Flourless Almond Joy Cupcakes (Printer-friendly)

Decadent flourless chocolate cupcakes filled with sweet coconut and topped with roasted almonds for a gluten-free treat inspired by the classic candy bar.

# What You'll 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 Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
02 - Place 1 cup chocolate chips and butter in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
03 - Whisk sugar and salt into chocolate mixture until blended. Add eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition.
04 - Sift cocoa powder into batter. Mix until completely smooth and glossy.
05 - Divide batter evenly among 12 liners, filling each halfway.
06 - Combine shredded coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla extract in small bowl. Mix until sticky and uniform.
07 - Roll heaping teaspoon of coconut mixture into ball. Press lightly into center of each unbaked cupcake.
08 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges are set and centers slightly puffed. Avoid overbaking.
09 - Let cupcakes rest in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Place 2 roasted almonds on each cupcake. Melt remaining chocolate chips and drizzle over almonds and cupcakes. Allow chocolate to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is incredibly fudgy and dense, almost like a truffle crossed with cake
  • That coconut surprise in the center makes every bite feel like discovering hidden treasure
  • Gluten-free guests finally get to experience the joy of bakery-worthy cupcakes
02 -
  • Underbaking slightly is better than overbaking, these continue to set as they cool and should still feel slightly soft in the center
  • Room temperature eggs are non-negotiable here, cold eggs will cause your melted chocolate to seize into a gritty, separated mess
  • The coconut filling sinks slightly during baking which is exactly what creates that beautiful layered effect
03 -
  • Invest in a good kitchen scale for measuring chocolate and cocoa, volume measurements can be inconsistent with these dense ingredients
  • Let the chocolate batter sit for 5 minutes before scooping into liners, this gives the cocoa powder time to hydrate fully

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