Almond Butter Cocoa Cups (Printable Version)

Creamy almond butter inside dark chocolate cups offers a rich, no-bake indulgence.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chocolate Shell

01 - 7 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
02 - 2 tbsp coconut oil

→ Almond Butter Filling

03 - 1/2 cup unsweetened almond butter
04 - 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
05 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
06 - Pinch of sea salt

→ Optional Toppings

07 - 2 tbsp chopped roasted almonds
08 - Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

# How to Make It:

01 - Line a 12-cup mini muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - Using a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate with coconut oil, stirring until smooth.
03 - Spoon about 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate into each liner, coating the bottom and halfway up the sides. Freeze for 10 minutes to set.
04 - In a small bowl, combine almond butter, maple syrup or honey, vanilla extract, and sea salt until smooth.
05 - Remove muffin tin from freezer and fill each chocolate shell with a heaping teaspoon of almond butter mixture, flattening slightly.
06 - Top each cup with another teaspoon of melted chocolate, spreading to fully cover the filling. Tap gently to smooth.
07 - Sprinkle chopped roasted almonds and flaky sea salt over each cup if desired.
08 - Freeze for at least 30 minutes until firm.
09 - Keep almond butter cocoa cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like you spent hours in the kitchen, but honestly you'll be done in twenty minutes.
  • No oven required, no fancy equipment—just your freezer and a little patience.
  • The contrast between crispy chocolate and smooth almond butter is deeply satisfying in a way that catches people off guard.
02 -
  • Room temperature chocolate seizes the moment water touches it, which is why the double boiler method isn't fancy—it's survival; use a bowl that sits slightly above the water, never touching it.
  • Trying to speed up freezing time by using the freezer less often means your chocolate shell will crack when you peel the liners away, so commit to the timeline and actually wait.
  • The difference between 'these taste homemade' and 'these taste store-bought' is literally that pinch of sea salt in the filling and the flaky salt on top—don't skip it thinking salt will ruin chocolate.
03 -
  • Chop your chocolate into small pieces before melting so it melts evenly and completely—big chunks take forever and create hot spots that burn while other pieces stay solid.
  • If your almond butter is too thick to mix smoothly, warm the bowl slightly under hot water or warm the honey first, and the filling becomes silky without needing to add anything else.

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