Peanut, peanut butter!

My late Grandfather had a very dominant strand of the Peanut Butter Lover gene and I inherited it so you can imagine my excitement when I came across a homemade peanut butter cups recipe in Alicia Silverstone's book "The Kind Diet." I was also intrigued by the concept of a vegan version of a favorite guilty pleasure. If you find yourself equally intrigued then give it a try...the results will not disappoint!

Some see empty paper cups...I see the promise of what's to come! Any who, here's what you need to fill these with peanut buttery goodness.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 12

1/2 cup soy butter

3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 10 squares)

1/4 cup maple sugar

1 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate chips

1/4 cup soy, rice, or nut milk

1/4 cup chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar and mix well. (You will also want to inhale deeply at this point as the peanut butter mixture smells amazing!)

Remove the mixture from the heat. Evenly divide the mixture, approximately 2 tablespoons per cup, among the muffin cups.

Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted. (One thing I noticed is the texture of the grain-sweetened chocolate was not as smooth when melted as regular chocolate.)

Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts. Place in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.

Here is what my finished peanut butter cups looked like. I kept mine stored in the refrigerator and also stuck some in the freezer for a later date (they held up just fine). One thing I recommend is to take the peanut butter cups out of the refrigerator for about half an hour or so before eating them. I think you taste the flavors better if they are more room temperature then straight from the frig cold. No matter how you serve them though...enjoy!