We’re continuing our series of kombucha-infused recipes with these dark chocolate kombucha cups created by the incredibly talented recipe developer Lauren Grier of Climbing Grier Mountain. This unique and tasty dessert incorporates our seasonal Holiday Cheers flavored kombucha, with delicious notes of allspice and clove.

While the recipe is certainly a little more hands on, it yields delicious results! This festive and fun dessert is the perfect treat for the holidays.

Dark Chocolate Kombucha Cups with Gingerbread Peanut Butter

Yields: 12 chocolate cups 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups raw shelled peanuts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tsp black strap molasses

• 4 cups dark chocolate, divided
• 3 tbsp Health-Ade Holiday Cheers Kombucha, divided

Directions:

Gingerbread Peanut Butter:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Spread the peanuts evenly over the baking sheet. Roast the peanuts for about 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the peanuts to cool completely. Next, add the peanuts to a large food processor. Process the peanuts for about five minutes. The peanuts will turn slightly crumbly. Keep processing until the peanuts become smooth about five minutes longer scraping down the sides if need be. Add a splash of olive oil if the peanut butter consistency is to dry. Once the peanuts are nice and glossy, add the salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, brown sugar, and molasses. Process all the ingredients again until everything is well combined. Spoon the gingerbread peanut into a glass jar and set aside.    

Dark Chocolate Cups: Line a 12- up muffin pan with muffin liners and set it aside. In a medium microwave safe glass bowl, add 3 cups of chocolate chips and 2 tbsp Holiday Cheers kombucha. Stir to combine. Place the bowl in the microwave and melt the chocolate chips on high for 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted. Next, take one tbsp melted chocolate and place it into the bottom of each muffin liner. Using a pastry brush, brush some of the chocolate up the sides of the liner about three-quarters of the way. It will look thin, but once the chocolate sets it will look just right. Once all the liners have been filled, place the muffin pan into the fridge to set for about 30 to 40 minutes or freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Next, take the muffin pan out of the fridge or freezer and place it on the countertop. Take a tablespoon of the gingerbread peanut butter and place it into the center of each chocolate cup. Using the back of a spoon, spread the peanut butter evenly. Place the muffin pan back into the fridge or freezer for another 5 to 10 minutes. While the mixture sets, repeat the same melting process as before using 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 tbsp Holiday Cheers kombucha. Once it’s melted, remove the bowl from the microwave and set it aside. Next, remove the muffin pan from the fridge or freezer. Spoon a tablespoon of the melted chocolate over the gingerbread peanut butter. Repeat this process until all the cups have been covered. Place the muffin pan into the fridge or freezer again and let the chocolate set, for about 15 minutes. Once the chocolate is set, remove the muffin pan from the fridge or freezer. Remove the muffin liner from the chocolate cup and enjoy along with a glass of Holiday Cheers kombucha!

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Today's blog is written by our very own Daina Trout, MS, MPH

Daina is not just our Co-Founder, she is also a nutritionist that has spent her adult life dedicated to finding and sharing health and wellness through food. With 2 masters' degrees in nutritional biochemistry and public health, Daina has called upon her education often while leading the way at Health-Ade - from how we make every batch of kombucha, to how we talk about gut health to consumers, to even how healthy our employee workplace is! She even writes a few blogs here and there. Happy reading! :)