These Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins are rich yet light and oozing with chocolate chips. With their high domes, they look and taste like they came straight from a bakery! Best part is, they're gluten free, eggless, nut free and easily dairy free (vegan).
These Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins have beautiful height yet they come together so easily, with just a whisk! They take no time to whip up and a short time to bake, you'll have beautiful muffins in under an hour!
For more muffin recipes, try my Red Velvet Muffins, my super popular Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins and Triple Chocolate Muffins.
Reasons to Love these Muffins
- Allergy Friendly- These muffins are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Light and Airy- These muffins are so light! Not an overly dense work out for your jaw!
- High Domes- They rise up super tall just like muffins from a bakery!
- Double The Chocolate- There is cocoa powder and chocolate chips in the batter!
- Easy To Make- The batter mixes up with a whisk and spatula...no mixer is needed!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce.
- Cornstarch and Water- These are eggless muffins so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
- Chocolate Chips- Make sure to use gluten free/nut free and vegan if you want these dairy free.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these Vegan
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
- Read the label on your chocolate chips to ensure they’re gluten free, nut free and vegan.
How to Make this with All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ½ cups packed cups of AP flour (252 grams).
- Use packed cups of cocoa powder.
- Only use 1 cup of milk.
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins
Here are the step by step instructions to make these muffins!
Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the gluten free flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
Step 2: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a large bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 3: Add the Other Liquid Ingredients
Into the cornstarch water, add the milk of choice, vegetable oil and vanilla; whisk to combine.
Step 4: Combine the Ingredients
Using a whisk, slowly mix the liquid ingredients into the dry until just combined. If it gets too thick, switch to a spatula.
Step 5: Add in the Chocolate Chips
Use a spatula to fold 1.5 cups of chocolate chips into the batter until combined.
Step 6: Scoop the Batter and Sprinkle more Chocolate Chips
Using an ice cream scoop, fill the muffin cups to the top. Smooth the batter with the back of the spoon or a small knife.
Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top of the batter in each muffin cup. Gently push down on the chips to make sure they stick to the batter.
Step 7: Bake
Bake in the center rack of the 375 degree oven for 28 minutes until the muffins are risen and springy when carefully touched.
Step 8: Cool
Once out of the oven, let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Then remove from the pan using a small spatula and let cool on a wire cooling rack.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powder- The 2 types of cocoa powders give the cookies their dark hue. If you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know their color will not be as dark as mine. Do not use dark alone; it will make your muffins too dry and bitter.
- Smooth the Batter- Many gluten free batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked. When the batter is in the muffin pan, gently smooth the tops with a butter knife prior to baking.
- Use Paper Muffin Liners of Grease the Pan- It will ensure you're able to get the muffins out of the tins. If you don't have any paper liners, grease each muffin tin with vegetable oil prior to adding the batter. You want to make sure you grease the entire pan, yes even the top; these muffins rise up nice and high and spill out of the cups.
- Fill the Muffin Tins to the Top- Make sure to fill each muffin cup all the way to the top. You want the muffins to have height.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe makes 6 jumbo size muffins.
It can also make 12 regular size muffins. If doing so, bake them at the same temperature for 22-24 minutes or until the tops are risen and springy when carefully touched.
It can also make 48 mini muffins. If doing so, use mini chocolate chips. You'll only need 1 cup of mini chips in the batter. Bake the mini muffins at the same temperature for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are risen and springy when carefully touched.
Yes you can!
Instead of 1.5 cups of chips in the batter, you can do ¾ cup or 1 cup and then you can eliminate the extra chips on top.
When you just bake the muffins they will have a crisp exterior and soft interior.
After you store them in an airtight container or in the foil at room temperature overnight, they will be soft on the outside as well.
Yes you can!
Follow the recipe exactly and then pour the batter into a greased and parchment lined 9x5 loaf pan.
Bake in the center rack of the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes until golden brown on top, risen and springy when carefully poked.
Once the muffins have cooled, store in an airtight container or individually wrap the each muffin in aluminum foil. Try to create a teepee with the top of the foil so it isn't touching the top of the muffin as much.
If wrapped in foil, store them in a zip top bag on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 30 days.
To defrost, take out if the freezer and leave at room temperature until soft; about 2 hours.
If desired, warm each muffin in the microwave for 5-10 seconds prior to eating. Be careful not to burn your mouth.
Other Muffin Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @laneandgreyfare and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube! Enjoy!!!
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour (I use a 1:1 gluten free flour with xanthan gum)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder (I use 2 tablespoon of Dutch and 2 tablespoon of Dark)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 pinches kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips (plus 3 tablespoons for sprinkling on the tops if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a jumbo 6 cup muffin tin with vegetable oil, in the wells and on the top.
- In a large bowl, with a whisk, mix together the gluten free flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until it is thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- Then pour the milk, vegetable oil and the vanilla into the cornstarch water. Whisk to combine.
- Using a whisk, slowly mix the liquid ingredients into the dry until just combined. If it gets too thick, switch to a spatula.
- Use a spatula to fold 1.5 cups of chocolate chips into the batter until combine
- Using an ice cream scoop, fill the muffin cups to the top. Smooth the batter with the back of the spoon or a small knife.
- Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top of the batter in each muffin cup. Gently push down on the chips to make sure they stick to the batter.
- Bake in the center rack of the 375 degree oven for 28 minutes until the muffins are risen and springy when carefully touched.
- Once out of the oven, let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Then remove from the pan using a small spatula and let cool on a wire cooling rack.
John
So much chocolate in this! It's great!
Lee
Thanks!
Jenn
These were sooo good! They were a hit with my family. Gluten-free recipes don’t often rise much but these did perfectly. I have a corn allergy, so I swapped the cornstarch for arrowroot and it worked great! I’ve done the same in several other recipes and they all turned out perfect.
Lee
So glad the arrowroot worked out!!! Thank you!!
Addie
the best recipe, my new go to!
Lee
Thank you!!!
Emma
So moist and chocolatey! Best chocolate muffin recipe out there. Make them!!!
Lee
Thank you so much!
Tina
Thank you for the recipe. I added an egg and flax seeds and it came out amazing. Will try without egg next time.
Lee
So glad it worked out!!! Thank you!