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Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

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These easy gluten-free chocolate cupcakes are super simple to whip up, use only one bowl, and have the perfect bakery style texture.

Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes have never been easier!

gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and white pearl sprinkles on top

This gluten free chocolate cupcakes recipe was adapted from my Gluten Free Chocolate Cake.

If you are looking for an egg-free cupcake you might like my Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes.

For more recipe ideas check out my Gluten Free Recipes archive.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Every time I see the pictures of these Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes I want to hop in the kitchen and bake up a batch.

This recipe is incredible and it remains one of my most favorite recipes. Hopefully you’ll make some so you can see what I’m talking about.

You can’t tell these cupcakes are gluten-free. They texture is amazing, the flavors perfectly balanced, and the recipe in its simplest form.

top down view of gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and white pearl sprinkles on top

These Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes are the cupcake version of my Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake (which is my number one recipe on my site the past year).

I’ve received a lot of messages asking how to convert the recipe from cake to cupcakes.

There’s no hard and fast secret on how to turn a cake into a cupcake, its simply an adjustment of bake time.

But because most bakers like to save or print recipes (me included), it’s easier to adjust the recipe and SHOW how to make the cake into cupcakes vs. putting a foot-note somewhere on the cake recipe explaining how to make the cake into cupcakes.

It’s easy to miss a note, so I created this post to help everyone make easy gluten-free chocolate cupcakes 🙂

Working with Gluten-Free Flours

When working with or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour.

The best method really is to weight it but I don’t have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.

a close up of a top down view of gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and white pearl sprinkles on top nex to unsweetened cocoa on a sifter

There are a couple of tips and tricks to getting the right texture with gluten-free cupcakes. First, you have to follow the recipe.

So many people comment on recipe posts saying that they made a ton of substitutions and the recipe didn’t turn out.

Other than the dairy substitute, I haven’t tried other substitutes in this recipe. If you use substitutions, you are doing so at your own risk.

Second, you want to mix at the right time and not over-mix. When you are beating the ingredients you’ll want to beat it for the time listed.

This adds air which in turn helps the cake rise. Beating any longer will cause the batter to stiffen.

Both those tips are relevant to most cake and cupcake recipes, not just this Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes.

 

This gluten-free chocolate cupcake recipe is also listed in my cookbook as Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake: Sweet & Simple Gluten-Free Baking; Irresistible classics in 10 ingredients or less!

The recipe is simple enough that anyone can make it. Take a peek at the video above to see just how easy it really is.

a collage of six photos showing how to make gluten free chocolate cupcakes

How to make gluten-free chocolate cupcakes

  1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until there are no visible clumps.
  2. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for two minutes.
  3. Stir in boiling water.
  4. Spoon batter evenly into cupcake wells.
  5. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on a rack. Frost and enjoy.

Everyone that has made these gluten-free chocolate cupcakes has raved about them.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

If you like cake then you’ll also love my Gluten-Free Lemon Cake and my Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes.

I’ve got some tasty frosting options below but if you’re looking for something special this Nutella Buttercream Frosting Recipe is to-die-for.

If you make these gluten-free chocolate cupcakes please stop back by and let me know what you thought!

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes

a close up of a gluten-free chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting and white pearl sprinkles on top

These easy gluten-free chocolate cupcakes are super simple to whip up, use only one bowl, and have the perfect bakery style texture.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

For the frosting:

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Line two 12-serving cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until there are no visible clumps.
  3. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for two minutes.
  4. Stir in boiling water.
  5. Spoon batter evenly into cupcake wells. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on a rack.
  7. For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add cocoa powder and beat until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Slowly beat in milk. Beat in additional milk if needed, to obtain desired consistency.
  8. Frost cupcakes.
  9. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 291Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 241mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 1gSugar: 33gProtein: 3g
© Chrystal
Cuisine: Dessert
a pinterest pin of two photos of chocolate cupcakes with the words gluten free chocolate cupcakes written in the center

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Note on Questions and Comments: All comments and questions are answered in the order they are received. I aim to answer all questions within 48 hours. There may be a delay on weekends and holidays.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Hi Nicole,
      No, coconut flour works very differently in recipes. For this recipe I used the 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour. I hope that helps.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

      • I was nervous to make these as ive had bad luck with finding a gf recipe for something sweet that resembles a normal recipe.
        This was so yummy. My whole family gave it a 10/10 and my mom who’s not gf even asked for these for her bday. Thank you for making content the gluten free world can enjoy.

