Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bites

Homemade Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bites are a delicious treat for Valentine's Day, Easter, or anytime you find yourself craving something sweet! This easy no-bake recipe from from The Vegan 8 by Brandi Doming is oil-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bites

Can you name a more prefect taste combo than chocolate and peanut butter? No, you can't, because there isn't one.

These chocolate peanut butter candy bites are super easy to make, and you probably already have most of the ingredients on hand. (I did!) I'm going to warn you that they're highly addictive, so you may as well just go ahead and make a double batch.

When I originally shared this recipe back in autumn 2018, I said they were a terrific treat for Halloween. And they still are! They're great for a little post Thanksgiving dinner treat, and they're perfect for Christmas parties, too. But since I'm sharing it again here in January, I'm going to suggest, nay, URGE you to make them for Valentine's Day. They're a great treat for your Valentine, Galentine, you just yourself!

What You Need

• Peanut butter
• Cocoa powder
• Maple syrup
• Vanilla extract
• Fine salt
• Peanuts
• Coconut sugar
• Dark chocolate

See the recipe card for exact amounts

How to Make Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bites

This recipe is really easy to make!

• First you line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Then you add the peanut butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt to a bowl, and stir until it all comes together into a thick batter and is completely smooth.
• You roll about a heaping tablespoon of the dough into small balls, creating 8 balls total. Place the balls on the prepared pan.
• Next you prepare the coating. You add the roasted peanuts and coconut sugar to a food processor, and process until the mixture is in very small pieces but not as superfine as a flour consistency. You add this mixture to a wide, shallow bowl.
• Then you add the chopped chocolate to another small microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Heat in 10- to 15-second intervals until the chocolate is almost all melted, being careful not to let it burn. Stir the chocolate until it is completely melted and smooth. You can also use a double-boiler, if you have one.
• No you place one ball into the melted chocolate and use a fork to rotate and coat it completely. Tap the fork gently on the side of the bowl, letting the excess chocolate drip off.
• You immediately place the ball into the peanut coating mixture and rotate it multiple times with the fork until coated well. Place the ball back on the pan and repeat the process with the remaining balls.
• Finally, you place the pan in the fridge to let the bites set for about 20 minutes.

Storing Your Candy Bites

Store the candy bites in the fridge to retain their shape. They can be set out at room temperature after they’re fully set for parties, but they will become softer and less crispy as time passes

Recipe Notes

When buying dark chocolate, be sure to check the ingredients label for dairy. Sometimes milk or milk powder can sneak its way in. Note that cocoa butter comes from the cocoa bean, and is not a dairy product.

When buying peanut butter, look for the natural kind that only contains peanuts, and maybe salt. Avoid peanut butter with added oils or sugar.

If you have a nut allergy, you can you use sunflower seed butter instead.

I found that the chocolate-peanut butter balls were a little too soft to roll in the melted chocolate. But that was easily solved by popping them into the freezer for a few minutes. I'm sure this will vary depending on how soft your peanut butter is.

The Vegan 8

From the “jokes” I see on social media, it seems that most people think that healthy food is boring and bland. While, yes, some healthy food can be a little on the tasteless side, it’s totally possible to make meals that are both nutritious and delicious. And Brandi Doming is here to show us how with her cookbook The Vegan 8.

As the name suggests, the recipes in Brandi’s cookbook can all be made with eight ingredients or fewer. That “eight ingredients” doesn’t count salt, pepper, and water, but those are all things that everyone has in their kitchen anyway. All of the recipes are vegan, of course. Most are oil-free and gluten-free, and there are nut-free options as well, so the book the book is suitable for those with various dietary restrictions.

If you’re new to healthy vegan cooking, Brandi begins The Vegan 8 with just about everything you need to know about getting started. There are tips for baking, lists of ingredients that might be unfamiliar to you, and information on equipment that might be handy to have on hand in your kitchen.

The Recipes

If you’re a vegan cooking pro, you can skip right ahead to the recipes. These aren’t boring dishes. Brandi focuses on veganized versions of classics and comfort food, making it easy for vegan newbies to transition their diets.

This isn’t a book full of recipes for kale salads and green smoothies. You won’t find crazy “superfoods” listed in the ingredients, either. These dishes are made with ingredients that can easily be found at any grocery store, and they’ll appeal to everyone. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t be happy with a plate of Baked Mac ‘N’ Cheese, a bowl of Ultimate Broccoli-Cheese Soup. or a few Crowd-Pleasing Brownies!

The Chapters in The Vegan 8 include:

• The Vegan 8 Kitchen
• Breakfast
• Scrumptious Snacks & Appetizers
• Time-Crunch Lunches
• Sauces & Dressings
• Easy Entrées
• Comforting Soups & Stews
• Sides & Dips
• Crowd-Pleasing Desserts
• Staples

If you’re looking for healthy and easy-to-make comfort food classics, The Vegan 8 is the book for you!

Chocolate–Peanut Butter Candy Bites

Brandi Doming

My favorite candy bar growing up was Butterfinger. I swear, I could eat those back to back. These bites have the same flavors of the classic candy bar but are so much better. Instead of the outside being the chocolate coating with the crunchy sweet interior, I reversed them and also made them into bites. Man, they are delicious and a favorite among my taste testers! If you can’t find salted peanuts, then add a pinch of salt.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Resting Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 Bites

Calories 260 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ½ cup smooth peanut butter (128g)
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder (18g)
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (60g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5g)
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt (2g)
• ½ cup roasted, salted peanuts (80g)
• ¼ cup coconut sugar (40g)
• 3.5 ounces 70 to 72% dark chocolate chips or bar finely chopped (100g)

Instructions

 

• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Add the peanut butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt to a bowl, and stir until it comes together into a thick batter and is completely smooth. Roll about a heaping tablespoon of the dough into small balls, creating 8 balls total. Place the balls on the prepared pan.
• To prepare the coating, add the roasted peanuts and coconut sugar to a food processor, and process until the mixture is in very small pieces but not as superfine as a flour consistency. Add this mixture to a wide, shallow bowl. Set aside.
• Add the chopped chocolate to another small microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds or in a double boiler. If microwaving, stir, and then heat in 10- to 15-second intervals until the chocolate is almost all melted. Be careful not to let it burn. Stir the chocolate until it is completely melted and smooth.
• Place 1 ball into the melted chocolate and use a fork to rotate and coat it completely. Tap the fork gently on the side of the bowl, letting the excess chocolate drip off. Immediately place the ball into the peanut coating mixture and rotate it multiple times with the fork until coated well. Place the ball back on the pan and repeat with the remaining balls.
• Place the pan in the fridge to set for about 20 minutes. Store the balls in the fridge to retain their shape. They can be set out at room temperature after they’re fully set for parties, but they will become softer and less crispy as time passes

Notes

Tip: Be sure to use a peanut butter without added oil or sugar. To make these nut free, sub the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter, if you don’t mind having that as a strong taste in these bites. With this sub, the batter may be a tad more wet and may need to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes before adding the chocolate.

Recipe reprinted with permission from The Vegan 8 by Brandi Doming.

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.3g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!

More chocolatey recipes you might enjoy include

• Vegan Tahini Truffles
• Chocolate-Almond Date Truffles
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Mini Tarts
• Sunbutter and Chocolate Pretzel Pie