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Fluffy and decadent Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes are super easy to make and ultra-chocolatey! This indulgent dessert uses whole milk, cocoa powder, and boiling water to give you a moist texture and rich flavor. It’s a classic, tender cupcake recipe that goes great with any frosting of your choice.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- GF Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients
- How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- What Kind of Frosting to Use for Chocolate Cupcakes
- Tips for the Best Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- How to Store Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- Can I Freeze These?
- Chocolate Cupcake Variations
- Get the Recipe
- More Gluten Free Desserts
Why You’ll Love These Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Nut-free
- Skill Level: Easy
These easy chocolate cupcakes have the perfect texture and flavor, unlike any cupcake you’ve ever had before! Unless, of course, you’ve tried my Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes. They’re equally fluffy and delicious! But here’s why you’ll fall for the chocolate version:
- Quick to make. They come together in just half an hour if you want to enjoy them fresh, but you also have the option to make them ahead of time. You can make these chocolate cupcakes a day or two in advance. Either way, they’ll be amazing!
- Perfect for any occasion. Because they are so simple and fast, they make a great holiday or birthday dessert, quick-fix weeknight treat, or anything in between. You can customize them to your tastes or the occasion by changing up the frosting or other decorations.
- Tried-and-true for everyone. The secret to fluffy gluten-free cupcakes is 1:1 gluten-free baking flour, the ingredient that makes gluten free baking a breeze. It’s used at the same ratio as regular flour. This means that 1 cup of gluten-free flour is equivalent to 1 cup of all-purpose flour – hence the 1:1. So if you’re not gluten-free, you can substitute equal parts all-purpose flour in this recipe.
GF Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients
These cupcakes are made with a careful selection of ingredients that have been tested and approved by yours truly! Here’s what you’ll need to make perfect gluten-free chocolate cupcakes.
- Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour: I like Bob’s Red Mill in this recipe, though King Arthur Flour is also a great option. Or you can use all-purpose flour if not gluten-free.
- Granulated Sugar.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened.
- Baking Powder: To help the cupcakes rise.
- Baking Soda: Just half a teaspoon to supplement the baking powder.
- Kosher Salt: A touch of salt will actually enhance the chocolatiness of your cupcakes!
- Eggs: Bring to room temperature. You can also try one of the egg substitutes for baking if you have an egg allergy.
- Whole Milk: Half a cup of whole milk makes for ultra-fluffy cupcakes.
- Vegetable Oil: Or canola oil.
- Vanilla Extract: For depth of flavor.
- Water: The water should be boiling.
How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
You’ll love how easily these cupcakes come together. You only need one bowl to make the batter!
- Prep for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-hole cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Whisk in Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and whisk together until combined.
- Add Boiling Water: Stir in the boiling water.
- Fill Liners: Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full with the batter.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Let Cool: Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.
What Kind of Frosting to Use for Chocolate Cupcakes
Like I said, any frosting of your choice makes a fantastic topping for these cupcakes. If you’d like to go the homemade route, which I highly recommend, I have a few easy frosting recipes that you’ll definitely want to try!
- Chocolate Frosting: No chocolate lover can resist a fluffy chocolate cupcake covered with my smooth and velvety Homemade Chocolate Frosting.
- Vanilla Frosting: This sweet and creamy Vanilla Frosting provides the perfect contrast to these rich and decadent cupcakes. Yum!
- Cream Cheese Frosting: You can never go wrong with cream cheese frosting, especially when it comes to this easy recipe! If you’re gluten-free, just make sure your powdered sugar is compliant.
- Peanut Butter Frosting: Chocolate and peanut butter are best friends, which is why I adore chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. You are in for a winning combination if you top these chocolate cupcakes with my Peanut Butter Buttercream recipe.
- Cookies and Cream Frosting: Kids of all ages will flip for Gluten Free Oreo Frosting on their chocolate cupcakes.
While using different frostings is a great option to change up these chocolate cupcakes, they can also be the base for so many other variations. Keep reading for more ideas!
Tips for the Best Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- Make Sure Water is Boiling: The boiling water is important here – it truly brings out that chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder. If the water isn’t hot enough, you won’t get maximum chocolatiness!
- Use a Scoop: I like to use a large scoop to portion out the batter for evenly-sized cupcakes.
- Don’t Let Batter Sit Before Baking: Once you stir the boiling water into the batter, don’t waste any time getting your cupcakes into the oven. The heat from the water will help your cupcakes rise and get super fluffy.
- Avoid Overbaking: You don’t want to leave these in the oven for too long. They won’t be as moist and fluffy if they’re overbaked. Start checking them after 20 minutes and remove them from the oven once the toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool Before Frosting: Before you frost these cupcakes, make sure they’re completely cool. That way, the frosting won’t melt and get messy.
- Add Some Sprinkles: I always love to dress up my cupcakes with some festive sprinkles to match the occasion, but you’ll want to make sure the ones you use are gluten free. Check out my article Are Sprinkles Gluten Free? for tips.
How to Store Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
These cupcakes should be stored at room temperature. Keep them in an airtight container on the counter and enjoy them within 2-3 days. Make sure they’ve cooled completely before you store them.
Can I Freeze These?
Yes! Cooled, unfrosted chocolate cupcakes can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. This is a great option for making them ahead of time and enjoying them one by one. Thaw frozen cupcakes in the fridge before enjoying and bring them to room temperature, if desired.
Chocolate Cupcake Variations
Besides just changing up the frosting, you can use this recipe to make all different kinds of chocolate cupcakes.
- Black Forest Cupcakes. With cherry filling and fluffy whipped cream frosting, these are a dreamy treat.
- Funky Monkey Cupcakes. Banana filling and peanut butter frosting are a winning trifecta of flavors.
- Halloween Cupcakes. Start with these basic chocolate cupcakes and add swirls of frosting with decorative toppings to make them look like a bubbling brew of potion in a cauldron.
- Chocolate Oreo Cupcakes. Just like these vanilla-based Oreo Cupcakes, you can mix in chopped cookies for a cookies-and-cream dream-come-true.
- Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes. Stir in about a teaspoon of Mexican Chocolate Spice Mix for a chocolaty treat with a spicy kick.
Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-hole cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and whisk together until combined.
- Stir in the boiling water.
- Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 full with the batter.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Did you make this?
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More Gluten Free Desserts
As a gluten-free mom who loves to cook and bake, I have all the gluten-free dessert recipes you’ll ever need! Here are a few I know you’ll love:
