Chocolate Pumpkin Butter Cup Recipe
We have a healthy valentines treat for your kids today! Chocolate pumpkin Butter cups! These are a yummy nut free option for any kid!
Blending up nuts and seeds with dates has long time been a delicious healthy snack or treat for me and the kids. Much like a Larabar, they are dense with nutrients, and easy to take hiking or on the go. So, what better way to turn it into a true dessert, than to cover it in chocolate! Just in time for Valentines day.
Chocolate Pumpkin Butter Cup Recipe
Dairy Free
As with many recipes we experiment with on the blog, the kids got into the kitchen to help. We melt the chocolate using half power in the microwave, but you can definitely do it over a burner if you don’t like using the microwave. There are a variety of chocolate chips, depending on your families preferences. You can get some with very little sugar, some dairy free, and some vegan. While we actually have no dietary restrictions, I wanted to try a dairy free chocolate chips. We got this Dairy Free one “Chocolate Dream” at our local health food store. It was fine… just tasted like chocolate chips. Nothing weird.
Once melted, spread the chocolate in any type of mold. We chose a silicone heart mold because it’s so close to Valentines day, and it was the perfect size! We put a small spoonful in the bottom, and simply spread the chocolate up the sides of the mold, to create a little bowl or cup of chocolate. Then, put it in the fridge to harden.
Nut Free
To make these nut-free, we used pumpkin seeds, and no nuts. While the chocolate is getting firm, we toasted the pumpkin seeds. I’ve done it with raw seeds, and it was fine. Although the taste is subtle, I actually like the flavor the toasted seeds brings to this treat! It only takes 3-4 minutes to toast in a skillet, so why not! Try toasting your seeds before you blend them up.
Fill your hardened chocolate cups with the pumpkin seed butter, and top with more melted chocolate.
Ingredients
- 1 cup large chips chocolate chips, semisweet
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seed kernels
- 4 medium dates, Medjool
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt chocolate chips.
- Using a silicone mold or mini cupcake papers, scoop a small amount of chocolate into the bottom, and using the back of a spoon, spread up the sides. Place in fridge to harden.
- Toast shelled pumpkin seeds in a skillet for 2-4 minutes, stirring constantly. When they start to crackle and become aromatic, they are toasted.
- Blend pumpkin seeds, pitted dates, coconut oil, honey, and salt in a food processor until smooth or very well incorporated.
- Remove chocolate cups from fridge. Scoop pumpkin seed mixture into hardened chocolate.
- Melt the remaining amount of chocolate and scoop on top of the pumpkin. Return to fridge until the top is hardened.
Nutrition
Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
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Could you subtitle nuts for pumpkin seeds? Or just simply peanut butter? Are there any adjustments to other ingredients needed if one does that?
Hi Lynn, no other adjustments would be needed! We love using nuts or peanut butter- either one!
The supermarket was out of pumpkin seeds. Would sunflower seeds be ok?
It would taste different clair, but I’m sure it will still be good!
Instead of pumpkin kernels, can I use pumpkin puree? Would it still be 1/2 cups if so? Thanks!
I’m not sure that would work- I don’t know that they would set up well! But you could try sunflower seeds!