This recipe comes from Atkins and it is pretty much as they printed it with a few changes from me. They call it a “fat bomb” but it is a little lower in fat per serving than many of the other fat bombs. This type of snack is intended to give you a quick burst of energy without adding much to your daily carbs. The body will burn the fat for energy, leaving little to go to becoming excess weight.

They are very tasty and a great quick treat when you need a pick-me-up in the middle of the afternoon. The only problem I have with it is that the unsweetened coconut flakes don’t get crispy the way regular ones do when they are toasted and they are very chewy. They also don’t bring a lot of coconut flavor. I plan to try it again with shredded unsweetened coconut to see if that works better. I’ll add a note later about that result. I also cut the butter from 2 tablespoons, whcih left a puddle of butter at the bottom when the candies set up, to 1 tablespoon. I added 1/2 tablespoon of Coconut Oil. The oil sets up quickly, so it doesn’t leave a puddle.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Haystacks

1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1 tablespoon Butter
1/2 tablespoon Coconut Oil
3 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
4 tablespoons Xylitol or other granulated sugar substitute
1/4 cup Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (check carbs for lowest)
2 cups Unsweetened Flaked Coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F.) and place coconut flakes on a baking tin. Toast for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Prepare a cookie sheet with a sheet of waxed paper or place a silicon mat on it.

In a medium-sized, heavy saucepan, combine the cream, butter, coconut oil, sugar substitute, and cocoa. Cook over medium high heat stirring often. When it comes to a boil, remove from the heat.

Add in the peanut butter and stir until it is mixed into the chocolate well. Fold in the coconut flakes until they are completely coated.

Drop tablespoons of the mixture onto the wax paper to form mounds. The recipe should make about 18 mounds. Place into the refrigerator to harden to a candy consistency. Once they are firm, you can store them in an airtight container for up to two weeks, if they last that long. They may also be frozen.

Makes 18 haystacks.

Nutrition information per haystack:
Calories: 110.6 Fat: 10.5 g Net Carbs: 1.8 g Protein: 1.7 g

This recipe is good for all phases of Atkins and other low carb diets except for the first two of Induction when nuts are not allowed.

Notes: When using other sugar substitutes, use the granulated versions and keep in mind that they do have a small amount of carbs per teaspoon due to the medium for storing the sweetener.

If you don’t like coconut, you can omit it and make a peanut butter chocolate candy that is also delicious.

Got any questions or comments? Please send them.