Peppermint is the most wonderful time of the year.
These chocolate covered peppermint cups combine rich, creamy dark chocolate with the coolness of mint using just FIVE simple ingredients. As a result, they're not only super easy to make, they also can serve as a the perfect holiday treat or gift for those following a gluten-free, dairy-free lifestyle, or AIP lifestyle.
So, what are the five ingredients in these chocolate covered peppermint cups? The chocolate layer is none other than my beloved Homemade Magic Shell, which contains coconut oil, cacao powder, and raw honey. The last two ingredients are coconut butter and organic peppermint flavor (edible peppermint oil), which are used in combination with coconut oil to create the peppermint-y bottom layer.
If you're unsure about what makes coconut butter different from coconut oil, allow me to clear things up. Coconut oil is the oil extracted from coconut meat. Coconut butter, on the other hand, is coconut flesh that's been ground into a spreadable paste. Unlike other nut butters (for example, almond butter and peanut butter), coconut butter is dry and flakey, which is why it's combined with coconut oil to create the base of the chocolate covered peppermint cups.
As a special aside, you can make these in mini or regular sized muffin pans. If you chose to use a regular size muffin pan, you'll simply pour the second layer into each slot in until it's about half full, which makes slightly thiner and larger chocolate covered peppermint cups.
Remove muffin tins from fridge with peppermint layer, and pour the mixture overtop until each slot is filled to the top. Return to freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Got any questions about how to make these chocolate covered peppermint cups? Ask below!
How long do these last outside the freezer before needing to be re-frozen?
Hi Theresa! It depends on the temperature. So, during the summer, the chocolate will start to melt just a bit after about an hour when you touch it. In the winter months, the cups will stay solid, however, they may heat up a bit if you touch them after a couple hours. You can wrap them individually and put them in the freezer, and then place them in a container and take them somewhere and they'll be absolutely fine. Hope that helps!
To eliminate the honey, what could you substitute?
Hi Jennifer! Great question. You could use maple syrup—or eliminate the honey all together.
Can you taste the coconut from putting all that coconut oil and coconut butter in these? If so is there a way to make them not taste like coconut and still be healthy?
Hi Lisa! It does taste somewhat like coconut oil/coconut butter. Since that's the main ingredient in these, if you don't like the taste of coconut oil/coconut butter, it's probably not a good fit for you.
Thanks for the recipe! I am wondering if using something like equal exchange chocolate chips would also work? Thoughts?
Absolutely! You can melt those down, or add a bit of coconut oil to the chips and make that the second layer.