You’re going to love these vegan chocolate cups. This sweet and salty dessert is made with raw ingredients making it vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and refined sugar-free. It’s the perfect sweet treat for your 30-day cleanse.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
Today we are going back to the world of RAW desserts.
Why? Because when we are cleansing, raw desserts are an awesome way to get nutrient-packed treats that are not only delicious but good for you.
Back when I started this blog, I was a bit of a raw dessert connoisseur. In 2012, I started experimenting with raw desserts and I was amazed at how a few simple ingredients could create endless flavor combinations with the most decadent and delicious tastes and textures. Better yet, there is quite a lot of room for trial and error since you can test and taste as you go. Within several months of experiencing, I was so hooked that I decided to write a whole cookbook of raw desserts.
Throughout the years, my raw desserts have been some of my most popular recipes. Among them are:
- Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake Bars
- Raw Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3-Ingredient Mini Pecan Pies
- Banana Coconut Cream Pie
You can find all my raw dessert recipes.
What are Raw Desserts?
For those of you who don’t know, raw desserts, like raw food, are made with whole, unprocessed ingredients. There is no cooking or baking in raw food, allowing it to keep all the natural health-packed benefits of these plant-based ingredients.
This also means that raw food is always vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and refined sugar-free. Raw desserts are a great alternative to traditional desserts for people on a gluten-free, paleo, or raw food diet.
Want to know more? Make sure to check out my raw desserts ebook.
Recommended Ingredients And Equipment
Raw desserts rely on just a handful of basic ingredients from which you can create endless possibilities. It’s quite amazing really.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cacao Powder – Cacao powder is similar to cocoa powder but is processed in a way that keeps it raw. In addition, cacao powder is considered one of the best superfoods for its nutrient-dense makeup.
- Coconut Oil
- Maple Syrup – It’s important to note that maple syrup is processed in a way that disqualifies it from being a raw food. However, many raw foodist still use it. For an entirely raw dessert, use raw agave nectar instead. If using agave, make sure to reduce the amount of sweetener by 2 tablespoons.
- Raw Almond Butter – Not all almond butter is raw, so make sure to check the label.
- Toppings (Optional) – Cacao nibs and coarse sea salt add the perfect flavor and crunch to this sweet treat.
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe you will need a mini muffin tin, a couple of small mixing bowls, and basic kitchen utensils. A piping bag is also helpful for piping in the almond filling. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
How to Make Raw Chocolate Cups
Step One: Make the Raw Chocolate
Whisk together the ingredients for the dark chocolate until smooth. That’s the raw cacao powder, melted coconut oil, and sweetener.
Pro Tip: Maple syrup is processed in a way that disqualifies it from being a raw food. However, many prefer it over agave nectar. If you do choose agave, make sure to reduce the amount of sweetener by 2 tablespoons as it is sweeter.
Brush the inside of each baking cup with a thick layer of chocolate. It needs to be thick enough to hold the almond butter but not so thick that you can’t bite into it.
Step Two: Fill and Top
Combine the almond butter with sweetener of choice. Again, you can use either maple syrup or agave nectar.
Spoon about 2 teaspoons of sweetened almond butter into each chilled chocolate cup. Top with remaining chocolate and any optional toppings.
Step Three: Freeze
Return to the freezer and let the chocolate cups freeze all the way through, about 1 hour.
Serving and Storing
Serve these chocolate cups as soon as the chocolate is completely hardened. Simply release the chocolate cups by using a knife as a lever to pop them out of their molds.
Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, pull them out 10 minutes earlier to thaw.
Tips and tricks
- Don’t over-mix the chocolate; chocolate does not want to be messed with much. Mix it only as much as necessary.
- Line your baking sheet with cupcake holders for easy release.
- If your chocolate is too thin to coat the sides of mini muffin molds, let it sit a room temperature until it is thick enough to spread.
- Make sure your chocolate cups are completely frozen before removing them. If they are not, they will start to fall apart.
- Top your chocolate cups when the chocolate is still a bit wet so that the toppings don’t fall off.
- Don’t refrigerate set chocolate. Refrigeration can cause condensation and the chocolate will become wet and lose its flavor. Always store these chocolate almond cups in the freezer.
More Healthy Vegan Dessert Recipes
- 5-Minute Chocolate Chia Pudding
- Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake Bars
- Banana Coconut Cream Pie
- Raw Chunky Monkey Ice Cream
Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients
Raw Dark Chocolate
- 3/4 cup Cacao Powder
- 3/4 cup Coconut Oil, melted
- 1/4 + 2 tbsp Maple Syrup, or 1/4 cup Raw Agave Nectar
Nut Butter Filling
- 3/4 cup Raw Almond Butter, or nut butter of choice
- 1-2 tbsp. Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar
Toppings (optional)
- Cacao Nibs
- Coarse Sea Salt
Instructions
- Line a mini muffin tin with 16 baking cups and set aside.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the dark chocolate until smooth. Brush the inside of each baking cup with a thick layer of chocolate. If the chocolate is too thin, let it sit out at room temperature for 10-20 minutes before brushing. Place the chocolate cups in the freezer to harden.
- Combine the almond butter with sweetener of choice. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of sweetened almond butter into each chocolate cup. Top with remaining chocolate and any optional toppings.
- Place in the freezer and allow to freeze all the way through - about 30 minutes. Once they are frozen, remove the cupcake wrappers from the chocolate cups and serve.
Notes
- Don't over-mix the chocolate; chocolate does not want to be messed with much. Mix it only as much as necessary.
- If your chocolate is too thin to coat the sides of mini muffin molds, let it sit a room temperature until it is thick enough to spread.
- Make sure your chocolate cups are completely frozen before removing them. If they are not, they will start to fall apart.
- Don't refrigerate set chocolate. Refrigeration can cause condensation and the chocolate will become wet and lose its flavor. Always store these chocolate almond cups in the freezer.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
yinaira says
I have tried Artisana Coconut and Chocolate Butter and it’s amaaaaaaazing! Since that moment, I made it my favorite sweet butter!!
Lucia says
I’ve never tried Artisana before but their cacao butter looks divine.
Joanna says
Pecan butter sounds absolutely ridiculous!
Sara says
I love their cashew butter, so creamy!
Beth says
The Cacao Bliss is my new favorite thing!! I love melting it for dipping strawberries! So delicious! The coconut butter is also amazing in oatmeal with some strawberry jam!
Marina says
I have never tried Artisana products but I am so excited to try some!
Eleanor says
i haven’t tried them but i’ve heard about them from several blog sites and they are definitely on my list of things “to buy”
Dana says
yes! i always travel with their squeeze packs-love the coconut butter
Lee says
I have not tried Aritsana nut butters – would love to give them a go! thanks!
Heidi says
I’m excited about this give away i haven’t got to try the artisan raw nut butters yet because no one in my area sells them. I really want to try the raw pecan though, sounfs so yummy!
Corrine says
I have not tried their products yet but hope to change that soon.
Lydia Claire says
I have not had a chance to try them yet but I’d like to!
Amy says
Oh my gosh these cups look DEVINE. I’ll definitely have to make them soon! I would love to try Artisina’s butters, I’ve never tried them before!
Celeste says
I haven’t tried their products yet but I’ve seen them around a lot and they look so enticing.
Jordan says
I lovelovelove their coconut butter!
Cadry says
I’d have to say their coconut butter is my favorite! It’s so wonderful stuffed inside of dates.