These dark chocolate almond butter cups are the ultimate sweet treat! The creamy almond butter filling is rich and nutty, while the delicious chocolate shell is surprisingly easy to make. Simple ingredients come together in this better-for-you, no-bake dessert to create a low-carb and low-glycemic spin that's so delicious!
Dark chocolate almond butter cups are such a fun treat. A rich, dark chocolate shell encloses the silky smooth almond butter filling and is topped with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
My kids love these just as much as I do, and I love knowing exactly what's in them.
The process is so basic, and with just a few select ingredients, it's incredibly easy to turn this sweet treat into a healthier version that is low-glycemic and refined sugar free.
why this recipe works
I love the simplicity of this recipe. If you're not really an almond butter lover, feel free to swap in all-natural peanut butter to create homemade peanut butter cups!
You can even adapt this recipe to be free of tree nuts altogether, and substitute tahini or SunButter.
These homemade dark chocolate almond butter cups are:
- Rich, chocolate-y, and delectable treats, without all of the additives and sugar in store-bought versions.
- Low carb and low-glycemic, which makes them suitable for keto diets, diabetics, and anyone watching their blood sugar.
- A simple recipe to modify as needed.
- A delicious and healthy treat that all eaters will love!
the ingredients
You just need six ingredients to make delicious almond butter cups at home!
Here's a look but be sure to check out the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all of the ingredient amounts:
- Sugar-free dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate. I like Lily's brand or HuKitchen, but you can use your own favorite. I always recommend to go with a high quality organic dark chocolate, when you can.
- All-natural, unsweetened almond butter. I love the Kirkland brand of organic almond butter sold at Costco. Real almond butter is drippy and requires stirring. Make sure to avoid nut butters that have ingredients added to it like palm oil or sugar.
- Coconut oil. A small amount melts into the dark chocolate and helps it harden well in the freezer.
- Coconut flour (optional). Just a tiny bit of coconut flour added to the almond butter filling thickens it up a tad and makes it less drippy. This is an optional ingredient.
- Vanilla extract. For a subtly-sweet vanilla flavor.
- Powdered monkfruit sweetener. You will definitely want a powdered sweetener for this treat. It will stir into the almond butter filling, thickening it slightly and also adding a touch of sweetness.
- Toppings. I like to top these with Maldon salt, but you can enjoy them plain or top them with chopped nuts like sliced almonds or walnuts.
As for equipment, you'll need a standard muffin tin and parchment liners (I use these). I also love silicone muffin pans and have these!
how to make keto almond butter cups
Here's a look at the process but be sure to check out the steps in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate and coconut oil. It should only take about 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can add the chocolate and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and melt in 20-second bursts, stirring in between.
Mix the almond butter with the coconut flour and powdered sweetener. Spoon a tablespoon of melted chocolate into a paper muffin liner, then tip and turn it so the chocolate moves up alongside the bottom edges. Do this for each cup, set them back in the pan, and freeze them for about 10 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened.
Tip: The coconut flour isn't a must, but it helps thicken the almond butter and turns it into a moldable filling that's not super drippy
Spoon out small servings of the almond butter mixture, rolling each into a small ball and flattening to form a small disc. If your almond butter mixture is too drippy for this, spoon the nut butter directly into the dark chocolate cups when they are set. Cover them with a spoonful of the melted chocolate.
Sprinkle each of the almond butter cups with sea salt (or sliced almonds, coconut, etc.). Place them back into the muffin tin and freeze again for 20 minutes to let the chocolate harden.
Remove, then peel away the parchment paper cups and enjoy!
tips for the best results
- You can decrease or increase the amount of coconut flour in the almond butter depending on how firm you want the filling. Don't go overboard- coconut flour is incredibly absorbent so even half a teaspoon will make a difference!
- If you want to use a liquid sweetener (like liquid monk fruit or stevia drops), you'll likely need an extra half teaspoon or full teaspoon of the coconut flour.
- If you want to use a granulated sweetener like granulated allulose, you can blitz it for a few seconds in a high-powered blender to make your own "powdered" sweetener. While the granulated stuff will sweeten the dark chocolate almond butter cups, it will be gritty, so powdered or liquid sweeteners work best.
