These amazing gluten-free double chocolate muffins taste just like the original with gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips! We use two baking temperatures to encourage nice round tops and a moist fluffy texture. This recipe makes 6 muffins in 15 minutes with 10 common ingredients.
Plus use the notes to adapt to dairy-free, egg-free and vegan as needed!
Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Muffins are a year-round treat that I particularly enjoy in the Winter and early Spring months. I like them with breakfast, brunch, or as a special a lunch treat or snack. They're not overly sweet like a cupcake, and that makes them more versatile.
For more gluten-free muffin recipes, check out my Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins, Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins, Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins, and Gluten-Free Strawberry Muffins. And if you're new to gluten-free, be sure to check out my best tips for going gluten-free.
For more gluten-free chocolate recipes, check out my Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake, Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie (no bake), and Dairy-Free Brownies. For a quick treat, check out my Thick Hot Chocolate Recipe, Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding, and Microwave Hot Chocolate.
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Why this recipe works
These gluten-free chocolate muffins are rich, moist, and bakery-style with a soft crumb that doesn't dry out. The batter is designed to hold moisture while baking, so the muffins stay tender inside instead of crumbly or dense.
They're easy to make in one bowl, use simple ingredients, and bake up tall with a deep chocolate flavor. You don't need special ingredients or hard-to-find flours, just a reliable method that works for everyday baking
How to make it (with photos)
This recipe uses pantry ingredients and is easily adaptable to dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan versions. It's also easy to throw together and a fun recipe to make with kids.
Ingredient Notes
Just like the classic recipe, these gluten-free chocolate muffins is made with simple ingredients.
Gluten-Free Flour
Pick a gluten-free 1-to-1 or measure-for-measure flour for best results. These gluten free flours are usually rice blends which most closely mimic traditional flour.
Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Flour is my personal favorite for muffins, and Pamela's Gluten-Free Flour also works well in this recipe.
Cocoa or Cacao Powder
You can use cocoa powder and cacoa powder interchangeably. The difference between them is that cocoa powder is made from roasted cacao beans and cacao powder is made from beans that are not roasted.
The BEST gluten-free double chocolate muffins we've made used this cacao powder and it made such a difference! I highly recommend it.
Vinegar
I only recommend using apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Vinegar is regularly used in baking for extra rise and fluffiness. You won't taste the vinegar at all after baking. You can also omit this ingredient entirely, but you will not get quite as much rise in your muffins.
More Ingredient Notes
- milk - Regular milk or any dairy-free or plant-based milk will work great in this recipe (we used almond milk in our dairy-free trials). Check out the substitutions below or in the recipe notes for how to make these dairy-free.
- sugar - White sugar and coconut sugar both work great in this recipe! I've tried both, and generally prefer coconut sugar because you're less likely to have a strong blood sugar spike afterwards since it is refined sugar-free.
- chocolate chips - If making this recipe dairy-free, don't forget to check that your chocolate chips are dairy free too. I recommend Enjoy-Life brand since they are guaranteed dairy-free and gluten-free.
See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients with quantities.
Substitutions + Variations
The following are all gluten-free chocolate muffin variations that we tried and loved in my own kitchen.
- Egg-Free - Replace the egg with 1 tablespoon of potato starch or corn starch and 3 tablespoons of water. To do this, mix the starch with the dry ingredients and add the water with the wet ingredients.
- Dairy-Free - Any dairy-free milk substitution will work well. We used and love almond milk in this recipe. For butter, use vegan buttery sticks or something similar.
- Extra Fancy - We love substituting the chocolate chips with chopped dark chocolate! Use the same amount, chopped into roughly chocolate-chip-size, and make sure it is gluten-free and/or dairy-free as needed. I used the Endangered Species Brand Bold and Silky 72% dark chocolate when making this variation.
- Vegan - We used both the egg-free and dairy-free substitutions listed above successfully together for a vegan gluten-free chocolate muffin.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Learn how to make gluten-free double chocolate muffins with these one-bowl instructions and step-by-step photos.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease six cups of a muffin pan.
- Vinegar, Milk & Dry Ingredients: Mix the milk and vinegar together and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk together until well mixed.
- Make the batter: Add the milk and vinegar mixture and wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until just mixed, with some flour lumps still remaining. Add the chocolate chips and stir gently until just mixed.
- Muffin tin: Spoon the batter evenly into the 6 muffin cups. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips if you like.
- Bake: Bake at 425 degrees F for 7 minutes. Then, without opening the oven door, drop the temperature to 400 degrees F and bake for 8 minutes. They should be perfectly cooked at this point, but you can insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin to make sure it comes out clean or with a dry crumb.
