These super easy, vegan Almond Butter Cups can be made in 15-20 minutes and with just four simple ingredients. So you can indulge in your favorite Halloween candy treat without all the refined sugar and animal products like dairy. Plus these coconut-oil infused cups are silky, velvet-y and decadent with their rich dark chocolate coating and silky-sweet nut butter filling. Anyone can make these. Seriously, no kitchen skills required! Just grab the ingredients and GO. I even have a helpful video included in this post...
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Yes, these can absolutely be made using peanut butter (and a standard muffin tin too). Watch me make a similar recipe with my friend Vince!..
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Halloween. Candy and costumes. Those are the two main things that excited me about Halloween as a kid. And my neighborhood was epic when it came to candy counts. My pillow case trick-or-treat bag would literally be filled ½ the way, stuffed with heavy, chocolate-filled, sweet and sassy Halloween treats. I remember counting 28 fun sized snickers bars one year, along with all the other goodies.
When I was a little girl running around my neighborhood in my Halloween costume, my favorite candy to find in my trick-or-treat bag was creamy Reese's peanut butter cups. They were my fave, those crinkly black wax paper wrapped cups sitting on that buttery, waxed-cardboard insert, wrapped in a bright orange-red wrapper. I'd devour each creamy cup in two swift bites. I can just picture myself in one of my fave Halloween costumes: Dorothy, Ginger from Gilligan's Island, Rainbow Bright, Cleopatra, Marty the Pink Lady, a 50's girl, a Can Can girl, a b&w tap-dancing kitty cat, a white-sparkle wand princess or a hula girl - peanut butter cup in hand. Boom and its gone. Onto the next treat.
It boggles my mind to think how much candy my friends and I ate on Halloween night, and lived to tell about it.
But these days I still crave those classic candy treats but with healthier, vegan ingredients.
Recipe Notes + Tips:
* You can make however many you'd like using this ratio based recipe. Start with about ⅓ cup of chips + heaping Tablespoonful of coconut oil to make about 12 cups.
* Do not worry about perfection. Seriously, you probably do not even need to measure. Spoonfuls and handfuls work fine for this easy recipe. (see next note)
* The ratio's of ingredients do not need to be perfect. Basically the coconut oil in the chocolate helps in two ways: 1) thinning out the chocolate when it is heated, making it easier to pour and 2) helping it firm up quickly when placed in the freezer. And the maple syrup does two things too: 1) Adds sweetness. 2) Thins out the nut butter making it easier to spoon into the cups when filling.
* You can use peanut butter or sunflower butter or another nut butter in place of almond if you'd like.
* Vegan chips will be labeled vegan or use dark chocolate or semi-sweet chips that do not contain any dairy in the ingredients (look for milkfat or butterfat especially). You could also just melt down a vegan dark chocolate bar (no chips needed).
* I like to use grade B maple syrup, but agave syrup or another liquified sweetener would also work.
Need the candy molds? Try these from Amazon..
Easy Vegan Almond Butter Cups
Ingredients
Chocolate:
- ½ cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
Filling:
- nut or seed butter, room temperature or warmed - it should be soft and stirrable
Topping:
- try a pinch of sea salt or fleur de sel
Instructions
- Melt chocolate chips in a double broiler over the stove. Whisk until smooth and melted. If you are in a rush, you can use your microwave. Heat for 20 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted.
- Use a peanut butter cup candy mold or you can use a standard muffin tin with paper muffin liners for those signature crimped edges.
- Add 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate to bottom of molds or liners. Swirl the chocolate around so it coats the side as much as possible. Place in the freezer for ten minutes to firm up.
- Add a dollop of the butter filling - about ¾ - 1 tsp. Then add chocolate over top to seal the cup.
- Place cups back in the freezer for at least 15 minutes until completely firm. For easiest removal, freeze for at least an hour. Serve! Store leftovers in freezer or fridge.
Ivy Castillo says
Hi Kathy: In the notes and tips, you make reference to maple syrup but I don't see it in the recipe or the video. About how much would I use if I wanted to make the almond butter sweeter? Thanks!
Ethical Vegan says
Would you please be kind enough to give us the link to the cups? And I'm oddly enough allergic to coconut, so what's the next best, least distracting, oil you can suggest for me, please? Thanks ever for making a VEGAN treat that looks and sounds mighty delicious!!!!