- The melted chocolate might slightly harden while you're waiting for the cups to set, so if you're worried about that you can keep it warm over the double boiler (without the stovetop on).
variations
There are so many variations of these dark chocolate almond butter cups that you can enjoy, and all of the below ideas would be keto-friendly and low-glycemic as well!
- Peanut butter cups. Substitute peanut butter for almond butter and use a sugar-free milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate.
- Dark chocolate tahini cups. Substitute tahini for almond butter. A touch of maple syrup (or sugar-free substitute) would give it an extra delicious flavor.
- PB&J cups. Use half of the almond butter mixture and add 1 teaspoon of a sugar-free jam on top of the nut butter layer. This works well with either a peanut butter or almond butter variation. I have made these with my sugar-free strawberry chia jam and sugar-free blueberry jam. You can also use a store-bought jam with less sugar.
storage
Keep these stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container so they stay set and don't melt. They'll be good for at least 10 days. You can also store them in the freezer for longer and let them defrost slightly whenever you need a sweet treat.
Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups (Keto, Low Carb)
These dark chocolate almond butter cups are the perfect low-carb and keto-friendly chocolate treat! A creamy and nutty almond butter filling sits inside a sugar-free chocolate shell. Simple and delicious, this recipe is not only keto, but gluten-free and vegan!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 oz.) sugar-free dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- ¾ cup almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 1 tablespoon powdered sweetener (I like Lakanto powdered monk fruit sweetener)
- 1-2 teaspoons coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- toppings like flaky sea salt, sliced almonds, shredded coconut, or sea salt (optional)
- 8-10 parchment muffin cups
Instructions
- Place the dark chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler and heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted. The chocolate should melt in about five minutes. You can also melt it in a microwave-safe bowl, in 20-second increments, stirring in between.
- In a small bowl, mix the almond butter, coconut flour, vanilla, and powdered sweetener. The mixture should thicken and resemble cookie dough. If it looks too drippy, you can add ½ teaspoon-1 teaspoon extra of coconut flour.
- Once the chocolate has melted, spoon about a tablespoon of chocolate into each muffin cup, tilting the cup as you turn it, so the chocolate coats the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides (this forms the chocolate "cup"). I usually make about 8-10; you'll want to make sure you leave enough melted chocolate for the top layer.
- Set each cup back into the muffin tray. Place the muffin tray into the freezer and let the chocolate harden for about 10 minutes.
- While the chocolate is setting, spoon out about a tablespoon of the almond butter mixture, roll it between your hands to form a ball, and slightly flatten it so it's about 1-½ inches in diameter. Make an almond butter disc for each of the muffin cups and set them on a plate. If your almond butter filling is too drippy to mold, that's okay-- you can spoon the filling into the chocolate shell.
- When the chocolate is set, place each of the almond butter discs into the chocolate cups (or a small spoonful of the filling), then spoon about a teaspoon of melted chocolate on top to form the top layer. Make sure it's even across the top and along the edges.
- Top the chocolate almond butter cups with sea salt, chopped nuts or shredded coconut. Place the muffin tray back into the freezer and allow them to freeze for at least 20 minutes to set the chocolate.
- Store the almond butter cups in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Notes
If you don't have a powdered sweetener, you can substitute monk fruit extract or stevia drops.
To use granulated erythritol, allulose or monk fruit sweetener, you can powder it at home by running it through a blender or a coffee grinder to make it fine.
Variations:
- Peanut butter cups. Substitute peanut butter for almond butter and use a sugar-free milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate.
- Dark chocolate tahini cups. Substitute tahini for almond butter. A touch of maple syrup (or sugar-free substitute) would give it an extra delicious flavor.
- PB&J cups. Use half of the almond butter mixture and add 1 teaspoon of a sugar-free jam on top of the nut butter layer. This works well with either a peanut butter or almond butter variation. I have made these with my sugar-free strawberry chia jam and sugar-free blueberry jam. You can also use a store-bought jam with less sugar.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 265Total Fat: 24.4gSaturated Fat: 8.6gCarbohydrates: 16gNet Carbohydrates: 4gFiber: 12gSugar: 1.5gProtein: 6.7g
This nutritional information is approximate and is provided for convenience as a courtesy.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!