These Almond Butter Cups are super easy to make! You only need four ingredients and 8 minutes of prep time to make it in your microwave or stovetop. They turns out so smooth and delicious, and there's no layering!
If you are looking for more healthy snacks using almond butter, try our 3-ingredient almond butter cookies or the almond butter protein balls next!
Why You'll Love These Almond Butter Cups
These are like peanut butter cups, but made with almond butter instead! The combination of smooth chocolate and rich, creamy almond butter makes for an easy and delicious treat.
Most almond butter cup recipes have layers of chocolate on the bottom and top, with the almond butter filling tucked in between, similar to our chocolate peppermint bark. I wanted to make mine even easier, so there’s no layering or complicated steps—just a simple recipe that’s easy enough for kids to make. And the result? Smooth, creamy almond butter cups that practically melt in your mouth.
If you’re wondering how to use almond butter, this is definitely one to try!
-maria doss
Jump to:
What are almond butter cups? Almond butter cups are essentially homemade peanut butter cups made with almond butter instead of peanut butter. They have the same classic combination of creamy nut butter and chocolate, but with the slightly nutty flavor of almonds. They’re an easy, no-bake treat and a great alternative to traditional Reese’s-style peanut butter cups if you prefer almond butter or want to skip peanuts.
Tips For Success
- Almond butter - Like in all almond butter recipes, use creamy almond butter. I don’t recommend using the natural kind that separates.
- Chocolate - I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate chips, but dark chocolate chips work just as well. Use good quality chocolate, like Ghirardelli semi-sweet chips.
- Vegan - Use vegan chocolate chips. The rest of the recipe is vegan!
- Storage - Store the cups in the refrigerator until serving time.
- Best pan to use - I recommend using a 12-cup mini muffin pan to make bite-size almond butter cups, and a standard muffin pan to make standard-sized cups.
Almond Butter Cups FAQ'S
For the best texture, I recommend using a creamy, no-stir almond butter. These almond butters contain stabilizers that help prevent oil separation, so they’re thicker and more consistent. When mixed with melted chocolate, they create smooth, creamy cups that set up nicely without becoming too oily or runny. My favorite is Barney Creamy Almond Butter.
Natural almond butter can work, but it tends to separate and is usually thinner, even after stirring well. Because of the extra oil and looser consistency, your almond butter cups may not set as firmly.
Yes! Homemade almond butter cups are best stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed cold. Since they’re made with chocolate and coconut oil, they can soften at room temperature, especially on a warm day. Keeping them chilled helps them stay firm and gives them that satisfying, creamy texture.
Absolutely! You can swap the almond butter for peanut butter, SunButter, or cashew butter. Just make sure to use a thick, creamy, no-stir variety rather than a drippy natural nut butter. The thicker consistency helps the cups set properly and keeps them smooth and creamy.
If your almond butter cups are sticking to the paper liners, the chocolate probably hasn’t fully set. Even slightly soft chocolate can cling to the paper.
Simply pop them back in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes, or the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes, then try peeling the liners again. Once they’re firm, they should release easily.
More Almond Butter Recipes
Almond Butter Cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup almond butter (I like to use Barneys smooth almond butter)
- ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips (I like to use Ghirardelli)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prep. This recipe makes 12 mini cups or 6 standard-size cups. 👉 For making mini almond butter cups, line a mini muffin pan with 12 paper liners.👉 For making standard-size almond butter cups, line a regular muffin pan with 6 paper liners.
- Melt. Place ½ cup almond butter, ½ cup chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 60 to 90 seconds, until 90% melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Remove from the microwave and continue stirring until fully melted. Stir in ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and ⅛ teaspoon salt.
- Chill. Divide the mixture evenly among the paper-lined muffin cups. Gently tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to smooth out the tops. Sprinkle with a little salt, if desired, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or until set.
- Storage. Store in the refrigerator!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Variations
- Add nuts - Add 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts like roasted peanuts, walnuts, or pecans for a crunchy texture.
- Salted caramel - Swirl about ½ teaspoon of salted caramel sauce on top, before it sets.
- Not a fan of almond butter? Use regular peanut butter instead to make peanut butter cups, or sun butter , to make sunbutter cups.
- Crunch - Stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped pretzels, to add salty crunch.
How to make almond butter cups in the microwave?
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Place chocolate chips, almond butter and coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
2. Microwave for 1 ½ minutes, until fully melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in vanilla extract and salt.
3. Divide melted mixture evenly into a paper lined muffin pan, smooth top and place pan in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours to set.
How to make almond butter cups on the stovetop?
- Add 1 cup of water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer over low heat.
- Place a heat-safe glass bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
- Add the chocolate chips, almond butter, and coconut oil to the bowl. The steam from the simmering water will gently heat the bowl and melt everything. Stir occasionally until smooth and completely melted.
- Remove the bowl from the saucepan and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Immediately divide the mixture among the paper-lined muffin cups, then refrigerate until set.
MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💚 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love to hear your feedback! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Facebook.
Hi, I’m Maria! I share easy, flavor-packed dinners, high-protein meals, and irresistible baking ideas. If you’ve ever asked, “Don’t know what to cook tonight?” you’re in the right place. And yes—there’s plenty here for breakfast, snacks, and dessert too. More about maria ->
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
Mmmm chocolate and almond butter! Yum!! I am totally loving that you mixed everything together to make it even easier to make!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Definitely my kind of treat Maria!! So few ingredients and so much flavour!! I have made these with peanut butter but I should definitely try with almond butter!
Shelly
Soooo sooo Delicious. Only change was I used Dark choc.Wiil make often!! And it was so easy Love it😍
Kas
Greetings, is there a substitute for the coconut oil? I cannot have Dairy either.
Maria Doss
Hi Kas, You can use vegetable oil instead! The only issue would be that the cups won't firm up as much when compared to using coconut oil/butter. Hope it helps, Maria