Many of my healthier dessert recipes are made for those with food sensitivities or intolerances, including today’s. I just started to be able to digest some nut butters, but for about two years, I could not. During this time, I became a big fan of sunflower seed butter, or SunButter. Since many others can’t do nuts, I wanted to create a peanut butter chocolate dessert without peanut butter. Enter this Paleo Sunbutter Cup Recipe with Chocolate Chips – your new healthy dessert that I promise you’re going to need to make more of!
What is sun butter (or SunButter)?
Before diving into the recipe, let’s talk about SunButter. SunButter is a popular brand name of sunflower seed butter, which is simply sunflower seed paste. It’s often an alternative for those with food allergies and is suitable for kids taking lunch to schools that are nut-free. Sunflower seed butter has one third less saturated fat than most peanut butter, the same amount of protein, more vitamin E, and no trans fats. It’s creamy and delicious and acts as a wonderful substitute for peanut butter – but take note when using it for baking. In this SunButter cup recipe, there is no baking required – so no need for concern!
Do I have to use SunButter?
You absolutely do not need to use sunflower seed butter in this recipe. If you can tolerate peanut butter and want to use that, feel free. Do note that they will not be paleo, though. I have used creamy cashew butter in this recipe and almond butter as well with success.
Questions about this sunflower butter recipe:
How to store Paleo SunButter Cups with Chocolate Chips
These are best stored in the freezer. Do not store them without some refrigeration as they will get soft and, while still delicious, won’t hold their shape. Refrigeration is a possibility, but honestly, I’ve had best results storing them in a closed container in the freezer.
What type of chocolate chips should I use to make it paleo?
My chocolate of choice is Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips. Not only are they allergy-friendly, too, they are dairy-free, gluten-free, lactose-free and Paleo. Their baking chocolate is made from just three ingredients: unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter and cane sugar.
Why do you add coconut flour to the recipe?
Coconut flour is used as a stabilizer here. It helps the cups bind just a bit and helps hold them together. If you have an allergy or sensitivity to coconuts, this recipe does contain both coconut flour and coconut oil. I have not tried it with a substitute for either.
Can I make these larger?
Of course! Feel free to use a regular sized muffin tin with liners instead of the mini muffin tin that I use. We personally enjoy the smaller ones, but feel free to make larger ones if you prefer.
What you need to make this Paleo SunButter Cup Recipe with Chocolate Chips
- Mini muffin tin – while you can also make these larger, I personally prefer the smaller sized – just enough to give you that satisfaction and it makes more to go around, too!
- Liners for the muffin tin – you’ll remove these easily when ready to eat, but it helps make for easy clean-up.
- Nut butter – I recommend SunButter if nut-free is needed, but other nut butters will work well, too.
- Chocolate chips – Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips are my go-to for paleo-friendly and dairy free chocolate chips, but feel free to us what you have.
A sunbutter cup recipe that's an easy paleo dessert. Six ingredients make a nut-free, refined sugar-free no bake treat that's full of protein & healthy fats.
- 1 cup nut butter (I used SunButter, but use nut butter of choice)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil , melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- 1-2 tbsp Himalayan salt chunks
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Line a mini muffin tin with liners. In a medium bowl, mix nut butter, coconut oil, vanilla and maple syrup. Add coconut flour and mix to combine. Gently mix in 1/3 cup chocolate chips.
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Fill muffin liners with base layer.
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Heat 1/3 cup chocolate chips with 1/2 tsp coconut oil for 30 seconds in the microwave. Mix and reheat another 15 seconds if needed; mix until melted and reheat if needed working in 15 second increments.
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Add a bit of the chocolate layer to the already-filled muffin liners to top. Sprinkle salt on tops of chocolate and place in freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes before enjoying,
Let me know if you make these Paleo SunButter Cups – and before I leave you, a few more goodies you may want to check out:
Other paleo desserts with coconut flour
Paleo Moist Pumpkin Scones with a Maple Drizzle
3 Ingredient Cookies (Paleo + Egg Free)
Gluten Free Gingerbread Muffins (Paleo)
Salted Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies (Vegan, Nut-free, Grain-free)
The Best Paleo Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
