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Dairy Free Chocolate Pumpkin Butter Cups

Dairy free chocolate pumpkin butter cups with a creamy pumpkin spice filling, made by layering melted chocolate in mini liners. After a quick chill, you get chocolate cups that set cleanly with a cut-center look and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Chilling/setting 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12 cups
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chocolate layer
  • 12 oz dairy-free dark chocolate chips Use dairy-free chips for a clean dairy-free finish.
  • 1 tsp coconut oil Helps thin and smooth the chocolate for dipping and layering.
Pumpkin filling
  • 0.33 cup pumpkin puree (blotted dry) Blotting removes excess moisture so the filling sets without weeping.
  • 0.25 cup cashew butter or almond butter Choose either nut butter for richness and a smooth texture.
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup Adds sweetness and binds the filling.
  • 0.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice Provides the classic pumpkin spice flavor.
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon Rounds out the warm spice notes.
  • 0.25 tsp vanilla Adds depth to the pumpkin filling.
Topping
  • 1 Flaky sea salt for topping Sprinkle lightly for a salty-sweet contrast.
Assembly
  • 12 mini muffin liners Line a mini muffin tin so the cups hold their shape while setting.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Melt chocolate
  1. Melt the dairy-free dark chocolate chips with the coconut oil until smooth and fully combined, stirring as needed for an even texture. Stop as soon as it’s glossy so it doesn’t seize.
Form the chocolate base
  1. Spoon 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate into the bottom of each mini muffin liner, spreading to lightly coat the base. Refrigerate for 10 minutes until the first layer is firm.
Make pumpkin filling
  1. Mix the pumpkin puree, cashew butter or almond butter, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla until smooth. Scrape the sides until no streaks remain.
Assemble butter cups
  1. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin filling into each chocolate-lined cup. Keep the filling centered so it won’t touch the sides too much.
Seal and finish
  1. Cover each cup with the remaining melted chocolate, then tap the tin gently to help the top settle flat. This helps the filling stay hidden under a smooth chocolate cap.
Chill to set
  1. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over each cup, then refrigerate for 30–45 minutes until completely set. Chill until the chocolate feels firm and lifts cleanly from the liners.

Notes

Pro tip: blot the pumpkin puree well before mixing so the centers set thick and creamy instead of watery. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer container, for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). To make it nut-free, swap cashew/almond butter for a seed-based butter like sunflower seed butter if desired.