These cookie cups are like an almond butter cup and a cowboy cookie had a baby. Chewy oats, coconut and crunchy pecans are coated in smooth chocolate for a no-bake, no refined sugar, no gluten, no dairy dessert!
Full disclaimer: I run on the belief that a few gluten free oats aren’t the end of the world and are okay for a paleo diet, but if you’re a strict paleo-diet follower you likely disagree. I don’t yet have a substitute for the gluten free oats in this recipe, but will update this recipe as soon as I find a suitable substitute.
This recipe was born from a craving and the refusal to get out of bed on a Saturday morning.
I, along with probably most everyone on Pinterest, has drooled over this picture of almond butter cups (from Pinch of Yum), and/or this picture of salted caramel chocolate cups (from Creme de la Crumb). They’re perfectly portioned dessert perfection. They’re like Reeses peanut butter cups, but without all the ingredients you can’t pronounce, but even better because they’re homemade and tailored to the flavors that you want.
So, one Saturday morning I was in my bed, engulfed by blankets and pillow, and refusing to get out of said bed because it was winter and effing freezing. I grabbed my phone and started scrolling through Pinterest to find a breakfast recipe idea that would be motivating enough to make me want to leave my blanket cocoon and walk down three flights of stairs to the kitchen.
I didn’t find one.
But what I did find was those two damn pictures, over and over again in my feed. They called to me. They were just begging me to go downstairs, melt some stuff and stir it together. But for whatever reason, neither of them felt quite right. I didn’t want salted caramel, and straight almond butter filling didn’t feel like enough.
I decided what I actually wanted was cookies. I wanted cookies that were loaded with all kinds of stuff – none of this basic chocolate chip cookie nonsense for me that day. We’re talking oats, nuts, coconut, cinnamon – hearty cookies. Cowboy cookies. But then I also wanted them to be covered in chocolate – not just filled with chocolate chips.
It kinda seemed like maybe chocolate covered cowboy cookies might be pushing it as a breakfast option, even if I tried to use the YOLO justification. So I figured… why not combine cowboy cookies with almond butter cups, and try to make them paleo?
That’s a challenge for which I can get out of bed.
I’m going to be honest – it really wasn’t that hard to whip up. I started with the almond butter base, and just added the rest of the ingredients in increments until I had the texture I wanted. I wanted them to be hearty, not runny. I didn’t want to bite into something that would drip out, I wanted it to stay in tact so that the messiness factor was minimal.
Mind you, you’ll always end up with chocolatey fingers, but that’s just a badge of honor IMHO.
Feel free to adjust to your personal preference, though – use more almond butter and less of the rest if you like the danger of not knowing if you might end up wearing your food. You wild child, you.
Also, add a sprinkle of sea salt and shredded coconut on top. It makes them pretty, and the salt enhances the flavor of the chocolate (it’s a thing).
This makes 12 cupcake-sized cups (diameter-wise, not height – that would be INTENSE), so keep that in mind if you decide to share. I’d hate for you to shortchange yourself because you were being a good person.
Paleo No-Bake Cowboy Cookie Cups
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 cups 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
These cookie cups are like an almond butter cup and a cowboy cookie had a baby. Chewy oats, coconut and crunchy pecans are coated in smooth chocolate for a no-bake, no refined sugar, no gluten, no dairy dessert!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup creamy, smooth almond butter (aff link)
- 1/3 cup gluten free rolled oats (aff link)* (see notes)
- 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (I recommend Enjoy Life brand)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 1/4 cup maple syrup, to taste (or honey if not vegan)
- 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2–4 tablespoons maple syrup, to taste (or honey if not vegan)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prep a muffin tin (aff link) with liners and set aside.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt coconut oil. Add cocoa powder, sweetener (to taste) and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
- In a medium bowl, combine almond butter, oats, pecans, coconut, mini chips, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
- Add sweetener and stir to combine. Add more (or less) to taste.
- Roll about a tablespoons of filling in your palms and flatten until it’s slightly smaller than the width of the liner.
- Pour a thin layer of chocolate into the bottom of each liner, place a disc of filling on top, and top with enough chocolate to cover the filling.
- Top with coconut, chopped pecans, or sea salt, if desired. Place in freezer for at least an hour to chill and set. Enjoy!
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to two weeks.
*Note: I’ve been told that gluten free oats are okay for paleo (as long as you’re not consuming them by the barrel), but I know some others don’t feel the same way and follow the paleo diet very strictly. If that’s the case, I’m not sure of a suitable substitute yet but I will update this recipe when I find an alternative.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
Keywords: cookie cups, cowboy cookie cups
Ohh my gosh. These look incredible. I don’t think there’s any better combination than nuts and chocolate. And I love that they’re a treat that also happen to be full of good-for-you ingredients.
Super yum!
These cookie cups look and sound delicious! They would also make for a great food gift!
It totally would!
I love no-bake recipes! these look yum..I want to pick one right up from your pictures 🙂 Can’t wait to try them out..Thanks for sharing!
Next time you get that urge… make your hubby make you stuff! 😉 These look really good and I would totally eat these cookies.
Haha, you make a good point! I’ll tap Bill on the shoulder next time 😉
Oh, these could not come at a better time! I am putting together healthy-ish Easter baskets for my family this year and these would be the perfect addition! Thanks for sharing!
this looks like something i want to have in the fridge at all times!
Well, I’d get out of bed for that too! Lordy, I must have missed that recipe from POY or I would have already make them. But yours look amazing too. I’m going to have to make them — I’ll be obsessed until I do.
I love the chewiness factor of adding the oats! What a great combination!
These cookie cups look so amazing,chocolate and nuts! I love that these are no bake!
I’m always looking for new paleo recipes and this looks like an awesome dessert that would curb some of my sugar cravings. Thanks for sharing!
I’m not super familiar with the paleo diet, but it’s good to know that there’s debate over oats for when I cook/bake for friends who are paleo. These cookie cups look like such a decadent treat!
These look amazing!! I love that you are using almond butter and coconut oil in these. Perfect combination of flavors and adding the oats is brilliant!
Oh man, these look absolutely amazing. I spend a lot of time scrolling on Pinterest, and just like you I find myself finding different recipes than the one I’m looking for. That’s also how I’ve found some of my favorite things to make!
These look so rich and decadent, I am glad I don’t have a plate of them next to me cause I’d eat every single one of them. Really delicious looking.
These candy cups look amazing! I think my boys would love these and wouldn’t know that they are actually a healthy treat.