Chocolate Peanut Butter "Eggs" (Gluten and Dairy-Free)

  

Knock-off Reese's Peanut Butter Easter "Eggs".

I'm singing "Highway To The Danger Zone" as I pop one after another into my mouth.

These are DANGEROUS because they are SO INCREDIBLY GOOD. 

And the most "unreal" ingredient is powdered sugar.  I'm choosing to overlook that at the moment.

 "Gonna take you right into the danger zone!"

 Mix together peanut butter, powdered sugar, and salt into a crumbly dough.

 Scoop out teaspoon-sized "eggs".

 Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until hardened (about an hour).

 I inserted a toothpick into each "egg" for easier dipping/handling.  (And to keep my kids' hands moderately clean as they devoured them.)

Dip peanut butter "eggs" into a mixture of cocoa powder, melted coconut oil, and maple sugar.

Could I have done a neater job dipping the "eggs"?  Of course.  But could these have possibly tasted any better?  I cannot imagine so.

The next time I make these (tomorrow), I'm going to try double-dipping the eggs to get a thicker chocolate coating.  A lot of coating remained after the initial dipping, and I figure, why not make the chocolate a little thicker??

(I stored mine in the freezer, hence the frost...)

Printable Recipe

Chocolate-Coated Peanut Butter "Eggs"
Makes 19-20 teaspoon-sized "eggs"

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used "natural" peanut butter); any nut butter will work
1/8 (heaping) teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Mix the peanut butter, salt, and powdered sugar until a crumbly dough forms.  If it's too moist, add a bit more powdered sugar; too dry, add a bit more peanut butter.  (It really depends on the type of peanut butter you use.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.

Using a teaspoon, scoop out the peanut butter dough.  Form into an oval or "egg" shape.  Place "egg" on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat until all dough has been used.  

Freeze "eggs" until hardened; about an hour.

When ready to coat the "eggs" in chocolate, whisk together the cocoa powder, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup in a medium bowl until smooth.  

Insert a toothpick into the bottom of each egg, if desired, to make "lollipops" as you dip the "eggs" into the chocolate coating OR use two spoons to dip and coat the "eggs".  Whichever method you choose, work quickly (so the "egg" stays hard/frozen) and dip each one into the chocolate sauce.  Place dipped egg on the lined baking sheet.  Once all "eggs" have been dipped, freeze until set (15-20 minutes).  

*I stored mine in the freezer because the coconut oil in the coating will begin to soften at about 76 degrees F (warm room temperature) and the "eggs" will be a mess to eat. 

**This recipe makes quite a bit of the chocolate coating.  It is much easier to dip in a deep "pool" of coating rather than trying to scrape together the last bit to dip the one in.  That being said, I hate to waste food.  Double-dipping the eggs is one idea, as is using the delicious coating as a topping for ice cream, fruit, etc. 

Recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie's amazing site.  She has some great substitution ideas if you really want to omit the powdered sugar.