Almond Butter and Chocolate Cups

How Do You Make Almond Butter at Home?

At first glance, homemade almond butter may sound intimidating. But what if I told you all you need are almonds and water? Thanks to this two ingredient recipe, making almond butter at home has never been easier!

Start by adding three cups of the Cinnamon Spice Almonds from Santé Nuts. The great thing about using these almonds is that they’re already roasted and flavored; which, saves you time and ingredients! Typically almond butter recipes call for roasting the almonds for at least 10 minutes, then allowing them to cool. For this recipe, you can just add the almonds straight to a food processor.

No need to add maple syrup, cinnamon, or vanilla extract. These spiced almonds are coated in rich cinnamon sugar with hints of citrus and brandy. Just add a tablespoon of warm water to the food processor. Pulse on high speed and scrape down every few minutes with a spatula. This process will take awhile, but after about 5-7 minutes, the almonds will begin to break down and form a paste. Continue pushing, only pausing intermittently to use the spatula to scrape down the sides, until it’s smooth and creamy.

We’ll be taking this almond butter recipe to the next level for these dark chocolate cups. To do so, we need to take it from creamy to crunchy. It’s important to pulse the cinnamon spiced almonds fully into a creamy mixture. It yields a richer flavor and better texture as it pulses longer. To add the crunch into this almond butter recipe, use the Cocoa Almonds from Santé Nuts. These dusted almonds are the perfect addition to this recipe as they pair beautifully with the dark chocolate and add another layer of flavor to the homemade almond butter.

The Chocolate Layers

Much like the almond butter, the chocolate layers are very straight forward and simple to make. All you need is dark chocolate chips and a little coconut oil. My favorite chocolate to use are Lily’s Sweet Dark Chocolate Baking Chips. Because these chips are intended for baking, they melt beautifully and retain their rich flavor. As well, they have less sugar and no dairy!

You’ll need 18 ounces of dark chocolate chips and three tablespoons of coconut oil. The fastest way to combine the two is by adding them to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for roughly 25 seconds, then stir to combine. Heat for another 35 seconds and stir again until the chocolate has melted. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly before starting the next step.

Assembling the Layers

Now that you have the almond butter and dark chocolate ready to go, it’s time to layer. Start by placing silicone or paper liners in a muffin tin. I like to use silicone liners, like these, because I think they release easier and cleaner. Once you have the liners in the tin, pour the melted dark chocolate into each individual liner, filling one fourth of the way. Then, pop the tray into the freezer- make sure to set flat. Allow the dark chocolate to set for one hour.

After the bottom chocolate layer is set, add a spoonful of almond butter to each cup. Try to spread the almond butter as smooth as possible. Also, ensure that you leave at least one fourth to one third of room in the liner for the top layer of chocolate. Once each almond butter layer is spread over the chocolate, freeze again for thirty minutes. This will help the top layer of chocolate freeze faster.

Finally, pour the top layer of dark chocolate over the frozen almond butter. Pour enough melted chocolate to cover the almond butter, but not too much that it begins to overflow. Last but not least, place the tin back in the freezer for one hour after the top layer has been poured into each cup. Note that you can allow the cups to freeze longer; however, they do need to be in the freezer for at least one hour to finish setting and hardening.

One Last Step…

Once the almond butter and chocolate cups are fully set and ready to be eaten, there is one last thing you need to do. Finish this dessert off with a little bit of flakey sea salt! The salt enhances the flavor of the dark chocolate and balances out the sweetness of the almond butter. Just remember that a little bit goes a long ways!

If you have leftovers of this dessert, you can store them in the freezer or refrigerator. I would recommend allowing them to freeze overnight before transferring them to the refrigerator. This will help prevent the chocolate from melting too soon.

The Best Nut Option

If you follow my recipes, it’s no secret that Santé Nuts is my go-to brand for quality nuts! Their variety of hand-seasoned walnuts, almonds and pecans enhance any recipe and make for the perfect snack. Check out other recipes on my blog and discover how to incorporate Santé Nuts into your life.

• Candied Walnuts: These sugar coasted walnuts are the best of both worlds because you can use them in savory recipes, like my Walnut & Pea Pesto Pasta Salad, or sweet treats, like this Gluten-Free Pear and Walnut Tart!
• Garlic Almonds: These irresistible, savory almonds are my go-to for snacking but also make for the perfect crunchy element in my Lemony Asparagus Risotto recipe.
• Candied Pecans: There are so many ways to use these nuts in your cooking and baking! For sweet inspiration, check out this Gluten-Free Pecan Crusted Mini Key Lime Pies. Or utilize them in salads, like this Radicchio Salad with Pecans.

You can also check out my Instagram for more gluten-free recipes featuring Santé Nuts! And don’t forget to use the code ‘BOTTOMLESSPIT’ for 15% off your order from the Santé Nuts website.