These Strawberry Coconut Chocolate Cups are fruity and chocolaty and so good! They’re easy to make and are the perfect Valentine’s Day treat. They’re also naturally colored and flavored.
*This post was originally published on my other website (She Likes Treats) in February, but today, I am re-publishing it here!*
My husband and I don’t usually do much to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but our kids love all holidays, so I decided to make these fun Strawberry Coconut Chocolate Cups for them to enjoy. They’re filled with homemade coconut butter and freeze-dried strawberries. They’re vegan, gluten-free, and so delicious!
Peanut butter cups are such a classic and delicious treat. Still, I wanted to make something fun and exciting for Valentine’s Day, so I decided to make these Strawberry Coconut Chocolate Cups, and they did not disappoint!
Strawberry Chocolate Coconut Cup Ingredients
- Shredded Coconut – You can use unsweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes/chips. I used the chips, and they worked great. If you can find coconut butter at the store, you can also use about 1/2 cup of coconut butter instead of making your own.
- Dehydrated Strawberries – Dehydrated strawberries should be thinly sliced, and you can find them at most grocery stores. You can also order them online if you can’t find them locally.
- Pure Maple Syrup – Maple syrup helps sweeten things up a bit. You can also use honey (if not vegan) or agave syrup.
- Almond Milk – I used plain, unsweetened almond milk, but any plant-based milk would work.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate – I used vegan semi-sweet chocolate chunks. Chocolate chips also work, and you can even cut up a chocolate bar.
- Coconut Oil – You need only a small bit of coconut oil to melt in with the chocolate to make it super smooth and shiny.
The Difference Between Coconut Butter and Oil
For these chocolate cups, we’re making a homemade version of coconut butter, which is not to be confused with coconut oil.
Coconut Butter is made by pureeing the coconut meat until it reaches a consistency similar to peanut butter. It also contains the oil in the coconut. It is solid at room temperature but softens when heated and has a strong coconut flavor and a spreadable texture.
Coconut Oil is made by cold pressing oil from the coconut meat and is entirely fat. It’s solid when cold or at room temperature and turns into a liquid when warm or hot. Unrefined coconut oil has a coconut flavor, but refined coconut oil does not.
How To Make These Chocolate Cups
There are just a few easy steps to this recipe!
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- Add the coconut to a food processor or blender and blend until a creamy coconut butter has formed. This will take about 5-7 minutes, and you will probably want to stop the food processor a few times and scrape the sides down. It may still be a little bit grainy, but you want it to have a smooth consistency overall.
- Add the dried strawberries to a blender and blend until a powder is formed; this won’t take long at all.
- Add the strawberry powder to the coconut butter in the food processor, along with the maple syrup and almond milk. Blend until everything is equally combined. Place in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the coconut oil to the chocolate and melt everything together. You can melt it over a double boiler or in the microwave. I like to microwave for 30 seconds at a time and stir in between. Stop microwaving once the chocolate is almost completely melted, and then stir until it’s fully melted.
- Line a muffin tin with paper or silicone liners and add about 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate into each one. Make sure it covers the entire bottom. Take a small handful of the strawberry mixture, form it into a little disk, and place it on top of the chocolate. Cover with 1-2 teaspoons more melted chocolate, and make sure the chocolate completely covers the top and sides.
- Top each with a pinch of sea salt or some crushed-up dehydrated strawberries. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until set. They’re best enjoyed when they sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use another fruit besides strawberries? I haven’t tried this recipe with anything other than strawberries, but if you can’t eat strawberries, I would recommend freeze-dried raspberries. They have a similar texture and will act the same way in the recipe.
- Can I use white chocolate? If you can find vegan white chocolate, you can definitely use it instead of regular chocolate.
- Can I freeze these? Yes! You can freeze them in an airtight container for up to six months.
- Where should I store them? Once they’ve completely set in the freezer, they should be able to be stored at room temperature or in the freezer or refrigerator.
- Can I use store-bought coconut butter instead of making my own? Yes! I recommend using about 1/2-3/4 cup.
Have more questions? Drop them in the comments below, and I will answer them!
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Strawberry Coconut Chocolate Cups
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Strawberry Coconut Chocolate Cups are fruity and chocolaty and so delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz) package unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut chips
- 2 1/2 cups dehydrated strawberry slices, plus a few more for topping
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 10 ounces semi sweet vegan chocolate chips or chunks
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Add the coconut to a food processor or blender and blend until a creamy coconut butter has formed. This will take about 5-7 minutes and you will probably want to stop the food processor a few times and scrape the sides down. It may still be a little bit grainy but you want it to have a smooth consistency overall.
- Add the dried strawberries to a blender and blend until a powder is formed, this won’t take long at all.
- Add the strawberry powder to the coconut butter in the food processor, along with the maple syrup and almond milk. Blend until everything is equally combined. Place in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the coconut oil to the chocoalte and melt everything together. You can melt it over a double boiler or in the microwave. I like to microwave for 30 seconds at a time and stir inbetween. Stop microwaving once chocolate is almost completely melted and then stir until it’s fully melted.
- Line a muffin tin with paper or silicone liners and add about 1 teaspoon of melted chocoalte into each one. Make sure it’s covering the entire bottom. Take a small handfull of the strawberry mixture and form into a little disk and place on top of the chocoalte. Cover with 1-2 teaspoons more melted chocolate and make sure the chocolate is completely covering the top and sides.
- Top each with either a pinch of sea salt or a some crushed up dehydrated strawberries. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until set. Best enjoyed when they sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Dessert, Vegan
- Cuisine: American
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