Kathy Patalsky says
You can actually omit the oil altogether, just melt vegan chocolate using a double broiler on stove. Here is a link to the molds on Amazon... http://amzn.to/2cfLeUT
Ethical Vegan says
Oh, Kathy... thank you so very, VERY much!!! Outstanding! And super fast, too!
Kathy Patalsky says
You are very welcome! Glad you enjoyed this!
Ethical Vegan says
What?
Sophie says
I made these tasty filled beauties & loved them so much! The little video was cool! x
anne hewell says
fourth attempt and this time they are fantastic (the first three time they were still very good )
Catie says
i don't eat much candy anymore but these almond butter cups sound really good!
Mara says
3 musketeers!
Jackie Foley says
I always loved the PB cups and the almond joys. I love finding them in vegan form.
shani says
def peanut butter cups
Andrea says
my favorite halloween candy is reese cups or candy corn 🙂
Organicall You says
My favorite candy is Justin's milk chocolate peanut butter cups!!! I would LOVE to win!! 🙂
Heather Cross says
Peanut butter cups!
Stephanie Houston says
Reeses were my favorite. That's why I just had to join in on this contest with Halloween creeping up and my non-vegan bf will be eating them so close by. I would love a healthier, more flavorful version.
milea says
Reeses used to be my favorite- before I was vegan. so this is great! id love some almond cups to ease the halloween blues away
Laura says
Dots used to be my favorite but I'm pretty sure they're not vegan nor are they healthy! I pretty much stay away from all that stuff now, but there are plenty of vegan desserts that I will happily indulge in instead....maybe starting with your almond/pb cups!!! Thanks!
Kaley Neufeld says
I've always loved Rockets. I know they're just sugar but that's what Halloween is for right? 😉
RockMyVeganSocks says
Mmmm these look awesome! I too used to love reese's pb cups. I really like the Justine's, but as I'm not really supposed to eat pb, I only have them as an indulgence once in awhile. I prefer to make my own treats anyway and this recipe looks AWESOME!
olivea says
peanut/almond butter cups! my favorite!
Rena says
Reeses!
Emily A. says
my favorite halloween candy used to be milky ways (or anything with chocolate and caramel) and candy corn. oh how i miss candy corn...
Jennifer Sanchez says
Favorite Halloween candy is Swedish Fish, but also love making my own vegan treats!
Ruth B. says
My favorite Halloween candy was snickers and reese's! Yum!
KimraLuna says
My favorite halloween candy is Twix, haven't had them in years though since I'm vegan.
Jasmin Harris says
My favorite Halloween candy is Chick-O-Sticks!
Michelle (The Fresh Direction) says
Oh henry's were a fave of mine!
Kat Motl Meeker says
I love reese's though now I eat the vegan Justin's 🙂
Irene Briones says
Snickers have always been my favorite! Vegan snickers now are what I enjoy! Homemade with dates, tastes better that the real thing!
Rachel says
I love Take 5 bars - perfect salty-sweet treat!
metcalfm says
My favorite halloween candy...has always been anything that combines chocolate and peanut butter!
Mason Linkous says
I have to go with Dark chocolates!
Ashieee says
My favorite Halloween candy was gummy Lifesavers, especially the tropical variety. I wish there were more vegan-friendly gummy candies available!
Julia P says
My favorite halloween candy is individually wrapped dark chocolates.
Martha Lynn says
I love anything with chocolate and peanut butter together. But since we don't eat much candy, my second favorite Halloween treat is chocolaty green monster smoothies...anything with the word "monster" in it instantly interests my five year old!
Kristy says
My favorite Halloween candy were always snickers and reese's 🙂 chocolate girl all the way. Now I need to make myself some vegan versions, including this awesome recipe! Thank you
MK says
My favorite are those caramel apple lollipops! Mmm 🙂
Lindsay says
I love peanut butter cups and peanut m&ms!
Abbie E says
I love almond butter cups! Yours look awesome. 🙂 Pinning this!
Lizzie says
Definitely peanut butter cups (or almond cups)!
Amy says
favorite halloween candy is definitely PB cups! Can't wait to try making these- I think I'll use sunflower seed butter
Heather Carter says
I love candy corn!
disqus_TGsMntpUBJ says
I'm torn between peanut butter cups and kit kats...(:
Amanda Thomas says
My favorite Halloween candy is peanut butter cups.
Lynn A. Reynolds says
Growing up, my favorite Halloween candy was the candy corn. I could eat them all day long.
