Cocoa Almond Butter Cups — Creamy almond butter wrapped in a chewy, sweet cocoa cake and crowned with a dollop of chocolate. The perfect balance of sweet and salt without the use of refined sugar! All while being plant-based/vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free! Not to mention no bake/raw!
Cocoa Almond Butter Cups
Like Peanut Butter Cups, But Better!
I have loved Reese’s peanut butter cups since the moment they first came into my childhood. Like so many other little edible pleasures, I had to bid them farewell–once I discovered how unhealthy many of the ingredients were. And the biggest culprit (for me personally) was the refined sugar. Hello, migraine!
Cocoa Almond Butter Cups – Chocolate Base
I wanted to experience that wonderful moment again. You know the one: When your mouth realizes it’s experiencing sweet chocolaty goodness at the same instant it’s savoring a creamy salty perfection.
A dessert where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Where would food blogging be without . . . Aristotle?
Cocoa Almond Butter Cups – Adding Chocolate Base to Muffin Tin
Cocoa Almond Butter Cups
I decided to go with almond butter instead of peanut butter for two main reasons:
- Almond butter provides more calcium and fiber than peanut butter;
- It also contains higher levels of vitamin E. A powerful antioxidant that nourishes your skin and can help protect it from the damaging UV rays of the sun.
I haven’t tried making this recipe with peanut butter yet, but I have a good feeling about it!
Cocoa Almond Butter Cups – Filling Chocolate Base with Almond Butter Mixture
Why Are Dates Good for You?
The no bake cake-like bottom is made from almond flour and cocoa powder that’s bound and sweetened by Medjool dates. No added oils or refined sugars.
Dates are nutrient gems! Packed with potassium, manganese, copper, B vitamins, vitamin A, magnesium, calcium and fiber.
Cocoa Almond Butter Cups
Plant-based/Vegan, Gluten-free and Oil-free Dessert!
What more could you ask for? A lush, moist chocolaty treat that is plant-based/vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free and oil-free. Seriously! And talk about kid-friendly!
Cocoa Almond Butter Cups are delicious served chilled or at room temperature. Store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and they will last a minimum of one week…but I’m guessing you’ll never get to test that out!
Looking for more chocolate? Check out my Chocolate Chickpea Bark, Fudgy Avocado Cookies or Nutritious No Bake Cookie Dough Truffles!
Cocoa Almond Butter Cups
Cocoa Almond Butter Cups -- Creamy almond butter wrapped in a chewy, sweet cocoa cake and crowned with a dollop of chocolate. The perfect balance of sweet and salt without the use of refined sugar! All while being plant-based/vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free!
Ingredients
- Chocolate Base
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates (loosely packed)
- 1 1/2 cups almond meal flour (loosely packed)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla (liquid, not bean)
- Almond Butter Filling
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon finely ground sea salt (small additional amount may be added, if desired)
- Chocolate Topping
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (melted)
Instructions
- 1) In a food processor combine dates and almond flour. Pause when necessary and scrape sides. Blend together until mixed well and dates are broken down. Add cocoa powder and blend again until mixed. Add vanilla and blend until ingredients are uniformly mixed and begin to clump together.
- 2) Roll one tablespoon of chocolate base into a ball in the palms of your hands and place it in one of the receptacles of a mini muffin tin. Press ball down and spread to evenly line base and sides of cup. I used a round bottom scoop to press mine (see picture in post). Continue filling cups with chocolate base. Place in freezer while completing next step.
- 3) In a food processor blend almond butter and maple syrup. Add vanilla and salt and blend until completely mixed, scraping sides when necessary. Taste filling and add additional salt or maple syrup if a sweeter or saltier filling is desired.
- 4) Remove mini muffin tin from freezer and place one teaspoon of filling in each chocolate base. Flatten with fingers or back of a spoon until top is even. Return to freezer.
- 5) Melt chocolate chips. Remove mini muffin tin from freezer. Spoon one teaspoon of melted chocolate onto each cup. Freeze again until firm (about 20 minutes).
- These treats may be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature. They will keep for a week or more in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Prep Time is active prep. It does not include time for chilling.
This recipe looks so amazing, finally an oil free chocolate recipe! Is it possible to sub the dates for anything else? Maybe maple syrup or honey?
I’m so glad you like the recipe! Just to clarify–you are asking if you can omit the dates and substitute maple syrup for them or are you wanting to substitute the dates for the maple syrup in the recipe? 🙂