It is officially the season of love, and there are few things that we love more here at Ezra Cohen Montreal than using our nut butters to bring a touch of the unexpected to sweet treats.

These nut butter covered strawberries offer a new twist on a classic Valentine’s Day treat, and are perfect as a dessert, a gift to a loved one, or paired with wine and a rom-com if you’re spending the day solo. You can also combine them with our nut butter whipped cream and salted caramel cashew “nice cream” for a sundae fit for love birds. (And you know we won’t tell anyone if you eat them for breakfast, too.)

Opting for nut butter instead of chocolate with your dipped strawberries offers more than just a fancy new flavor combination. Nut butters are packed with health benefits, including protein, fiber, and a wide assortment of vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, folate, and magnesium—a nutritional punch that does double duty when combined with juicy strawberries. They also provide some wholesome relief on a holiday that’s so often centered around unconscious indulgence, which, while fine in moderation, doesn’t necessarily need to be the norm.

Whether you’re planning on eating healthier this Valentine’s Day or you just want something new to mix up the traditional holiday fare, these nut butter covered strawberries are endlessly adaptable and undeniably delicious, and we’re pretty sure that you’ll be experiencing heart eyes after just one bite.

Here’s how to make them.

What You Need:

– 4 tablespoons of your favorite Ezra Cohen Montreal Nut Butter (any variety will do, but Praline Pecan Butter and Maple Cashew Butter are our favorites to use with this recipe)

– 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted

– 1.5 teaspoons honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup

– A carton of fresh strawberries, rinsed and dried

– Optional toppings: sprinkles, coconut flakes, cocoa nibs, turbinado sugar, mini peanut butter chips, mini white chocolate chips, chocolate drizzle, dusting of powdered sugar, crushed pretzel pieces

Directions:

1. Cover a baking sheet in parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine your nut butter of choice with coconut oil and honey, maple syrup, or agave and stir until smooth. (Hint: you may want to microwave your nut butter for a few seconds before combining, especially if you store it in the fridge.)

3. One by one, dip your strawberries in the nut butter mixture, gently rotate to coat, and lay nut butter covered strawberry on a parchment paper baking sheet. If you want to apply one of the optional toppings, do so right away after placing a strawberry on the sheet, since if you wait too long the coating will start to set.

3. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, then move strawberries to the fridge. Keep cold until ready to serve.

Voila, you now have a totally scrumptious Valentine’s Day treat to fall in love with that only tastes like it should be a guilty pleasure. And if strawberries aren’t your thing—or if you just don’t have them on hand—this recipe works equally well as a coating for bananas or pineapple chunks, or you can use it to coat pretzel rods.

Want more secretly healthy dessert recipes? We’ve got you covered. Browse our recipe blog for tons of scrumptious ideas and keep checking back as we show off new and exciting ways to use nut butters in everyday desserts, snacks, and meals. Nut butters work as an excellent dairy replacement, and are a great way to turn indulgences into vegan, paleo, or keto friendly faves.