Happy Halloween Everyone,
Lynn
[email protected]
Janel M. says
My favorite Halloween candy is a tie between sour patch kids/swedish fish. Not readily available for Halloween, but they do come in fun size 🙂
Natalie S says
I love mms!
Persephonie says
Favorite halloween candy used to for sure be reeses peanut butter cups!
McKel Hill, MS, RDN, LDN says
Mhmmm, amazing. My favorite halloween candy used to be mini dark chocolate shaped vampires- funny how that's the same now!
E K says
My favorite candy was Hershey's chocolate, but no more due to gmo ingredients, cruel dairy. Your nut butter cups are much better!
Jennifer Beaton says
candy corn!
Aimee Douglass says
Growing up, for everyone in my family, it was all about the peanut butter cups!
Stephanie Wolfgang says
My favorite Halloween candy is definitely Reese's! Followed closely by Twix.
Katherine says
Pre-vegan days, my favorite was Snickers. Now, pre-packaged Jokerz do the trick! Even better, though, is something homemade--like the plant-based dark chocolate maple "Reese's eggs" I made last Easter 🙂
Caitlin says
I'm all about the PB cups
Melissa Atlas says
Crunch bars used to be my favorite before I went vegan. Now I love a more adult (and tastier) version -- the Equal Exchange mint dark chocolate crisp bar. So good.
Debra Hassell says
I love caramel covered apples for Halloween candy!
Heather McClees says
Kathy- I LOVE this recipe! Reese's cups were definitely my favorite Halloween candy, so these are perfect!!:) THANKS FOR THE GIVEAWAY!:)
Laura Younker Black says
Can the oil be substituted with anything?
April Deters says
I would have to go with the classic-Snickers. I miss them so much now because they have eggs in them!
Megan says
Take 5's! Had a little bit of everything and were so rare.
John Hartil says
Ahh yes my favourite cakes. Can almost taste them just looking at the pictures. Have never tried making them but this looks like something I will have a go at!!
Cricket Desmarais says
almond joy. & the beauty of it is now i can make my own healthy version. 🙂 making your fabulous recipe now (with the base in the freezer as i write) for my honey, who still loves peanut butter cups. 🙂 thank you! xo
Liz S. says
My favorite Halloween candy = this one is a nostalgic pick, so please forgive me, but... Reese's Pieces!
Dalores says
I like almond joy & Reese'S.
Abby @ Heart of a Baker says
Any nut butter cups are a WIN in my book! : )
Caitlin Jones says
Gotta Say, Reese's was/is one of my favs but I also loved Tootsie Rolls!
Rachel says
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are my favourite! Either those or the many varieties (Nutrageous, Reese's Pieces, etc), but I'm from Scotland and have such a time tracking them down!
Hannah R. says
so hard to choose, I'd have to say I Reeses though!
Lauren says
My favorite halloween candy, or rather chocolate is probably twix or kit kat. Crunch and chocolate is the best!
Gabriella Davis says
When I was a kid I loved Twizzlers but now I love making healthier, vegan treats!
Rose D. says
I love Butterfingers and Pay Day!
Rachel H says
It's a toss-up between milky way and butterfinger!
The Peace Patch says
I love your video...it's very epicuriously existential. 😉 My fave as a kid was a toss up between Butterfingers and Reese's PB cups. I love the vegan versions of both but nut butter cups are so easy and open to variation so they top my list. Thanks for the recipe...you rock as always! 🙂
Lauryn Linley says
Reeses's Peanut Butter Cups are the best!
Steel Springs says
I love Twix.
Joe says
Snickers
Emma Cotton Tail says
When I could eat gluten and dairy full treats butterfingers and PB cups were my FAVORITES! If i had to pick a number one well....actually who needs just one 😉 i loved them both equally!
Jennifer says
I always loved Twix and Milky Ways, but now I am vegan and gluten free, so I haven't had either of those in many years. I have some recipes for them pinned, so this may be the year to try them out!
Anna Lutz says
i never liked conventional candies, so whatever the vegan world has to offer!!! i've never tried Justins, maybe soon 😉
Ashley P says
I had so many favorites - butterfingers, reeses, snickers, milky ways!
Anushka Wickramaratne says
I used to love Butterfingers!
shauna says
Peanut butter cups of course!
Kelley Elkins says
Justins!!!
Laura Portz says
Peanut butter cups and snickers!
Tracy says
peanut butter cups!
Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I love almond butter and chocolate together. These sound awesome!
