Flourless Almond Joy Cupcakes (Printable Version)

Decadent flourless chocolate cupcakes with coconut filling and almond topping.

# What You Need:

→ For the Cupcakes

01 - 1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
02 - 1/2 cup (120 g) unsalted butter
03 - 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
06 - 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

→ For the Coconut Filling

07 - 1 cup (85 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
08 - 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
09 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For the Topping

10 - 24 whole roasted almonds
11 - 1/2 cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
02 - Place 1 cup chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely smooth.
03 - Whisk sugar and salt into the melted chocolate mixture until fully incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Sift cocoa powder into the batter. Mix until completely smooth and glossy with no lumps remaining.
05 - Divide batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each approximately halfway full.
06 - In a small bowl, combine shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until coconut is evenly coated and mixture becomes sticky.
07 - Shape heaping teaspoonfuls of coconut mixture into small balls. Gently press one ball into the center of each unbaked cupcake, being careful not to press to the bottom.
08 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges are set and centers have slightly puffed. Avoid overbaking to maintain fudgy texture.
09 - Let cupcakes rest in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool entirely before decorating.
10 - Place 2 roasted almonds on top of each cooled cupcake. Melt remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and drizzle over almonds and cupcakes. Allow chocolate to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is somewhere between a brownie and a truffle, dense and fudgy in the best possible way
  • They're naturally gluten-free without any weird aftertastes or crumbly disasters
  • The coconut center stays gooey even after baking, like a little hidden treasure inside each cupcake
02 -
  • Overbaking is the enemy here. These go from perfect to dry incredibly fast, so start checking at 20 minutes.
  • The coconut balls can be made ahead and kept in the fridge. Bring them to room temperature before using for easier handling.
  • Let the melted chocolate cool slightly before drizzling, or it will slide right off the almonds and pool on the paper liner.
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter and you'll get perfectly uniform cupcakes every single time
  • The trickiest part is pressing the coconut in without making a mess. Wet your fingers slightly and the coconut won't stick to them

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