I love baking during Christmas time. Every year my sister and I get together for a [completely excessive] baking marathon, and share the sweetness with our friends, family, and loved ones. We have a blast, with dozens of eggs, multiple packages of butter from Costco, entire 12-lb bags of flour…

It’s amazing. And it also leaves me completely sick of sugar from just being around all the cookie dough.

Often when my mid-day sweet tooth strikes, I reach for a KIND bar or piece of fruit because I know that something too decadent would lead to a sugar crash before the end of the day. But KIND bars are expensive, sometimes fruit is blah, and I really enjoy spending time in the kitchen. These Coconut Almond Creme Cups are an excellent fill-in for a sweeter treat that honors both my cravings and my to-do list.

Coconut-Almond Crème Cups

Makes about 8 crème cups

Coconut Crème Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Almond Filling Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Almond Butter
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Whisk together the ingredients for the coconut crème until well-blended. (I like to do this in a 4-cup glass measuring cup, because it makes pouring easier.) Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the crème mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Gently shake the pan to ensure that the crème coats the liner evenly. Freeze for about 5-10 minutes, or until firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, mix together the ingredients for the almond filling with a fork. Ensure that no lumps of cinnamon remain. Spoon 1 teaspoon of almond filling over the top of the coconut crème in each cupcake liner. Return to freezer for another 5-10 minutes, or until almond filling is set.

If the coconut crème has set, microwave for 30 seconds and whisk until smooth. Spoon another tablespoon of the coconut mixture over the set layer of almond filling. Return to freezer until set.

Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.