Oct 26th, 2023 on

Homemade Cereal Peanut butter & Chocolate Puffs

A few days ago, I found myself leisurely browsing in the supermarket. While I typically buy everything online, I have a soft spot for taking a walk and perusing the aisles of my local grocery store. As I explored, I stumbled upon an international section featuring products from various countries. One stop that caught my attention was the American corner, where I discovered peanut butter puffs from a well-known brand famous for their chocolate peanut butter cups. This encounter sparked the idea of trying my hand at making them from scratch. I had never ventured into the realm of homemade cereal before, and I thought it would be a fun and rewarding endeavor.

Now, beyond the thrill of culinary experimentation, I must confess to being a devoted morning person. For me, breakfast is the highlight of the day, and over the years, I’ve often found myself in a routine that revolves around the comforting combination of bananas, peanut butter, and a dash of cinnamon. However, the discovery of those peanut butter puffs provided a compelling reason to inject new flavors and textures into my morning ritual.

In the past few days, my breakfast bowl has seen a delightful transformation, adorned with these homemade puffs, ripe banana slices, and a drizzle of oat milk. It may sound unconventional, but trust me, it’s a symphony of flavors and textures that kickstarts my day with delight. Even my mother embraced this newfound creation, savoring her puffs with a dollop of yogurt and a hint of honey – a testament to the versatility of these delightful treats.

Oh, and they are gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, yet bursting with irresistible flavor!

So, if you love peanut butter as much as I do and you’re eager to try something new and fun, let’s get baking!

Ingredients

For the Peanut Butter Puffs

1 cup natural smooth peanut butter
2 cups ground almonds
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1/4 cup milk of your choice

For the Chocolate Puffs

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Instructions

For the Peanut Butter Puffs

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients to create the peanut butter mixture. Keep the egg for last so you can taste the batter and adjust the sugar to your preference. Mix until a uniform dough forms.
Set aside 1/3 of the peanut butter mixture in a separate small bowl for the chocolate puffs.

For the Chocolate Puffs

In the small bowl with the 1/3 of the peanut butter mixture, add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder.
Stir until you have a chocolate peanut butter mixture.

Shaping and Baking

Shape both mixtures into small puff-sized balls. You can use a 1/2 teaspoon or 1/4 teaspoon as a guide to ensure they are the same size. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Preheat your oven to 170°C (350°F).
Bake the peanut butter puffs for about 5 - 8 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Allow them to cool completely.

Notes

Shape both mixtures into small puff-sized balls using a 1/2 teaspoon as a guide. Grease the spoon and your palms with neutral oil to shape the balls because the batter is sticky.
I used a 1/2 teaspoon for shaping the puffs, which makes them a little bigger, but I prefer them this way. If you’d like smaller puffs, you can use a smaller spoon, but be sure to keep a close eye on the baking time for the smaller ones.
For shaping all the puffs, it took me around 15 minutes, and I took my time, not in a hurry.
You can use oats instead of ground almonds. Just use your blender to make them into a powder.
You can use peanut butter with sugar. In that case, adjust the maple syrup so it’s not overly sweet.
Store them in an airtight jar; they will last for a week. Alternatively, you can store half of them in a ziplock bag and freeze them for up to a month to keep them fresh.

Enjoy!