Crunchy Salty Sweet

With Easter on the horizon, I’ve been doing my best to ignore the taunting colorful bags of candy seemingly everywhere.

Don’t get me wrong, I will absolutely destroy a Nutrageous or Snickers, but in an effort to control ingredient quality and enjoy something a TAD healthier, I bring you these almond butter cups.

Most people get the impression that these are hard to make, they really couldn’t be easier. It’s as simple as melting some chocolate, mixing some ingredients, and being patient (okay, so maybe that part is a little difficult…).

Start by preparing a mini muffin tin with paper or foil liners. You could also use a regular muffin tin for larger cups, which will turn out just as delicious. I’m all about quantity though, so I went for the minis.

Over medium heat, let a small pot with about 1 inch of water begin to simmer. When it is simmering, place a glass or metal bowl atop the pot. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water beneath.

In the bowl, add in the chocolate chips and coconut oil. You can use any chocolate here. I went for semi-sweet, but have really enjoyed a 70% dark here as well. Milk would work, though I personally don’t like the pairing with almond butter…the choice is yours!

You’ll want the chocolate to slowly melt, stirring occasionally.

While the chocolate is melting, we’ll get started on the almond butter mixture.

In a small bowl, mix together the almond butter, powdered sugar, honey, vanilla, and salt.

The texture of the almond butter is fairly coarse, so you can easily replace with most natural nut butters pretty nicely. The key here is to have a mixture that you can easily roll in your hands with no sticking. It will be reminiscent of peanut butter play-doh.

With the melted chocolate, take about 1 teaspoon per cup, and roll the chocolate around the cup to let the chocolate go up the sides of the cup. Continue this process until you have added chocolate to all the liners.

Now, using about 1/2-3/4 teaspoon of the almond butter mixture, roll into a ball, and then press slightly, so it is a disc. I sprayed my hands with cooking spray to ensure no sticking.

Place the almond butter disc onto the melted chocolate.

Continue until all cups have an almond butter disc.

Finally, take an additional teaspoon of chocolate and add to the top of the almond butter. Make sure the chocolate covers the almond butter completely.

To finish it off, let it set for 1-2 minutes, and then add a sprinkle of coarse sea salt to each almond butter cup.

Place the muffin tin into the fridge (or freezer for quicker consumption) until solid.

Remove from chilled environment and enjoy.

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Adapted from: Sprouted Kitchen

Makes: 24 mini cups or about 10 large cups

Prep: 20 minutes, Cook: 10 mintutes, Total: 30 minutes

• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or dark chocolate)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/2 C natural almond butter
• 2 T honey
• 1 T powdered sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1/4 t kosher salt
• coarse sea salt, for topping

Over medium heat, let a small pot with about 1 inch of water begin to simmer. When it is simmering, place a glass or metal bowl atop the pot. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water beneath.

In the bowl, add in the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Melt the chocolate stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, mix together the almond butter, powdered sugar, honey, vanilla, and salt.

With the melted chocolate, take about 1 teaspoon per cup, and roll the chocolate around the cup to let the chocolate go up the sides of the cup. Continue this process until you have added chocolate to all the liners.

Now, using about 1/2-3/4 teaspoon of the almond butter mixture, roll into a ball, and then press slightly, so it is a disc. I sprayed my hands with cooking spray to ensure no sticking.

Place the almond butter disc onto the melted chocolate. Continue until all cups have an almond butter disc.

Finally, take an additional teaspoon of chocolate and add to the top of the almond butter. Make sure the chocolate covers the almond butter completely.

To finish it off, let it set for 1-2 minutes, and then add a sprinkle of coarse sea salt to each almond butter cup.

Place the muffin tin into the fridge (or freezer for quicker consumption) until solid.

Remove from chilled environment and enjoy.