By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On January 15, 2023
Tender, dreamy, tropical Gluten-free Pina Colada Cupcakes that are also dairy-free and easy to make. You are going to love the fun flavors wrapped up into this tropical cupcake.
If you like fun, and creative gluten-free cupcake recipes you might also like my Gluten-Free Strawberry Cupcakes. My Gluten-Free Root Beer Cupcakes are also fun and festive.
For more cupcake recipes, check out my Gluten Free Desserts section or type cupcakes in the search bar on the right.
Gluten-free Pina Colada Cupcakes
My husband and I celebrated our fifteenth wedding anniversary at the time I developed this gluten free pina colada cupcake recipe. We had spent a week celebrating in one of our favorite tropical locations, Hawaii!
We went to Oahu and instantly fell in love with Hawaii. We even spent several hours the last day of our honeymoon looking for jobs - thinking that we might actually move to Hawaii some day.
We loved the sandy beaches, the warm weather, the relaxing atmosphere... and the food! I remember our first dinner out on Oahu. I enjoyed fresh Opa with tropical rice and steamed veggies. I washed mine down with a Pina Coloda, while my husband tried a local brew. It was amazing to say the least.
While we didn't end up moving to one of the Hawaiian Islands (bummer) we have gone back a few times to visit. We love Hawaiian food, and tropical beverages, and relaxing. I wanted to make something this year that reminded us of all of our fun times in Hawaii.
I wanted it to be something that my whole family could enjoy, which meant it had to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and peanut-free.
The week before our Anniversary I made Gluten-Free Pina Colada Cupcakes and my whole family raved about how delicious they were. Every bite reminded us of vacation. And it was something we could eat while celebrating together.
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 weigh the gluten-free flour but I don't have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.
Why did my cupcakes explode?
First off, you may have overfilled the cupcake wells. Never fill more then ¾ of the way full, and it’s best to stick to around ⅔’s of the way full. I use a ¼ measuring cup to fill mine. Another reason could be that you added too much leavening agent, or that you are at higher elevation. Baking powder tends to work twice as hard at higher elevations. Consider cutting your baking powder in half if you are at a higher elevation.
These Gluten-Free Pina Colada Cupcakes have hints of pineapple, coconut, and butter. They're topped with a smooth and creamy coconut buttercream frosting that melts in your mouth.
With only ten ingredients in the cupcakes, and one bowl for mixing up the batter, you'll find them easier to make than most other cupcakes.
If you try these Gluten-Free Pina Colada cupcakes, please stop back by and let me know what you thought!
Gluten-Free Pina Colada Cupcakes
Tender, dreamy, tropical Gluten-free Pina Colada Cupcakes that are also dairy-free and easy to make. You are going to love the fun flavors wrapped up into this tropical cupcake.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 6 tablespoons dairy-free butter, softened (or regular butter)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup crushed pineapple in juice
- ¼ cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
- ¾ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
- ½ cup dairy-free butter, room temperature (or regular butter)
- 16 oz. powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons full fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 1-serving cupcake pan with papers; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg.
- Add in the crushed pineapple, coconut milk, and coconut extract. Beat until combined.
- Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat for one minute on medium-high speed.
- Fill each cupcake well ⅔rds full. Bake the cupcakes for 14-16 minutes, or until they spring back when lightly pressed.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: In a separate large mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in half the powdered sugar, coconut cream, and coconut extract, and beat until smooth. Add in the remaining powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth or desired consistency is reached. If needed, add in more coconut milk, one tablespoon at a time until desired results are reached.
Notes
- Dairy Option: You can use dairy butter in place of the butter, and half and milk in place of the coconut milk in this recipe.
- 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.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1 cupcakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 380Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 242mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 0gSugar: 49gProtein: 2g
Erica D
LOVE coconut extract. Also, the tiny umbrellas totally make this 🙂
chrystal
Haha. Thanks!
Pat
If I wanted to make a pineapple upside down cake, instead of using crushed pineapples in juice in the batter, can I just use pineapple juice? I know I can use regular milk instead of the coconut milk but curious about the liquid (1/2cup juice compared to 1/2 cup crushed pineapple in juice). Any advice on this? Thanks!
chrystal
Hi Pat,
I haven't tried it myself but I would imagine it would work. You could also make 1/2 the recipe for my vanilla cake and use that on top of your pineapple rings and sugary topping.
Best,
Chrystal
Celeste
I think I need a weekly delivery of your cupcakes. Can we arrange that? 😉
chrystal
Hmmm... Possibly 🙂
Sharon @ What The Fork
Happy anniversary, I've never been to Hawaii!
chrystal
Thank you!
jules
YUMMMERS! This sounds like a pineapple upside down cake ... CAKE! In love! Pinning!!!
~jules
chrystal
Thank you!
Elle @ Only Taste Matters
Happy Anniversary! I can just imagine taking a bite of one and being transported to an island paradise. Sigh. I think I may already be there. 🙂
chrystal
Lol 🙂 Thank you.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Keep on bringing the tropical summer vibes!
Bethany
These cupcakes look delicious!
chrystal
Thank you Bethany!
Kellie Bowers
I have a very good friend who is gluten free. I would like to make this into a birthday cake. Does this recipe make 12 or 24 cupcakes? Just need to know if I should double it or not! Thanks so much!!
Kellie Bowers
Just letting you know, I doubled the recipe and the cake is perfect!!
chrystal
So glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
April
What egg sub would be best for this one?
chrystal
Hi April,
I have tried an egg substitute in this recipe. Flax egg might work, but they will be slightly denser.
Chrystal
Robin
These sound great! but I think they call out for toasted shredded coconut on top! That's what I'm going to try.
Tena
These were awesome! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
chrystal
Hi Tena,
I am so glad you like them! Thank you for stopping by to leave a review.
Best,
Chrystal
Cindy Nicole Taylor
1/4 can or 1/4 cup or what of coconut cream?
chrystal
1/4 cup. Thanks for the catch!
Best,
Chrystal
Cristina
Hi,
Thanks for the recipe. I would like to make it a cake instead of muffins. Would it be ok to use an 8-inches pan? How long should I bake it?
chrystal
Hi Cristina,
You can make these into a cake. Bake the 8" cakes for 22-25 minutes, then watch for doneness after that.
Best,
Chrystal
Cheryl Hedge
I made these and they are delicious! I used half the frosting since I'm trying to cut back on sugar. Everyone that has had one has loved it. I will be making these often. Thank you so much.
chrystal
I am so glad that everyone loved them. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Beth
These are delicious!
I used the gluten free flour blend recipe from America's Test Kitchen and they turned out great. I was a bit worried about the coconut extract being too strong so I used a bit less vanilla instead and it was good.
These came out great baked as Doughnuts for maybe 12ish minutes. I used a different icing for a Pina Colada buttercream. But the cake part of this recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you.