The holidays are here, and it can be hard to find a healthy option for sweet indulgences. The good news is that there are lots of options out there—if you know where to look, and are open to a little creativity and ingenuity in the kitchen. This recipe adds a kick to the traditional holiday peanut butter cup by cutting out the refined sugar, and adding the blood-sugar regulating, craving-mitigating power of Jahmu. Not only that, but they make a great addition to any cookie swap (or for Santa).

To learn more about how the spices in Jahmu complement any low-sugar diet, read our article on sugar, HERE.

Jahmu Sugar free Chocolate & Nut Butter Fudge Bars

Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time:15 mins
Set time in the fridge: at least 20 mins
INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup Peanut Butter (or any nut or seed butter such as almond, sunflower or cashew)
• ½ cup raw cacao
• 4-6 oz of unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 cup coconut butter or coconut manna (use the oil that come on top of it. You may add extra coconut oil for a smoother texture, but do not replace coconut butter entirely with coconut oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Sweeten to taste (If you want it to be complexly sugar free I recommend using stevia. If you choose to use sugar I recommend maple syrup and/or coconut sugar)
• 2 teaspoons caffeine free Jahmu

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a pan with parchment paper or tin foil.
2. Create a double boiler on your stove by filling a pot with about an inch of water and placing a smaller pot or metal bowl inside of it.
3. Bring the water to a boil, then turn the heat to low.
4. Add the coconut butter, coconut oil, and unsweetened chocolate in the small pot.
5. As the coconut butter and chocolate melt stir in the cacao powder, Jahmu, vanilla, sea salt, and sweeter of your choice. If you use stevia remember, less is more!
6. Continue stirring and allow mixture to become liquid, but do not let it boil! Taste it to see if it’s sweet enough for you liking (be careful tasting—it will be hot!). Add more sweetener if you desire.
   **Note: To make the chocolate more liquid, add more coconut oil. To make it more solid, add more chocolate, coconut butter and/or cacao. The chocolate will harden in the fridge but will remain a fudge like consistency at room temperature.
7. Pour the chocolate onto the parchment paper or tin foil lined pan
   Add plops of nut butter and spread/swirl them throughout the chocolate.
8. Put the pan of chocolate into the fridge.
9. Once it has solidified, you can cut it up into squares. I recommend storing the leftover chocolate in the fridge.

***Note: you can use this base chocolate fudge recipe (without the nut butter) to make other variations, Try adding ingredients such as peppermint, candy canes, nuts, orange peels, caramelized ginger, dried fruit, etc.

Enjoy your naturally sweet dessert!