and I liked these, and it has become one of our favorite healthy sweet snacks. I almost considered writing this recipe with cayenne pepper in it, because that is actually my favorite way to eat them, but I couldn’t do that to my kids who don’t love spice.
Either way, I would REALLY recommend trying these with either cayenne pepper added to the pumpkin seed butter, or just cut a chocolate cup in half and sprinkle some on the middle before enjoying. It adds a ton of dimension to the flavors and really pulls everything together.
When I did this it reminded me of my spicy pistachio shortbread cookies, which are also one of my long-time favorites!
Ingredients
- Pumpkin seed butter
- Honey
- Chocolate
- Salt
How to make pumpkin seed butter cups
- In a small bowl, combine pumpkin seed butter, honey, and salt. Set aside.
- Melt 8 ounces of chocolate in a double boiler or in 30 second bursts in the microwave.
- Add the remaining chocolate and stir until fully melted.
- Spoon a small amount of chocolate into paper liners in a mini muffin pan.
- Roll about 1 heaping teaspoon of pumpkin seed butter mixture into balls, then place on top of the chocolate in the pan.
- Top with the remaining chocolate and a few pumpkin seeds (pepitas) if desired.
- Refrigerate or freeze until firm, then transfer to a zip top freezer bag and store in the freezer until ready to enjoy.
Top tips and questions
A note about chocolate for chocolate cups
Twelve ounces was just enough chocolate to make 24 chocolate cups. If you’re not sure about your portioning skills or have little ones stealing swipes of melted chocolate off the spoon, you may want to have a little extra chocolate on hand to make sure you can cover all your pumpkin seed butter.
How to temper chocolate
Tempering chocolate is a method of stabilizing chocolate for candy making. Heating and cooling the chocolate to specific temperatures leaves it with a smooth and glossy finish.
I like to do this cheaters way of tempering chocolate where I melt two thirds of what I’m using, then add the rest and stir until fully melted. This helps reduce the risk of burning the chocolate, but won’t give you that perfect glossy finish. You can melt your chocolate in 30 second bursts in the microwave or in a double boiler on the stove top.
If you’re interested in tempering chocolate the correct way, you can read this tutorial on how to temper chocolate by Tessa of Handle the Heat.
How to roll pumpkin seed butter into balls
I found it easiest to work quickly with the pumpkin seed butter to prevent it from sticking to my hands. Mine was the perfect consistency after adding the honey, but if yours is too sticky you could always just use two spoons to scoop it into the pan.
Where to buy mini cupcake liners
You can usually find mini cupcake liners in the baking aisle of the grocery store, or you can buy mini cupcake liners here. You could also use a silicone mini muffin pan if you prefer not to use paper.
How to store pumpkin seed butter cups
I like to store these in the freezer so they stay fresh longer, don’t melt, and can be easily enjoyed at any time. Place them in a zip top freezer bag or other airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to enjoy, let them sit out at room temperature for 5 minutes to thaw out a little bit.
Healthy holiday treats
Because of the bright green color, I think these would make really fun healthy Halloween or Christmas treats (maybe add a couple pomegranate seeds to each for a red and green combo!). They’re also easy to make ahead of time, so you can save time by prepping your holiday treats months in advance and storing them in the freezer.
Tips for customizing
- Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or cinnamon to the pumpkin seed and honey filling, adjusting to taste
- Sprinkle the tops with Maldon sea salt flakes
- Make these as full size pumpkins seed butter cups by using a regular size muffin tin
- Swap the pumpkin seed butter for sunflower seed butter
- Layer with strawberry chia jam (or other flavor) for a pumpkin seed butter and jelly version
- Use a darker chocolate with a higher cacao percentage
- Use maple syrup instead of honey to make these vegan
FAQ
I like to use bars of baking chocolate when making chocolate cups because chocolate chips contain additional ingredients that help them hold their chip shape. That being said, if you don’t mind the difference in taste and texture when using chocolate chips then, yes, you are welcome to use them in this recipe in place of chocolate baking bars.
If you’re not interested in making your own pumpkin seed butter at home, I get it. While it’s easy and more cost-effective than purchasing pre-made butter, sometimes you just don’t have the right tools or time.
Here is a popular pumpkin seed butter by 88 Acres (affiliate link) that you can purchase on Amazon. You may also be able to find it in the grocery store, although I’ve never seen it where I live.
Pumpkin seed butter boasts lots of nutrients like magnesium, zinc, and iron. It’s also high in fiber and magnesium. Dark chocolate can also be healthy for you in moderation thanks to the antioxidants it contains.
Because of all this and their small size, I would consider these pumpkin seed butter cups a healthy sweet treat. As always, enjoy everything in moderation.
More healthy sweet treats
- Vegan Cookie Dough for One
- Healthy Banana Mug Cake
- Vegan Cookie Dough Bars
- Pretzel Cookie Dough Truffles
- Sweet Potato Brownies
- Strawberry Sorbet
- Gingerbread Energy Balls
- Vegan Single Serving Brownie
- Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Cookie Dough Dip for Two
- Cantaloupe Date Popsicles
- Cherry Frozen Yogurt Popsicles
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Pumpkin Seed Butter Cups
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup pumpkin seed butter
- ⅓ cup raw honey
- Pinch of salt
- 12 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces, divided
- Pepitas for topping, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine pumpkin seed butter, honey, and salt. Set aside.
- Place 8 ounces of chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl. Melt in 30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring after each time. Alternatively, you could place the bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stovetop and stir until melted.
- Once the chocolate is fully melted, add the remaining chocolate and stir until completely melted. If it won’t melt fully, return to the microwave for a few seconds.
- Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners and spoon a small amount of chocolate into each liner, using the spoon to spread the chocolate a bit up the sides of the paper.
- Roll the pumpkin seed butter mixture into balls about 1 heaping teaspoon in size. Place the balls on top of the chocolate in the pan.
- Spoon remaining chocolate over the top of the pumpkin seed butter balls and top with a few pepitas if desired.
- Place the pan in the refrigerator or freezer until firm, then transfer to a zip top freezer bag or other airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Tips for customizing
- Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or cinnamon to the pumpkin seed and honey filling, adjusting to taste
- Sprinkle the tops with Maldon sea salt flakes
- Make these as full size pumpkins seed butter cups by using a regular size muffin tin
- Swap the pumpkin seed butter for sunflower seed butter
- Layer with strawberry chia jam (or other flavor) for a pumpkin seed butter and jelly version
- Use a darker chocolate with a higher cacao percentage
- Use maple syrup instead of butter to make these vegan
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