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!
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.
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.
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.
The gluten free chocolate cupcakes recipe is simple enough that anyone can make it. Take a peek at the video above to see just how easy it really is.
How to make gluten-free chocolate cupcakes
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until there are no visible clumps.
- Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for two minutes.
- Stir in boiling water.
- Spoon batter evenly into cupcake wells.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 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!
Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
These easy gluten-free chocolate cupcakes are super simple to whip up, use only one bowl, and have the perfect bakery style texture.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose gluten-free flour blend OR Bobs Redmill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 ½ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk (or dairy-free milk)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract
- ¾ cup boiling water (for activating the cocoa)
For the frosting:
- ½ cup butter (or dairy-free butter)
- 1 ½ teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk (or dairy-free milk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Line two 12-serving cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until there are no visible clumps.
- Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium speed for two minutes.
- Stir in boiling water.
- Spoon batter evenly into cupcake wells. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool on a rack.
- 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.
- Frost cupcakes.
- 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:
24Serving Size:
1 cupcakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 291Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 241mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 1gSugar: 33gProtein: 3g
Nicole
Hi. I have Bobs Red Mill coconut flour. Do I use it the same as the gluten free flour blend? Thanks.
chrystal
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
ellie
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.
chrystal
Hi Ellie,
You are very welcome. I am so glad everyone liked it.
Best,
Chrystal
Emily
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!
chrystal
I am so glad you loved them. Thank you for sharing which flour blend you used.
Best,
Chrystal
Jeannette
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.
chrystal
Hello Jeannette,
I am so glad you, your husband, and grandsons loved it. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and let me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Gurjeet cheed
Thank you for sharing the recipe of gluten free chocolate cup cakes
chrystal
You are welcome.
Best,
Chrystal
Sierra
Hello,
Would it be possible to half this recipe?
chrystal
Hi Seirra,
Yes, you have cut this recipe in half to make 12 cupcakes instead of 24.
Best,
Chrystal
Joan Wilder
I made these today and they are wonderful. Thank you for the recipe.
chrystal
Hi Joan,
I'm so glad you like them! Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Cheryl
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!!
chrystal
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
Afra
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!
chrystal
Hi Afra,
I am so glad you both loved them. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Travis Williams
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.
chrystal
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
Lea
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!
chrystal
I'm so glad everyone loved them Lea. Thank you for sharing.
Best,
Chrystal
Carla Jones
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.
Carla Jones
I would like to save the remaining g *unfrosted cupcakes.
chrystal
I'm so glad you like them! Yes, you can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes and bring them to room temperature when you are ready to enjoy them.
Amy
Can you turn this into a cake instead? What temperature should you bake at and for how long?
chrystal
I have a cake version 🙂 https://www.glutenfreepalate.com/easy-gluten-free-chocolate-cake-11-ingredients/
Let me know how it turns out!
Best,
Chrystal
Laura
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
chrystal
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
Gail
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!
chrystal
I am so glad you like them 🙂 Thank you for taking time to stop by and let me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Rachael
I want to sing your praises for these. Absolutely fabulous. So light and fluffy! Deliciously chocolatey. Well done. These are a total win.
chrystal
Awe, thank you Rachael. I'm so glad you like them.
Best,
Chrystal
Brandee
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...
chrystal
I haven't personally tried it. How did it turn out?
Best,
Chrystal
Nicole
Hi! I only have mini cupcake liners, how long should I bake them?
chrystal
Start with 10 minutes.
Best,
Chrystal
Sci
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!
chrystal
I'm so glad you like them. Thank you for sharing what flour blend you used.
Best,
Chrystal
Savanna
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!
chrystal
Awe, I'm so glad everyone loved them. Thank you for sharing.
Best,
Chrystal
Sandi Laredo
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?
chrystal
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
Diana
I just made these ....so easy and can’t stop eating them, even without the frosting !
Thanks for an easy gluten free recipe
chrystal
I am so glad to hear that. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrsytal
Shelby
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!
Joana
Hello Chrystal!
Can I use gluten free corn flour?
chrystal
Hi Joana,
I'm guessing it wouldn't work as corn flour absorbs liquids differently.
Best,
Chrystal
Melissa
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
chrystal
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
Micaela
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!!
chrystal
I am so glad you like them. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Elizabeth Martin
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
chrystal
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
Eleanor
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!
chrystal
I am so glad you love them Eleanor. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Eleanor
And they were just as good after they were frozen. I've shared your recipe with a number of friends, they couldn't believe they were GF!
chrystal
I am so glad. Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Best,
Chrystal
Kim
Can you use Coconut Oil in place of the vegetable oil?
chrystal
Yes, you can use melted and cooled coconut oil.
Best,
Chrystal
Amna Siddiqui
This is the first time that I've ever commented on a recipe. It is mind-blowing and the fact that it is gluten-free is absolutely incredible! I added a handful of chocolate chips, as well. They're super moist and literally feel like they're melting in your mouth. Hands down - the best cupcakes EVER! My only regret is that I cut the recipe in half...12 cupcakes will be gone in no time!
Maggie
Question: the directions say to add baking power AND baking soda, but the ingredients only list the baking powder, was this a misprint in the directions or a missing ingredient?
Thanks!
chrystal
Hi Maggie,
I see them both in the ingredient list, no miss-print. The baking soda is under the baking powder.
Best,
Chrystal
Holly
Hello, I have Doves Farm gluten free self raising flour on hand, will this be ok to use in this recipe? If so do i need to leave out the baking powder?
chrystal
I haven't personally used that blend. If you decide to try it, yes, leave out the baking powder.
Best,
Chrystal
Anahera Raman
OMG,these were soo good,so fluffy and moist you could not tell they were gluten free,I am 11 and a gluten intolerant and I love baking!!I made these for my younger sisters friend party a they were a hit!!I used edmonds gluten free plain flour(no xanthan,not sure if you have heard of it)amd they turned out perfect!!Thank you so much.