Ok a friend posted the original version of this recipe on facebook with a comment about how they wouldn’t be good for his diet (that he had just decided to start with his previous post earlier that day :) ). Being me… I of course took this as a challenge. Something totally full of white flour and sugar? I can make that healthy and still 100% delicious, right? Right. No problem. Uh…. :)
Peanut buttery, chocolatey, goodness….
So it took some time and some creativity and some experimenting, but I am happy to report these taste just as magically delicious – if not more so! – as the original version. They’re still a dessert, so as always, consider them a treat and not dinner (although… yummmmmm…), but seriously – what a treat! The white flour is replaced with 100% whole grain (and in my version, sprouted whole grain, so even better), and the sugar replaced with the potentially health boosting erythritol and the unprocessed, containing all of its natural nutrients, turbinado. I used natural peanut butter – just peanuts and salt – so no extra processed sugars there either. My only concession was on using chocolate chips which do have sugar, but I bet you could find a chocolate to melt that could even replace those. It may be just me, but I think these taste even better than the original, now that my taste buds just don’t enjoy the empty taste of processed white flours and sugars. Try them yourself and let me know what you think!
Ingredients
- Whole wheat mini pretzels, or break up larger pretzels into smaller pieces (I used larger sprouted whole grain pretzels because they were the only whole grain ones I could find!)
- 1 1/4 C creamy peanut butter (find a variety that is just peanuts and salt)
- 1/2 C + powdered erythritol (instructions below)
- 3/4 C powdered turbinado (instructions below)
- 10 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place approximately 1/2 C of erythritol into a food processor or blender. Blend for about a minute, until powdered.
- Repeat with turbinado.
- Mix peanut butter, erythritol, and turbinado. When you can easily roll the mixture into balls, you have the right consistency. If too dry (my problem originally), add a little more peanut butter. If too wet, add a little more powdered erythritol.
- Once you have the right consistency, roll mixture into about teaspoon size balls and place between 2 pretzels and press together. If you are using larger pretzels, use an appropriately larger amount of the mixture.
- Line a baking sheet with waxed paper, and place prepared pretzels onto it.
- When finished, place in freezer for 20-30 minutes to set.
- Melt chocolate chips by placing in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each. Should take 3-4 times before they are fully melted. (Make sure to use a completely dry bowl and spoon - any better in the chocolate will not allow it to melt properly.)
- Remove pretzels from freezer and dip each into the chocolate and replace on baking sheet.
- Replace into freezer to cool for another 20-30 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and store in fridge until ready to eat.
- Enjoy!!
