Go Back
Print Recipe

Nut Butter Cups

Equipment

  • 8"x8" square baking dish lined with parchment or 2 mini silicone muffin molds, 30 to 36 per tray

Ingredients

Lower Layer

  • 4 ounces cacao butter, melted
  • ½ cup unsalted nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut, etc.)
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract or flavoring
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • maple syrup, stevia or other sweetener to taste

Upper Layer

  • 4 ounces cacao butter, melted
  • ¼ cup unsalted nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut, etc.)
  • ¼ cup raw cacao powder
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract or flavoring
  • maple syrup, stevia or other sweetener to taste

Instructions

  • In a heat proof bowl or measuring cup, melt cacao butter for top and bottom layers in microwave, oven or stove top. Separate into two equal parts.
  • Mix all ingredients for lower layer in one part, making sure nut butter is smooth.
  • Pour into baking parchment lined baking dish or fill mini-muffin tray ⅓ to ½ full.
  • Place lower level into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is hard enough that it won't mx with upper layer .
  • While lower layer is in the freezer, mix all ingredients for the top layer into the other half of melted cacao butter, making sure nut butter is smooth and cacao powder is fully incorporated.
  • Remove lower level trays from the freezer and add the upper level. Return to the freezer and let set for 1 hour.
  • Once set, remove from the trays. If using the 8x8 dish over parchment, cut into desired size and shape. Place in sealed container and store in the freezer or refrigerator. These will melt at room temperature.

Notes

The secret to these is to make the lower level a little bit salty and not too sweet, while the upper level is not salty and is noticeably sweeter. We started making these with maple syrup, but have since switched over to liquid stevia for less carbohydrates/sugar. Taste as you go to, but try not to make it too sweet. The freezer will change the taste and bring out the sweetness. 
Experiment with different nut butters. We like almond butter for the bottom layer because it goes with the salty taste, and cashew butter in the top layer because it is covered well by the chocolate. But most of the time, all we have it almond butter and it works great for everything. 
We recommend raw cacao powder because it will have a naturally sweeter taste to it, but it's okay to use regular cocoa powder if that's all you have on hand. The cocoa powder is roasted, so it may have a more bitter or burned taste to it.