Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Cups
This past Christmas I got Shalane Flanagan and Elise Kopeki’s cookbook, Run Fast. Eat Slow, from my sister. I’ve been trying out the recipes over the past month or so and one that I really loved was the Hazelnut Milk. I wasn’t planning on liking it as much as I did (milk alternatives aren’t my favorite) but my sister said I had to try this recipe and it was delicious! The hazelnut milk is great on its own, poured over cereal and in coffee. Even Lavinia loved it and drank up a whole cup of it before asking for “more”.
When I made this recipe I was reminded of my love for hazelnuts and since I had over-purchased a bunch of hazelnuts, I had plenty on hand to make some other recipes with them. As I thought of what I could make with them my mind naturally wandered to Nutella…
…then the idea hit me – Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Cups!
A combination of two of my favorite things, chocolate and hazelnuts, and with Valentine’s Day right around the corner they would be a perfect treat to make for family, friends and loved ones.
I whipped up a batch and almost couldn’t wait for them to set in the fridge before diving in! They were everything I had dreamed of… rich and chocolaty, yes, and they just melt in your mouth! If dark chocolate is your jam, like it is mine, you will LOVE these!
The hazelnut butter is light and delicious and perfectly compliments and mellows out the dark chocolate. I was loved the hazelnut butter so much that I made an extra batch to enjoy on things like toast, bananas and oatmeal. Yum!
Even my husband Henri, who is a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup enthusiast, loved these. Which is a major win in my book because these have no processed/refined sugar in them! (healthier dessert for the win! 😉 )
If you are looking for a fun, Valentine’s Day dessert I highly recommend whipping up a batch of these Hazelnut Butter Cups. You will not be disappointed!
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 TBSP coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
- In the bowl of your food processor add 1 cup hazelnuts, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 2 TBSP melted coconut oil.
- Process until smooth, stopping occasionally to stir.
- Set aside the hazelnut butter until ready to use.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Place cupcake liners into the 12 wells of a muffin tin.
- Evenly divide half of chocolate mixture into the 12 muffin tin wells. Shake, tap the muffin tin on the counter to evenly spread out the chocolate.
- Evenly divide the hazelnut butter into the 12 muffin tin wells. Shake and tap the muffin tin on the counter to even spread out the hazelnut butter.
- Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to set the hazelnut butter cups.
- Remove from the fridge and evenly add the remaining chocolate on top of each cup.
- Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts, if desired.
- Place in the fridge for an additional 10-15 minutes to set the chocolate/hazelnut topping.
- ENJOY!
- Store in the fridge for up to a week.