Easy Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups with Bananas in the middle or sliced on top! This chocolate banana dessert cup recipe is easy to make, refined sugar-free, and vegan-friendly. All you need are simple real food ingredients and a love for all things chocolate almond butter.
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Note: This recipe was originally published on March 20, 2018. We have since updated it to make it easier to make yet every bit as tasty!
These chocolate almond butter cups with bananas are inspired by everyone’s favorite childhood (and maybe adulthood) treat – peanut butter cups! A better-for-you recipe, they’re completely refined sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly.
We swapped out the traditional peanut butter to make them a little more allergy-friendly. Plus, it requires minimal prep time and is super tasty! Trust us when we say you’re going to want to make a double or triple batch to keep on hand in the refrigerator. They tend to disappear fast!
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Personal Note– Growing up I was a REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER CUP junkie. Little did I know that they were made with…well…a few extra junk ingredients. Which is why I decided to make my own. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make them with real ingredients, let alone refined sugar-free and allergy friendly. The banana adds a bit of balance to the rich dark chocolate and the almond butter smooths out the taste even better. But the real game changer is the sea salt on top! One cup will satisfy your sweet tooth like no other!
Real Food Ingredients You’ll Need
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- Naturally Refined Coconut Oil – This is used to melt the chocolate and help create smooth, spreadable layers. Use refined or expeller pressed coconut oil to avoid coconut flavor in the melted chocolate.
- Bananas – Look for small bananas that are ripe but not soft or mushy.
- Dark Chocolate – Opt for vegan dark chocolate, if needed.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – Technically optional, this helps enhance the taste of the rest of the ingredients.
- Almond Butter – Use homemade almond butter or your favorite store-bought variety. Just make sure it’s creamy and not oily!
- Optional Toppings – Add a sprinkle of sea salt and dark chocolate shavings for a gourmet appearance and extra goodness.
How to Make Homemade Almond Butter Cups with Bananas
Below is an overview of the instructions. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete recipe details and nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, sugar, fiber, etc.
- Prepare the nut butter. Place the portioned almond butter in the freezer to thicken.
- Melt the chocolate. Combine half the chocolate with a tablespoon of coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second increments, stirring in between. Stir in vanilla if desired.
Note: If preferred, you can melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat on the stovetop, stirring frequently.
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- Form the base of the almond butter cups. Pour a tablespoon of the melted chocolate into the bottom of muffin tins lined with parchment paper liners. Tap the pan a few times to distribute the chocolate evenly. Then, freeze until the chocolate is hard and set.
- Melt the remaining chocolate. In the meantime, heat the remaining dark chocolate and coconut oil, stirring to combine.
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- Layer. Spoon part of the chilled almond butter over the frozen chocolate. Then, press the sliced bananas on top. Pour the remaining chocolate on top.
Note: Feel free to skip adding the bananas in the center of the cups, and place them on top before freezing instead.
- Freeze. Garnish with extra chocolate and sea salt as desired. Transfer the muffin tin to the freezer until the almond butter cups are set.
Pro-Tip: For a bite-sized treat, divide the ingredients between mini muffin tin cups lined with mini muffin liners instead.
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Flavor Variations
- Swap the nut butter. Feel free to use any variety of seed or nut butter in this recipe. Peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter will all taste great.
- Use a different chocolate. Replace the dark chocolate chips with semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate for a different taste.
- Omit or substitute the fruit. Keep your almond butter cups plain by omitting the bananas, or use strawberries instead.
How to Store
This recipe is great to prepare in advance. Once set, the no-bake almond butter cups can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for three weeks or in the freezer for up to three months.
To enjoy from frozen, allow them to sit out at room temperature and soften just slightly. This will make them easier to bite into and eat!
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More of Our Favorite
More Gluten Free No Bake Dessert Recipes
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Chocolate Almond Butter Cups with Banana Recipe
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Total Time: 40 minutes -
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Yield: 11 to 12 cups -
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Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Skip the store-bought options, and make these homemade almond butter cups with dark chocolate and bananas for a better-for-you treat!
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy almond butter (see notes)
- 12 ounces dark chocolate, divided
- 2 Tablespoons refined coconut oil, divided (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- ½ ripe banana, sliced ⅛th to ¼ inch thick
- Topping: sea salt and dark chocolate drizzle
Instructions
- Line a regular size muffin pan with liners and set aside. Place ½ cup almond butter in the freezer for 10 minutes to thicken while melting the chocolate.
- Melt 6 ounces dark chocolate (half the chocolate) with 1 Tablespoon coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments, mixing between until melted. (If preferred, chocolate can be melted with coconut oil directly in a saucepan over low heat on the stove top, gently stirring in intervals). If desired, stir in the optional vanilla extract.
- Pour 1 Tablespoon melted chocolate into each muffin cup. Tap the pan a few times so the chocolate will evenly spread around each muffin cup. Place melted chocolate in the freezer on a flat surface for 10 minutes to harden and set.
- While freezing, melt the remaining 6 ounces dark chocolate with ½ to 1 Tablespoon oil.
- Remove frozen chocolate cups and almond butter from the freezer. Spoon ½ Tablespoon chilled almond butter on top of the frozen chocolate lined cups. Then press sliced banana (1-2 slices per preference) on top (or skip adding the banana in the middle and top the chocolate cup with it instead).
- Pour the remaining melted dark chocolate over the cups to fill (about 1 Tablespoon). If desired, top each cup with the remaining banana slices. Garnish with dark chocolate drizzle and sea salt.
- Freeze for 20 minutes or until set. Allow the cups to sit at room temperature for 5 mins before serving from the freezer. Store the almond butter cups in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
Substitute Tips – Sunflower seed butter can be substituted for the almond butter for a nut-free version and Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate can be used for a vegan option. Mini muffin cups may be substituted for regular muffin cups, just make sure the bananas are cut smaller to fit.
Prep Tips – Do not use an oily based almond butter otherwise the filling will be oily at room temperature. You won’t need the whole ½ cup of almond butter but it’s best to have more just in case. Use refined or expeller pressed coconut oil to avoid coconut flavor in the melted chocolate.
Storage Tips – Store the almond butter cups in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes - Image may be NSFW.
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Chill Time: 30 minutes - Image may be NSFW.
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Cook Time: n/a - Image may be NSFW.
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Category: dessert - Image may be NSFW.
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Method: no bake - Image may be NSFW.
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Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 238
- Sugar: 7.5 g
- Sodium: 6.2 mg
- Fat: 18.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 9.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.1 g
- Fiber: 3.9 g
- Protein: 3.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0.9 mg
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