Kelly Rae says
peanut butter cups shaped like pumpkins
Sarah De la Cruz says
Reece's Pieces (pre vegan)! Now I love Justin's!!!
Em says
Anything with peanut butter!
Queeriosa says
Peanut butter taffy, Reese's or butterfingers...I never realized I had such a peanut butter obsession. 🙂
Robin P says
Pre-vegan, I loved M&Ms and candy pumpkins. Now, anything with dark chocolate!
apunc1 says
I always liked mary janes and those caramels with the sugar ball in the middle.
mary says
my favorite were also peanut butter cups!
Stephanie Watson says
As a kid, my favorite candy were KitKats. Now I love a good 'ol frozen peppermint pattie from WFM!
Amanda @ Hungry Vegan Traveler says
When I was a pre-vegan kid, Mr. Goodbars were my jam.
mclanek says
I love caramels. They mean fall/Halloween to me.
Yvonne van de Water says
My favorite Halloween candy is a good pumpkin cookie - a chewy one!
onthevedge says
It used to be Twix, but now I love raw organic chocolate (Fine & Raw is my favorite!)
j gentry says
I had and still have two favorites, reese's pb cups and milky ways.
Veronica Arvizu says
I LOVE the variety of candy available but candies apples are my favorite!
Kara says
Peanut butter cups
Amy Kolasa says
Used to be snickers bars. Thank goodness for Go Max Go bars!
Clahoo says
Double Bubble Bubblegum
Ana says
Ohh these look awesome!! When it comes to candy/chocolate I like plain dark chocolate, and the darker the better, but my favorite Halloween candy is definitely twix, I like the chocolate + cookie + caramel thing!!! 🙂
Ana
Kelsey says
my faves are pb cups all the way! these look perfect.
Erin Schofield says
I love reeses pumpkins!
stacie m says
I always loved almond joys! My friend Pam and I used to hoard them like loonies 😉
Erin Miller says
my favorite snack is the peanut butter cups- and these look sooo good!
Claire S says
Agreed - peanut butter cups for sure! 🙂
lunchhacker says
My favorite Halloween candy was always anything chocolate! I do love a good PB cup with white chocolate coating, need to make a recipe with that. 🙂
Karlie says
I looooove the mini snickers! Definitely my favorite. Followed closely by mars bars 🙂
Ellen says
Butterfinger was always my favorite. I would hide them and save them for last! Thank goodness the Thumbs Up bar exists!
Gayle says
Prior to going plant based I loved peppermint patties.
Claire Elizabeth says
My favorite candy would probably have to be organic raspberries filled with dark chocolate or nut butter. I also really enjoy homemade vegan desserts/baked goods.
P.s. I've made your Oatmeal Pumpkin Bread 3-4 times now, and it's a hit! My family LOVES it! My dad and my sister are all about convenient breakfasts, so this is IDEAL! I use half oat flour half sprouted wheat flour. Thanks Kathy! God bless you! 😀
Jasmine Briones says
Snickers! I now make clean vegan snickers though, taste much better to!!:)
Stephanie Welsher says
Peanutbutter cups!!!
Bryan Ⓥ says
Swedish fish!
Inés Lozano says
My favorite Halloween candy is now Peanut butter cups again, since I'm no longer allergic to peanuts!
Julie says
I love Twix.... I think a lot of people said that, but mannnn.
gretchen says
Used to be Reese's, now it's Justin's dark chocolate cups. But I've never seen the almond butter ones, I must have them!
Dana Steffen Grothaus says
Twix! Need to find a vegan version!!!
Heidi A says
Peanut butter cups!!
Amy Tindall Studer says
Love Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Dots, and Twizzlers!
Caitlin Croswell says
Twix are by far my fave Halloween candy!
KarissaRenee says
These are the most perfect looking homemade almond butter cups I have seen! I will be making these this week! Pre-vegan, my favorite candy was always Reese's, I had a neighbor who would give out the king size cups of them! But these look so much better and so much more delicious 🙂
BarrAndTable says
Definitely peanut butter cups are my fave!
Ines says
Chunky bars!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
used to love whoppers, still looking for the perfect alternative.. 🙂
Brittany @ WeHeartVegan says
Snickers!! I'm obsessed with GoMaxGo foods brand!!
Celina says
My fave Halloween candy growing up were Almond Joy bars!! Now that I'm vegan I'm looking for a recipe so that I can make them for my family this Halloween 🙂