        Reply

    • Wowza, these are amazing!!! So fluffy! I feel like every gf recipe claims that the result tastes like a regular baked good, but this one really does. I used Namaste Perfect Flour Blend and coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. I think these are the best gluten free item I’ve made. Can’t wait to share these with friends!

      Reply

  2. Hi Chrystal,
    I’ve just made these delicious G/F Chocolate cupcakes.
    I followed your directions exactly and they turned out perfectly.
    My Two grandsons and husband couldn’t tell they were Gluten Free!
    Thank you for sharing your recipe.

    Reply

  5. I am 64 and a few months ago my son found out he could not have gluten and my daughter-in-law found out she can’t have dairy, so I had to find new recipes for thanksgiving and christmas. The cupcakes were divine and tasted just like regular cupcakes. I have tried some of your other recipes and must say you are becoming a go-to site for me. Thank you so much!!

    Reply

    • Hi Cheryl,
      I am so glad you like the recipes you’ve tried, including these chocolate cupcakes.

      Thank you for stopping by to let me know!

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  6. My daughter and I followed the recipe exactly and I am a baker and these turned out amazing! Rich and moist! Taking them to a party and no one will ever know!

    Thank you!

    Reply

  7. Hi Chrystal,
    Having baked for many years, and having basically given up on regular GF flours I decided to splurge on Bob’s Red Mill (very pricey in Oz) and have a run at this recipe instead of making a gooey almond meal version… And wow. A knock out. I don’t fancy the taste of just Coco enhanced chocolate dishes, so also added finely grated 70% dark chocolate into the dry mix (about 80grams) and they was superb: moist and fluffy.
    I was worried about how thin the batter was at the end of the mixing process- so much so I opted to pour the batter from a large glass jug instead of spoon it in. But it baked up beautifully.

    Thank you. Travis

    PS, for the non vegans, have you tried melted butter in place of the oil? It would be firmer at room temp, but chill down and heat up wonderfully.

    Reply

    • Hi Travis,
      I am so glad you like them. Thank you for letting me know. You can most certainly use melted butter. The baking time may change slightly and the texture will be a little more fudgy. Hope that helps.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  8. I made these along with the vanilla recipe for an event of 200 that we had about 18 gluten free guests. Made these in larger bakery sized cupcakes and they came out wonderful! Yield was 14 and increased baking time by 6 min. DELICIOUS!

    I can’t wait to try the lemon recipe next. The frosting also AMAZING!

    Reply

  9. Great recipe with great results! Took half to a party where the non-GF men were just as pleased as those who were GF. Do these freeze well? I would like to save the remaining in frosted cupcakes for a couple weeks.

    Reply

  11. This is probably the best gluten free cupcake recipe I’ve found, even my gluten eating housemates couldn’t tell they were GF. I scooped out the middle of the cupcakes and added a dollop of Nutella for a delicious surprise. Any tips for keeping them fresh longer? As usual for GF foods, they tend to decline after about 24 hours for me

    Reply

    • Hi Laura,
      I am so glad you like them! You can store these unfrosted in a container or the fridge and then frost when ready. They should be fresh for about 3 days. You can also store them at room temp with the frosting.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  12. Oh my, these are divine and so light. Easy to make. The batter is quite liquidy but bakes up perfectly. I iced mine with mocha icing. So good. Thank you!

