No-Bake Mini Caramel Chocolate Cups
Here’s a question: Are you interested in the ultimate wholesome, no-bake, grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, dangerously delicious snack? (Yes, I happen to be referring to these no-bake mini caramel chocolate cups.)
Proceed further, why don’t you, if your answer is in the affirmative.
These no-bake caramel chocolate cups. Lemme tell you. They’re something. Something real good and special.
Now, these caramel cups are not a one-step, blend-everything-together-in-your-food-processor type of no-bake recipe. They’re a three-step, blend-everything-together-in-your-food-processor type of no-bake recipe.
So. Although there are three components involved in these caramel chocolate cups. They are components that are all quick and simple. And none require any oven time. Just freezer time. Hence the “no-bake.”
BECAUSE IT’S JULY!!!!! (YAYYYYYYY!!!!) A month that is also (very uncommonly, because I’m making this up right now) known as the no-bake dessert period.
These mini caramel chocolate cups are packed with rich, fatty, nutrient-dense ingredients like nuts and almond flour and dates and almond butter and coconut oil.
So you best believe that these no-bake babies make a filling, hearty snack. Perfect for that midday slump, when an energy-rich, sweet, tasty snack is most definitely required.
And another thing: these mini cups are stored in your freezer. And are eaten straight from there, frozen. Which means you’ll always have these caramel cups on hand, ready for the ingesting. And which also means you can make a batch of these now and have 1 a day for the next 22-24 days. Or 2 a day for the next 11-12 days. Etcetera.
The crust: it’s tender and dense and chewy and nutty and sweet and blended quickly in a food processor and pressed into the bottom and up the sides of your mini muffin molds.
The filling: it’s creamy and rich and velvety and sweet and blended quickly in that same food processor (don’t even bother cleaning it in between) and spooned into your crusts.
The chocolate: it’s dark and deep and intense and sweet and made by you (it ain’t just melted chocolate chips mmmkay) and melted together quickly and spread over your filling.
And then salt. Flaky salt. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Because caramel + chocolate + flaky salt = flavors that every no-bake snack should emulate.
Oh. And if you don’t want any coconut flavor in your caramel chocolate cups, make sure to use refined coconut oil. Problem solved.
Grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, packed with nutrient-dense ingredients, and still dangerously delicious, rich, chewy, creamy, tender, sweet + salty, and filling.
No-bake mini caramel chocolate cups - damn you do it well.
No-Bake Caramel Chocolate Cups
Yield: about 22 mini cups
Crust:
1 cup walnuts or pecans
2/3 cup almond flour
6 medjool dates
½ teapoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Caramel Filling:
1 cup (about 14) medjool dates
2 tablespoons almond butter
1/3 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons coconut oil*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Topping:
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup cocoa powder
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
-Flaky salt, for sprinkling (optional)
1. Crust: Grease 22-24 mini muffin molds and set aside. In a food processor, pulse together all the crust ingredients until a crumbly mixture forms. Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the muffin molds. Place the trays into the freezer while preparing the filling.
2. Filling: In the same food processor, pulse together all the filling ingredients until a smooth mixture forms, stopping to scrape the sides at intervals. Remove trays from the freezer and drop a spoonful of the filling into each crust, smoothing out the top. Place the trays back into the freezer while preparing the chocolate.
3. Chocolate: Melt the coconut oil in a small pot or in the microwave. Stir the cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract into the melted coconut oil. Remove trays from the freezer and drop a spoonful of chocolate on top of each cup, spreading the chocolate till the cup’s edges. Sprinkle flaky salt over the chocolate. Place trays back into the freezer until hardened.
4. Run a knife around the edges of the cups to ease them out of their molds. Serve right away, storing any remaining cups in the freezer.
*Note: use refined coconut oil if you don’t want any coconut flavor in your dessert.
