Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts

Perfect little treat for Galentine's Day tonight!!  My favorite part is the little sprinkle of salt!!  SO YUMMY!!

Serves 12

Ingredients

• ½ cup all-natural creamy peanut butter (or other nut butter)
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¾ cup dark chocolate chips*
• coarse sea salt, for topping (optional)

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, coconut flour, maple syrup, and salt. Stir until a thick, smooth batter is created. It should have a texture similar to a soft play-doh. Place it in the fridge for 20 minutes, if needed, to help it firm up. (Or in the freezer for 10 minutes.)
• You can make the peanut butter hearts 2 ways. The first way is to line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper and place your cookie cutter of choice on top of it. Use your hands to pinch off about a tablespoon of the peanut butter dough and press it into the cookie cutter, using your fingers to press the dough evenly into the shape. Feel free to use more or less batter to create the thickness you want. (This will vary depending on the size of your cookie cutter.) Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the lined baking sheet as you pull the cookie cutter upwards, releasing the dough from the cookie cutter. Repeat with the remaining batter, filling the pan, then place them in the freezer to set.
• The other way to make the heart shapes is to roll the entire batch of peanut butter filling between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a cookie cutter to cut-out as many shapes as you can, then remove the excess, leaving the cut-out hearts on the parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough, and transfer the parchment paper to a large baking sheet. Place the pan full of hearts in the freezer to set until firm, about 10-20 minutes.
• To prepare the chocolate coating, melt the dark chocolate chips. Remove the peanut butter hearts from the freezer, and then spoon the chocolate over the tops of the hearts. Smooth the tops quickly, as the chocolate may start to harden as it touches the cold peanut butter cups. Flip the hearts over and coat the other side. I don't worry about coating the sides of the hearts (it can be a messy undertaking) but you can if you want to.
• Sprinkle the hearts with coarse sea salt, if you'd like to, while the chocolate is still melted. Then place the pan in the freezer to set, about 10 minutes. Enjoy these hearts cold from the fridge or freezer. (We prefer the fridge for a softer experience.) They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.