Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups Recipe | Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free (2024)

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I first made these peanut butter and jelly cups spontaneously before work one morning. Little did I know, I would end up making them three times that week… they are THAT good. Vegan, almost paleo, and made with just 3 ingredients and 15 minutes of active time, you might find these adorable PB&J cups in your rotation too!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups Recipe | Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free (1)

People telling me they have dietary restrictions usually results in me considering it as a challenge. I love to show up to social events with foods that suit all attendees and that’s one of the main reasons why over the years, I’ve done all sorts of experiments with making desserts that are both vegan as well as gluten-free; paleo; no added sugar; low-carb; nut-free; and more!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups Recipe | Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free (2)

Turning limitations into exciting challenges has resulted in some of my very favorite recipes, including (but not limited to!) my maple pecan cookies,healthy vegan cookie dough, and brownie batter fudge.

Recently I wanted to treat someone, though, who is allergic to chocolate. For some reason, once I found out about this, I struggled to think of desserts thatdon’t include some kind of cocoa. Is there an official psychological phenomenon for this?

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups Recipe | Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free (3)

Anyway, my brain kept going back to peanut butter cups, maybe because chocolate isn’t actually in the name. I figured it was a sign that I should at least make something cup-like!

These actually started out as peanut butter banana cups (pictured), and halfway through filling them I realized they might be a little one-note, found some raspberry jam in the fridge, and made magic happen. Note: it turns out the banana version was also delicious. I now make them both ways.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups Recipe | Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free (4)

The base version of these PB&J cups is just three ingredients, naturally vegan and gluten-free, and easily paleo if you swap in almond butter and choose a suitable jam or jelly. But the recipe is easy to play around with! Here are some additional variations that have been successful for me.

Peanut butter and jelly cup variations

  • Add thinly sliced banana
  • Garnish with cacao nibs (pictured) or coconut flakes
  • Top with maple-candied pecans (yep, that was as ridiculous as it sounds…)
  • Substitute the peanut butter with almond butter

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups Recipe | Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free (5)

Make them your own!

You’ll need to keep these pb&j cups in the refrigerator or freezer at all times after making them. As you can see from some of the photos, they start to melt pretty quickly! I think you’ll find yourself opening your refrigerator door quite frequently… if you do try these, let me know how it goes!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups Recipe | Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free (6)

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5 from 4 votes

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups

Crazy easy 3-ingredient peanut butter and jelly cups. Like an inside-out Reese's but minus the chocolate, these PB&J cups are naturally vegan, gluten-free, and easily paleo; and easy to customize!

Course Dessert, sweets

Cuisine gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, refined sugar-free, soy-free, vegan

Keyword pb&j cups, peanut butter and jelly cups

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 18 mini cups

Calories 132kcal

Author Yup, it's Vegan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup natural peanut butter (unsweetened + no added oil)
  • 1/4 cup refined coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup jelly, jam or preserves of choice (pictured is raspberry jam)

Supplies:

Instructions

  • Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan or by microwaving it for 30 seconds. Add it to a bowl with the peanut butter and whisk them together until smoothly combined.

  • Take the mini baking cups, placing them in your mini muffin pan for stability if you have one. Carefully spoon about 1 tablespoon at a time of peanut butter mixture into the bottom of the baking cups. (You can use more or less depending on the size of PB&J cups that you want). After using about half of the mixture, place the tray in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to set.

  • Remove the tray from the freezer. Add about 1/2 tablespoon of jelly to each cup. If applicable, use your spoon to gently flatten the jelly (this will make it easier to cover it with peanut butter). If your jelly or jam is fairly runny, return the tray to the freezer to set for another 5 minutes. Otherwise, proceed.

  • Spoon the rest of the peanut butter mixture, about 1 scant tablespoon at a time, over the tops of the cups to cover the jelly. If using any toppings, add them now so that they'll stick. Freeze the cups for another 45-60 minutes until set completely. After that, you can store them in either the refrigerator or the freezer in an airtight container.

Notes

You can use unrefined/virgin coconut oil if desired, but note that this will result in a prominent coconut flavor in the final product.

To keep these paleo and refined sugar-free, choose a naturally-sweetened jam that meets these criteria; and use almond butter instead of peanut butter.

Recipe may yield a varying number of cups depending on how full you fill them. Extra peanut butter shell mixture can also be mixed with maple syrup to taste, and frozen, to make a delicious peanut butter fudge!

