Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Cups

I made these as a St. Patrick’s Day treat after I found a green silicone St. Patrick’s Day candy mold on sale at my local supermarket. I can’t pass up a bargain, so I had to use the darn thing.

I’ve always loved Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups, but nearly everyone in my family is allergic to peanuts (they’re allergic mostly to the mold that’s ubiquitous on peanuts) so I had to figure out a suitable alternative.

I was planning on melting chocolate chips and layering them with plain old cashew butter in the silicone candy molds when I came across this recipe for chocolate peanut butter cups in Chocolate Every Day by Bennett Coffey and Kyleen Keenan. I substituted hazelnut butter for the peanut butter called for in the original recipe, which is made with cocoa butter and cocoa powder. The sweetness comes from maple syrup, a slightly healthier alternative to refined sugar.

These dark chocolate hazelnut butter cups practically apparated into my children’s stomachs. If you want any extras for yourself, you’ll have to hide them.

Springhouse Turtle Eats

Print Recipe

Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Cups

By Springhouse Turtle – Serves: many

Prep Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes

These delicious hazelnut butter cups contain no dairy, no gluten, no refined sugar and no peanuts.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/4 cup raw cocoa butter, chopped
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Pinch sea salt
• 1/4 cup hazelnut butter

Instructions

1

Put 18 mini cupcake liners or a flexible silicone candy mold on a baking sheet. Set aside.

2

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the coconut oil and cocoa butter.

3

Whisk in the cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla and salt.

4

Half fill the molds (or mini baking cups) with the chocolate mixture.

5

Put the baking sheet into the freezer for 15 minutes.

6

Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and put 1/2 teaspoon of hazelnut butter into each cup or mold, then top with another tablespoon of chocolate.

7

Return to the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.

8

Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer indefinitely.

Melted cocoa butter, cocoa powder, vanilla and coconut oil make a delicious chocolate coating that’s easy to pour into candy molds.

If you don’t have a silicone candy mold, use mini cupcake liners to make these candies. Layer chocolate with hazelnut butter topped with a second layer of chocolate. Pop them in the freezer for 15 minutes, and they’re ready to eat.

Springhouse Turtle Eats