Reese Copycat Keto Peanut Butter Bars
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Keto Peanut Butter Bars
I’m a sucker for a reese peanut butter cup…and never just one. There’s something about the dry peanut butter in the center of the chocolate that gets me. The salty peanut butter and the sweet milky chocolate are just a classic combo.
What’s in a brand…
A “keto” food manufacturer sent me some pb powder to try out for these Peanut Butter Bars. While I liked the brand that was sent to me I was not sold on the product.
Don’t get me wrong…the taste was spot on. For one recipe it took an entire bag. Not only did it take the whole bag to make the recipe, but that little 8oz bag is $12. $12 just for one ingredient of a 5-7 ingredient recipe?? Say what?
Then to the reasons why I would not use that brand is that you can only get that product online and only on their site. I get that they are trying to see if this is something people would use, but I was not sold.
Naked PB
So I was able to find a brand on Amazon called Naked PB. Virtually the same product but 2 pounds for $19. I have Amazon Prime, so shipping is free and that’s a win for me…and you.
I ordered mine yesterday on Amazon, and it was at my door step this morning. Naked Nutrition has many great products and you can learn about them here. The jug is quite large so you will always have it on hand to make these Keto Peanut Butter Bars.
Bars or Cups
Peanut Butter Bars calls to make this recipe in a 9×9 square tin. I prefer to make this in the pan lined with parchment paper…way easier than in the cups. But feel free to do this in 24 mini muffin cups if you like. They photograph better anyway.
Why do we use drops or alcohols or a combo of both in low carb/keto baking and cooking?
Stevia and Monkfruit are extracts, kinda like vanilla extract. Just a little packs a big punch of sweetness. But in baking (or cooking, too) we usually need the bulk of sugar alcohols like erythritol or xylitol or allulose.
These sugar alcohols have the bulk like real sugar, but sometimes they do not have enough sweetness. So a combo of an extract and an alcohol brings a recipe to an equivalent sweetness and consistency of traditional recipes.
The bulk of sugar
For example if I am making an old fashion/conventional batch of cookies the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar. In low carb/keto baking that same recipe is not always a 1:1 alteration. Meaning I can not just substitute 1 cup of a sugar alcohol for the traditional sugar in that batch of cookies.
I need the bulk of the 1 cup of sweetener plus a little bit of the extracts to bring up the sweetness, like I do in this recipe of my Keto Peanut Bars.
Not traditional
The other part in cooking or baking low carb/keto with sugar alcohols and sweeteners is that they do not alway bake OR store the same way as traditional cookies. There’s some science going on in the bowl and the baking with the flours, sugars and fats.
Back to our cookies example…when you are using almond or coconut flour in place of the traditional flour AND you are replacing the traditional sugar with sugar alcohols the amounts used and the baking time is a little different.
Traditional wheat flour has protein in it and coconut flour is VERY absorbent. Plus…when those cookies cool sometimes they are rock hard or have a cooling effect in your mouth.
Back to your original question…stevia drops are readily available at most supermarkets. A few drops to your coffee or to a chaffle or a salad dressing can help replace the sweetness without the bulk of traditional sugar. True monkfruit extract is harder to come by and more expensive, but it does the same thing.
One last thing…
One last thing…and this could just be my experience…when I combine monkfruit with a erythritol it lessens the mouth cooling effect for me….for me this combo tastes and bakes the most like traditional sugar.
The brand I use is called Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener (CLASSIC) and is what I use in these Keto Peanut Butter Bars.
I use this brand because they already have combined the two ingredients. Then as I’m making a recipe I may add a few drops of stevia to up the sweetness to mimic a “traditional sugar” recipe.
My Favorite Peanut Butter Recipes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- 3/4 cup peanut butter melted
- 1/2 cup Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener powdered
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 10 drops liquid stevia extract
- 2 cups peanut flour Naked PB brand
Chocolate Topping
- 3 ounces Lily's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Line a 9”x9” square pan with parchment paper.
Chocolate Topping
- In bowl melt together the chocolate and butter in the microwave. Following 30 second increments on high, stir and repeat melting method until fully melted. Once chocolate is fully melted set aside.
Peanut Butter Layer
- Melt the butter and peanut butter in 20 second increments in the microwave. Repeat microwave method until fully melted and combined. Stir in the sweetener, vanilla and stevia. Add in the peanut butter flour stirring to form a thick dough.
- Press peanut butter dough into bottom of your square pan. You may have to wet your finger tips to prevent sticking.
- Next, spread the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter layer. Set in fridge for about an hour to harden the chocolate. Slice into 25 equal squares.
- Store in airtight container in fridge or freezer.
Nutrition
MEDICAL AND NUTRITION DISCLAIMER…Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nutritional break downs are done using a commercial nutrition calculator. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctorbefore starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers, this should never be construed as medical advice.
My secret to lasting weight loss
Maintaining my weight loss, and quite frankly staying healthy, has always been the main driver for this website. Making treats like these Keto Peanut Butter Bars is really my trick.
Sorry, it’s that simple for me…I meal prep and almost always cook at home.
I wrote a few articles about this and will write more. Everyone needs to know that cooking at home is one of my major keys to success.
Every meal does not have to be epic.
When I am prepared I have a much better chance at success and maintaining my best health.
RELATED ARTICLES
- The Diet That Changed My Life
- My 80 – 20 Rule
- Re-Thinking Healthy Food
- Life with a Keto Mom
- My Favorite Low Carb & Keto Resources