Nutrition

Serving: 1mini cup | Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g

Inspired by Spoon University.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups Recipe | Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free (2024)

FAQs

Is peanut butter and jelly gluten free? ›

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich can be made gluten free, as long as you use gluten-free bread. Most peanut butter and jelly sold in the U.S. is naturally gluten-free, but it's always a good idea to check the ingredients list to be sure.

What can you substitute for peanut butter in cookies? ›

Peanut Butter Alternatives
  • Sunflower butter. Sunflower butter is a great option for those who are allergic to not just peanuts but also tree nuts. ...
  • Almond butter (only if you are not allergic to tree nuts) Almond butter has become a very popular spread. ...
  • Soy butter. ...
  • Pea butter.
Jul 11, 2019

What is the purpose of peanut butter in baking? ›

Peanut butter is the perfect addition to most baked goods. Its rich, fatty flavor and smooth consistency can add texture to everything from Buckeyes to the classic peanut butter cookie. As Reese's loves to constantly remind us, it is also a dreamy counterpart to the dark, more bitter flavors of chocolate.

Why is peanut butter not gluten-free? ›

Peanut butter products that are processed and bought in a container may have cross-contamination with gluten-containing ingredients as well as other flavor additives, which can be problematic for those with a gluten allergy or sensitivity.

Can you eat jelly on a gluten-free diet? ›

The answer is generally yes because most jellies are made from fruit, sugar, and pectin, none of which contain gluten. However, cross-contamination during manufacturing or added ingredients can sometimes introduce gluten into jellies.

What are 3 alternatives to peanut butter? ›

Some popular nut-free butters, such as tahini, sunflower seed, coconut, soy nut, and granola butter, are suitable peanut butter substitutes for people with peanut or tree nut allergies. They're all rich in beneficial plant compounds that may have health benefits.

Why are my 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies falling apart? ›

My cookies came out dry and crumbly. What did I do wrong? Possible reasons include over-baking, improper peanut butter consistency, using a smaller egg, or inaccurate ingredient measurements. To avoid this issue, monitor baking time, mix natural peanut butter well, use a large egg, and measure ingredients accurately.

What's a healthy alternative to peanut butter? ›

7 Peanut Butter Substitutes
  • Almond Butter. One of the most popular peanut butter alternatives on the shelf, almond butter is slightly lower in sugar and higher in other nutrients than peanut butter. ...
  • Cashew Butter. ...
  • Walnut Butter. ...
  • Hazelnut Butter. ...
  • Pecan Butter. ...
  • Pistachio Butter. ...
  • Brazil Nut Butter.
Feb 20, 2024

What country eats the most peanut butter? ›

Because of these qualities, peanut butter is enjoyed around the globe. In this article, we will take a closer look at how peanut butter is consumed by countries around the world and some of the statistics that surround it. By far, China is the country that consumes the most peanut butter.

What is the best peanut butter for baking? ›

The BEST peanut butter for today's cookies is a processed creamy peanut butter, preferably Jif or Skippy. Natural-style peanut butter is my choice for eating, but it just doesn't produce the same type of cookie as its processed counterpart.

What enhances peanut butter flavor? ›

You can further augment the gustatory potential of the peanut butter by using both vanilla extract and almond extract in your dough—just a splash of the latter is enough to boost your cookies' nuttiness (while remaining subtle enough that no one will cotton onto the presence of drupe essence in your legume dessert).

Is peanut butter ok for celiac disease? ›

How do peanuts fit into a Celiac diet? Peanuts, peanut butter and peanut flour are all naturally gluten-free foods, which means they are safe for someone with Celiac Disease to eat.

What jelly brand is gluten-free? ›

All Bonne Maman® preserves, jellies, fruit spreads and curd are gluten-free.

Does any peanut butter have gluten? ›

In its natural form, both peanuts and peanut butter are gluten-free. Many store-bought brands of peanut butter are also gluten-free, with gluten-containing peanut butter tending to be the exception rather than the rule.

What brand of peanut butter is gluten-free? ›

It's easy to enjoy peanut butter on a gluten-free diet, especially if you choose gluten-free-certified brands like Justin's and Peanut Butter & Co. If you're not particularly sensitive to trace gluten, you should be fine with gluten-free labeled traditional brands such as Smuckers or Jif.

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