Recipe: Peanut-Butter Chocolate Clusters

10 minutes. 40 servings. Multiple health benefits...?

Known more commonly as No-bakes, these little clusters are easy to make and easy to eat. With only 7 ingredients, 10 minutes and all the chocolatey peanut butter goodness they don’t last long (unless you choose to freeze them!) This recipe is great because you can edit it to your liking. Additionally, if you choose to buy high quality ingredients this becomes somewhat of a dessert-like health food.

I am under the impression that all food, if made with real ingredients— limitedly processed, and not too much sugar has health benefits. Now of course, this is a dessert-type food but it also has value as a snack. Depending on how you make it and the quality of the ingredients you choose there are plenty of benefits you can reap.

---

Ingredients:

• Sprouted Oats (3 cups)

• Peanut Butter (1 cup)

• Sugar (1 cup)

• Cocoa Powder (1/4 cup)

• Butter (4 Tbsp)

• Milk (1/2 cup)

• Vanilla (1 Tbsp)

  ---

Tips for getting the best most nutrients possible:

1. Buy Organic- all of the ingredients we used were organic (except maybe the vanilla) because a lot of these are commonly sprayed with pesticides.

2. Get Sprouted Oats. They are so much better for us: more digestible, have bioavailable nutrients, more protein and fiber than regular oats, less processed and less starchy.

3. Make sure your peanut butter doesn’t have unnecessary ingredients. Ideally, it just has peanuts. However, if you find a version that has peanuts and salt go for it. Salt is totally optional in this recipe. I had salted butter and salted peanut butter; so, I didn’t feel the need to add more. Peanut butter is so sneaky though. It has oils, sugars, and emulsifiers….for no reason.

4. Sugar. Yeah. Sugar. No, I don’t want to use agave, honey, maple syrup. Yes, you totally can. This is organic cane sugar. Is is healthy? Nah. Is it terrible? No. It’s minimally processed and real. And this recipe tastes so much better with some sugar.

5. Cocoa Powder- unsweetened.

6. Butter. Everything is better with butter. Even us. Organic grass-fed butter is gonna be our best bet here, because then you aren’t consuming a byproduct of a cow fed heavily sprayed grain that they can’t properly digest.

7. Milk. We used Raw Milk. Whole, full fat, natured year round. Everyone has their own opinions on milk— especially, raw milk. You do you, boo. I’ll make a list of all the benefits in a later post. At the very least use some full fat milk so you get the nutrients.

Vanilla. I made everyone some homemade vanilla extract a few years ago and still have left over. (Vanilla beans and alcohol- we used vodka- steep for 2+ months) It was perfect because it has little speckles of the vanilla bean it in and added flavor to the clusters!

---

How to:

1. Mix 1 cup sugar with 4 Tbsp butter, 1/2 cup milk, and a heaping 1/4 cup of cocoa powder in a pan. Stir to homogenize. Let boil

2. Once it’s is boiling, take off burner and add 1 cup of peanut butter and 1 Tbsp vanilla. Stir until homogenized.

3. Add 3 cups of oats and stir to combine.Let sit

4. Place parchment on a cookie sheet and scoop out spoonful to your size preference. This made us 40 servings.

5. Let sit in fridge until solid. Or freeze for later.

6. Enjoy. These guys will stay good in airtight container for a long time. But they won’t last more than a few days, trust me.

---

Health Benefits:

If you’re still reading I am gonna make it worth your while. Hopefully you are now waiting for these to cool, snacking on them, or boxing up some for a friend. Whatever it is, you just a made a delicious recipe — and a fairly healthy one. Below you can see the ingredients and their health benefits. So, yes, go get another one out of the fridge and pat yourself on the back.

1. Organic Cocoa Powder

• Rich in Antioxidants: Fights oxidative stress and inflammation.

• Heart Health: Potentially lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow.

• Mood Boosting: Contains phenylethylamine and theobromine, which can enhance mood and alertness.

• Brain Health: Improves blood flow to the brain

2. Organic Peanut Butter

• Healthy Fats: Packed with monounsaturated fats that support heart health. Yes, fats. We need fats!

• Protein: Helps with muscle repair and satiety.

• Micronutrients: Contains vitamin E, magnesium, and niacin.

3. Organic Cane Sugar…yeah, not really healthy but,

• Less Processed: Retains some natural minerals (like calcium, iron, and potassium) compared to white sugar..

4. Homemade Vanilla Extract

• Antioxidant Properties: Contains vanillin, which helps reduce oxidative stress.

• Anti-inflammatory Effects: May support the immune system and reduce inflammation.

• Mood Support: Vanillin may have mild calming and mood-boosting effects.

5. Grass-Fed Butter

• Omega-3 & CLA: Higher in omega-3s than conventional butter, supporting heart and metabolic health.

• Vitamin K2: Supports calcium metabolism and bone health.

• Butyrate Source: Supports gut health and inflammation.

6. Whole Raw Milk

• Nutrient-Dense: Naturally rich in calcium, vitamin A, D, K2, and B vitamins.

• Probiotics: May support gut health and immune function— not found in pasteurized milk….

• Healthy Fats: Supports hormone production and brain health, especially in children.

7. Organic Sprouted Oats

• Improved Nutrient Absorption: Sprouting improves mineral bioavailability and digestion.

• Gut Health: High in soluble fiber (beta-glucan) that supports digestion and lowers cholesterol.

• Blood Sugar Regulation: Slows carbohydrate absorption and stabilizes blood sugar levels.

• Good Source of Magnesium: Higher magnesium content compared to regular oats

• Anti-inflammatory Properties: Higher magnesium content compared to regular oats

  

  Yeah, you. Desserts can be delicious and beneficial. Take that, conventional cooking.