Almond Flour Chocolate Cherry Lava Cakes (Paleo, Gluten-free)
These Almond Flour Chocolate Cherry Lava Cakes are decadent gooey molten chocolate cakes filled with cherries. They are inspired by a dessert that I had in France and are so good, you’d never guess they were naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and Paleo.
These chocolate cherry lava cakes are one of my all time favorite desserts! Not only are they melt-in-your-mouth delicious, but they are made with healthier ingredients like almond flour, maple syrup, and coconut oil.
They are basically pots of gooey melted chocolate lava cakes filled with juicy cherries. Delicious! I make them every year for Valentine’s day. I also make them if I am trying to impress family and friends. Everyone always raves about them and can not believe that they are gluten-free and dairy-free.
We eat these lava cakes straight from the ramekin. We add ice-cream on top and eat them. However, if you want a classic molten lava cake, that gets flipped out of the ramekin, try my chocolate and espresso lava cakes.
Table of Contents
- Why this recipe works
- Recipe ingredients
- Additions/ Substitutions
- Step by step instructions
- Expert tips
- Other almond flour chocolate desserts you’ll love:
Why this recipe works
- Chocolate and cherry flavors were meant to be together! If you love the combo, check out my gluten-free cherry chocolate chip cookie bars.
- These gluten-free chocolate cherry cakes fit a variety of diets. They are Paleo, Gluten-free, dairy-free, and grain-free.
- They are made with healthier ingredients than your average lava cake. Almond flour is used instead of white flour. Maple syrup is used instead of sugar. Coconut oil is used instead of butter.
- They are incredibly decadent and delicious. Everyone loves them!
Recipe ingredients
- coconut oil– use refined coconut oil if you do not want any coconut flavor.
- chocolate chips– any kind that works for you. Whether that is semi-sweet, dairy-free, or milk chocolate.
- egg– this binds the cakes together.
- maple syrup– make sure to use pure maple syrup! Nothing with any corn syrup in them.
- almond flour– blanched almond flour works best in baking.
- cherries– fresh or frozen work interchangeably well!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Additions/ Substitutions
- Instead of coconut oil, you can use olive oil or avocado oil.
- Instead of maple syrup, you can use honey.
- Instead of cherries, you can use raspberries or strawberries.
- You can omit the cherries and just have these be plain chocolate.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together in the microwave.
Step 2: Whisk the egg and maple syrup together.
Step 3: Mix the melted chocolate into the egg mixture.
Step 4: Add the vanilla, salt, and almond flour to the chocolate mixture and whisk. Pour into ramekins.
Step 5: If using fresh cherries, pit them.
Step 6: Add the cherries to eat ramekin.
Step 7: Bake!
Expert tips
- Measure coconut oil in its melted state.
- Use chocolate chips that fit your dietary needs. If you need a dairy-free chocolate, you can use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips. If you need Paleo chocolate, use HU chocolate chips.
- Let the ramekins cool for a few minutes after baking, but if you want to eat them hot don’t wait too long. That way the ice-cream still melts on top.
Other almond flour chocolate desserts you’ll love:
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Almond Flour Chocolate Cherry Lava Cakes (Paleo, Gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 3 Tbs melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips (dairy-free chocolate)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp salt
- a scant 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 12 cherries (frozen or fresh)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together. You can either do this in the microwave or over the stove top. If you are melting the chocolate in the microwave, make sure to mix it every 15-30 seconds. If you are melting the chocolate on the stove top, set a pot of water on the stove and heat on high until it boils and then lower the heat to medium. Then, put the coconut oil and chocolate into a bowl and place the boil over the boiling water and mix until the chocolate is melted.
- Mix the melted chocolate and coconut oil together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and maple syrup until it thickens a bit. Add the melted chocolate to the bowl and whisk until well mixed.
- Add the salt, vanilla, and almond flour to the chocolate mixture and whisk.
- Pour half of the mixture into one ramekin and the other half into another.
- Pit 12 cherries or get 12 frozen cherries out of the freezer.
- Gently push 6 cherries into the chocolate mixture of each ramekin.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. The outside should look hard near the edges of the ramekin and a wet or less cooked in the middle. It should puff out and crack a bit.
- Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Instead of coconut oil, you can use olive oil or avocado oil.
- Instead of maple syrup, you can use honey.
- Instead of cherries, you can use raspberries or strawberries.
- You can omit the cherries and just have these be plain chocolate.
Nutrition
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6 Comments on “Almond Flour Chocolate Cherry Lava Cakes (Paleo, Gluten-free) ”
Need to bake 20 of these Any tips to make it easier ?
Hmmmm, I’d say it could be easier to multiply the recipe by 5 and repeat the process twice… You just need large bowls!
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Looks so delicious! Just wondering if you’ve ever had any luck experimenting with making this, or something similar, without almond (or another nut) flour/meal.
Thanks for sharing the chocolatey goodness!
I’ve made it with regular flour and it turned out great.What kind of flour are you thinking of?
So much flavor and so good warm! Also whoever holds the spoon for u in the pics has great form!