    Reply

  13. I want to sing your praises for these. Absolutely fabulous. So light and fluffy! Deliciously chocolatey. Well done. These are a total win.

    Reply

  14. I added instant coffee to my boiling water. Anyone ever tried that? The cupcakes are in the oven now so we will see what happens…

    Reply

  16. These were amazing!! Used Vitacost gluten free baking blend with it. I dipped the frosting side with mini chocolate chips for some crunch. These tasted like professional cupcakes, thanks for this amazing recipe!

    Reply

  17. THESE WERE THE BEST CUPCAKES EVER! My family couldn’t even tell they were GF!
    I made these for my nephew’s birthday and decided to skip the chocolate frosting and opted for a vanilla buttercream frosting so I could dye it “Hulk Green.”
    Super moist, delicious, and the recipe made 24 BIG cupcakes. 100% will make again!

    Reply

  18. These were absolutely delicious! The only issue that I had as they were a bit crumbly. I used Simple Truth GF flour and followed the recipe exactly. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • I haven’t tried the simple truth flour in this recipe but looking at the ingredients, it could have been that the quinoa, brown rice, or amarath absorbed more of the liquid. Did you spoon it into the measuring cup and level? If not, try that. You can also try removing 2 tablespoon of the that flour and see if that helps.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  19. I just made these ….so easy and can’t stop eating them, even without the frosting !
    Thanks for an easy gluten free recipe

    Reply

  20. These cupcakes were amazing! I have never been able to find the perfect gluten free cupcake that doesn’t get dense and now these are my go to! I made them for a graduation party and everyone loved them. Even people who weren’t gluten free couldn’t tell because the cupcakes were so moist. 10/10!

    Reply

  22. Hi,
    I’m in Australia and can get white wings gluten free plain flour ( it’s ingredients are- Starch (Maize, Tapioca), Rice Flour, Thickener (464).) would this work? And what dairy free milk would you best suggest for this recipe? I want to make for a family fried that has gluten free and dairy free diets required for her young boy.
    Just not sure as don’t want the almond, soy or coconut to be overpowering flavour.
    Have asked this in regard to the vanilla cupcakes also as thought I could do a mixed box for gift some vanilla some chocolate
    Thanks Melissa

    Reply

    • Hi Melissa,
      I haven’t tried that blend so I’m not sure if it will work. If you do try it you can use unsweetened almond milk or rice milk to keep it dairy-free. The same goes for my vanilla cupcakes. If you are using measuring cups make sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cups and then level it.

      Best,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  23. Scrumptious!! I made this for the first time this week along with your DF/GF Vanilla Bean Cupcakes for a baby shower at work and both recipes were delicious! I’m a chocolate girl and these hit the spot. Everyone loved them. They are one day 3 and have lasted very well and have not dried out. Thank you for the yummy and easy recipe! I can’t find a place to give stars, but this recipe is definitely a 5/5!!

    Reply

  24. Hi Crystal,
    I’ve been trying to make dairy free/gluten free options for my son’s girlfriend and these sound great!
    I have a quick question: I keep reading that when using gluten free flour, you also need to add xanthan gum. Does your flour already have it in it? I came across your recipe tonight and need to make for tomorrow!
    Thank you in advance!!!
    Best Always,
    Elizabeth

    Reply

    • Hi Elizabeth,
      My flour blend has the option to add it. It’s not needed for these cupcakes though. Xanthan does a few different things, it acts as a binder for the ingredients, and it helps with shelf life of the baked good (lasting a day or two longer).

      Hope that helps,
      Chrystal

      Reply

  25. These are amazing! Not sure anyone will believe they’re GF. I used Orgran Self Raising flour and left out the baking powder. Lovely fluffy texture. Will be using them tomorrow and freezing some, so hopefully they will be just as good then. Thanks for the recipe. My previous GF attempts have been no where near as good!

    Reply

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