These coconut butter cups are like my coconut clusters, but easier to make and without the coconut texture many kids don’t like. They provide a lot of healthy fats and are a way to sneak some extra coconut into your kids’ diets.
If you liked Reese’s cups before your real-food days (*ahem*) these are a good healthy substitute. They don’t taste exactly like Reese’s (no peanut butter or high fructose corn syrup) but are a good alternative. A little cashew butter, almond butter, or other nut butter in the middle would make a delicious candy as well.
Dark Chocolate Coconut Butter Cups
I love that these are a healthy and nourishing way to satisfy my family’s sweet tooth. We’ll sometimes bring these to events where there will be treats for the kids so they have a healthier choice. It’s one of the ways I help my kids develop healthy food habits. They’re naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and use natural sweeteners.
For the chocolate, you’ve got options. I like using allergen-friendly dairy-free chocolate, but regular organic works well too. You could even chop up a good-quality chocolate bar if that’s what you have on hand. Add a little sprinkle of sea salt on the top when you’re done assembling the coconut butter cups if desired.
A Cheaper Alternative to Keto Cups
It seems like keto snacks and keto cups are all the rage now. While they can be a healthier, sugar-free option, many of them contain junky ingredients I try to avoid. Plus they can easily get expensive!
If you want to make a nutrient-dense, keto-friendly version, simply opt for sugar-free chocolate, like this one. I avoid artificial sweeteners, but monk fruit and stevia are good sugar-free alternatives. Regular organic dark chocolate is very low in sugar anyway and high in antioxidants so I feel fine using it. I cover keto‘s benefits and the best way to do the keto diet here.
What You’ll Need
- quality dark chocolate without soy (I like these and they’re gluten, dairy, and soy-free)
- shredded coconut
- vanilla extract
- coconut oil
- stevia extract
Chocolate Coconut Butter Cups
Servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz chocolate chips
- 3 TBSP coconut oil divided
- 1 ¼ unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 TBSP vanilla extract
- 10 drops stevia extract optional or to taste
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper and set aside.
- In a double boiler or bowl on top of a small pot of boiling water, melt the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over low heat.
- Once it's melty, remove it from the heat.
- Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the remaining coconut oil, shredded coconut, vanilla, and stevia extract.
- Blend/process until the coconut becomes thick and paste-like. It will eventually start to resemble the thickness of coconut cream concentrate.
- Pour about half a tablespoon of the melted chocolate into the bottom of each of 12 cupcake wrappers. Individual silicone wrappers work best. Paper cupcake liners or muffin liners work fine, but they're a little flimsy and harder to work with.
- Use a silicone brush to brush the melted chocolate halfway up the sides of each cupcake wrapper.
- Place the cupcake wrappers upside down on the prepared baking sheet and place them in the freezer to harden.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of the coconut mixture into each cup and press down gently with the back of the spoon or your fingers to flatten.
- Cover the tops of the coconut mixture with an additional half a tablespoon of the remaining chocolate, spreading it to cover the coconut.
- Put the baking sheet back into the freezer to harden.
- Once completely firm, remove the coconut butter cups from the cupcake liners and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The coconut oil can become too soft at room temperature.
Nutrition
Notes
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