Delicious no-bake vegan coconut cups with a chocolate layer and only 6 ingredients! This coconut candy is plant-based, gluten-free, easy to make, low-carb, and the dessert is furthermore refined sugar-free.
Coconut Candy
These no-bake chocolate coconut cupcakes are the perfect summer treat, but they can be enjoyed at any time!
Just imagine you are lying on the beach of a tropical island, the sun is shining on your skin, you can see coconut palm trees everywhere and the sound of the waves calms you. You bite into one of these “coconutty” cups which melts in your mouth and your taste buds are about to scream with joy…
Sorry to burst the bubble, as you are probably not lying on the beach right now, but trust me when I say that this coconut candy tastes amazing wherever you are. If you love coconut, this recipe is definitely for you.
I am obsessed with coconuts, they are my favorite ingredient in desserts and as a child, I always loved eating Bounty bars. Do you know the delicious coconut candy bars? Well, I actually have a recipe for vegan bounty bars which is quite similar and covered in chocolate!
No-bake recipes are great, especially when it’s warmer outside. But they are also perfect for people who don’t have an oven or prefer no-bake treats over baked desserts. Making these mini coconut cakes is super simple and requires only a few ingredients!
How To Make Vegan Coconut Cups?
I prefer making these cups in a food processor. The process is very quick and easy!
STEP 1: Add all ingredients for the chocolate layer to your food processor. Blend for some seconds until the mixture is crumbly and slightly sticky.
STEP 2: Transfer the dough to a muffin pan and press it down firmly.
STEP 3: Blend all the ingredients for the coconut layer (desiccated coconut, coconut yogurt, maple syrup, and coconut oil) in your blender for some seconds. You can also use a food processor, as I did.
STEP 4: Spoon the filling onto the chocolate layer and slightly press it down. Put the pan in the freezer for at least one hour to set.
Helpful Tips And Substitutes
- I recommend using a muffin silicone mold, as it makes it much easier to unmold the coconut candy.
- I added some coconut chips on top, but you can also use cacao nibs, dairy-free chocolate chips, or leave the chocolate coconut cups plain!
- You can use Medjool dates instead of Deglet Noor dates. Just make sure that you follow the metric measurements (100 grams) as Medjool dates are much larger than Deglet Noor dates, so you will need less.
- If you don’t have a muffin pan, simply use a tart pan instead to make a vegan coconut tart.
- You can use any liquid sweetener. Some examples are maple syrup, agave syrup, rice malt syrup, date syrup, etc.
- Add a little coconut rum to make these coconut cupcakes even more flavorful!
- Store the coconut cups in the fridge (for up to 5-6 days) or in the freezer (for up to 2 months). Let them thaw for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
These Chocolate Coconut Cups Are:
- Vegan (dairy-free)
- Refined sugar-free
- Low-carb
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Rich
- Coconutty
- Delicious
- Rich in fiber
- Easy to make without an oven
- Healthier than most coconut bars
If you love coconut, make sure to check out my other vegan coconut desserts:
- Vegan Coconut Cake
- Homemade Vegan Bounty Bars
- Coconut Bliss Balls
- Lemon Coconut Balls
- Homemade Coconut Milk
Should you give these tasty vegan coconut cups a try, please leave a comment and rating below and tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with #elavegan and @elavegan.

Vegan Coconut Cups
Ingredients
Chocolate Layer:
- 13 medium (100 g) dates (Deglet Noor) *see notes
- 5 tbsp (30 g) shredded unsweetened coconut
- 4 tbsp (24 g) cocoa powder
- 3/4 tbsp (15 g) maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener
Coconut Layer:
- 1 cup (90 g) shredded unsweetened coconut
- 2/3 cup (160 g) coconut yogurt *see notes
- 3 tbsp (60 g) maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener
- 2 tbsp (28 g) coconut oil melted
Instructions
- You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.I recommend measuring the ingredients in grams on a kitchen scale.
Chocolate Layer
- Process the ingredients for the chocolate layer in your food processor for about 10 seconds or until the mixture is crumbly and slightly sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a muffin pan (I recommend using a silicone mold) and press it down firmly. Check the step-by-step photos above in the blog post.
Coconut Layer
- Blend all the ingredients for the coconut layer in your blender for some seconds. You can also use a food processor as I did.
- Spoon the filling onto the chocolate layer and slightly press it down. Put the pan in the freezer for at least one hour to set. Store the coconut cups in the fridge (for up to 5-6 days) or in the freezer (for up to 2 months). Let them thaw for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use Medjool dates instead of Deglet Noor dates. Just make sure that you follow the metric measurements (100 grams) as Medjool dates are much larger than Deglet Noor dates, so you will need less.
- Any other dairy-free yogurt or cashew cream might work too (I only tried coconut yogurt).
- The recipe makes 8 coconut cups The nutrition facts are for one cup.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Do you think it’s possible to use vegan coconut whipping cream instead of yogurt?
Yes, that sounds like a great sub. 🙂
OMG! These are fantastic! It is the most excited that I have been about a vegan dessert. The melted coconut oil adds a wonderful mild texture and flavor and the cocoa powder is one of the other stars of this dish. Thank you! Thank you!
You are very welcome, Angie. Thanks for your feedback. 🙂