- Cool: Allow to cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before gently removing and transferring to a cooling rack.
Hints: Always grease the top of the muffin tin in addition to the cups so the muffin tops don't stick. Using an ice cream scoop or measuring cup helps to make spooning the batter into the tin easier and faster.
Expert Tips
Follow these tips to get the BEST gluten-free double chocolate muffins on the first try!
Wait for the oven to fully preheat.
The first 5-10 minutes of baking is when most of the rise happens. High heat at the start is needed for maximum rise.
Bake at a higher temperature at the beginning for a rapid rise cycle.
More heat at the beginning creates more rise. And turning the heat down after that rapid-rise cycle keeps the centers soft. These instructions are listed in the recipe -- make sure to read them carefully and set your timer to get the baking times just right.
Measure ingredients carefully.
An extra tablespoon or two of gluten free flour can make the difference between muffin tops rising successfully or collapsing after you take them out of the oven.
Use a gluten-free flour with xanthan or guar gum.
These gums help the batter stick together, replacing the role of gluten in gluten-free flour.
Add flaky sea salt at the end.
A little bit of maldon salt sprinkled on after baking takes these muffins from delicious to mind-blowing. I highly recommend it!
Related gluten-free muffin recipes to consider...
Looking for more delicious and fluffy gluten-free muffins like these gluten-free chocolate muffins? Check out these delicious variations!
And for another scrumptious breakfast treat, check out my Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the comment section or recipe card below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Muffins
Ingredients
Milk and Vinegar
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon milk of choice
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose gluten-free flour with xanthan gum
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons butter , melted but not hot
Mix-ins
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease 6 cups of a standard muffin pan.
- Milk, Vinegar, & Dry Ingredients: Mix the milk and vinegar ingredients in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk together until well mixed.
- Make the batter: Add the milk and vinegar mixture and wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until just mixed, with some flour lumps still remaining. Add the chocolate chips and stir gently until just mixed.
- Muffin tin: Spoon the batter evenly into the 6 muffin cups. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips if you like.
- Bake: Bake at 425 degrees F for 7 minutes. Then, without opening the oven door, drop the temperature to 400 degrees F and bake for 8 minutes. They should be perfectly cooked at this point, but you can insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin to make sure it comes out clean or with a dry crumb.
- Cool: Allow to cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before gently removing and transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe FAQs
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about making gluten-free chocolate muffins. Don't see your question? Leave it in the comments and I'll answer it within two business days
Store leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bag on the counter for two days or in the refrigerator for up to five days. Place a paper towel in the container or bag to absorb extra moisture.
These muffins can also be frozen for up to six months and thawed at room temperature.
While cocoa powder is naturally gluten-free, not all dark chocolate is gluten free and dairy free. You will need to check the ingredients to look for any additives that could contain gluten and dairy. In general, dairy is more common in dark chocolate than gluten.
I recommend Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips for this recipe. They are gluten and dairy free.
If you are concerned about your chocolate ingredients, check our free printable list of hidden gluten ingredients.
Muffins rise in the oven and then fall after removing them when there is too much baking soda or baking powder (leavening) compared to flour. Reduce the amount of leavening or increase the amount of flour to fix this.
If you follow this recipe exactly, the tops of your muffins will stay nice and high after baking.
Since this recipe is measured in cups of flour, it's best practice to spoon the flour into the cup rather than making one big scoop in the bag. This ensures the flour is not too packed and matches the amount in this recipe exactly.
Most baking powders contain only gluten-free ingredients. Sodium bicarbonate and cream of tartar are gluten-free. The starch in baking powder is usually corn starch, which is also gluten free.
Since there can be cross-contact with gluten in corn starch, it's always best to choose a well-known gluten-free brand like Rumford or Clabber Girl.
To get a traditional muffin texture, the best gluten free flour is a rice flour blend with xanthan or guar gum. Bob's Red Mill one-to-one gluten free flour is the best for traditional muffin taste and texture. Pamela's all-purpose gluten-free flour is also very good for muffins, but it will give them a very smooth waxy top that does not affect the taste but will look different than traditional muffins.
To keep gluten-free chocolate muffins moist, it's important to use enough fat and liquid in the batter and avoid overbaking. Letting the muffins cool completely before storing them also prevents moisture loss.
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Cyndi says
Perfect muffins. Followed exactly and they came out great! Also appreciate the very detailed instructions (with possible substitutes). I'm a new fan!
Jamie says
Thank you so much Cyndi! Your comment made my day 🙂
Janelle says
This was my first gluten free baking project and they turned out BETtER than the batch I made that had gluten in it a few weeks ago! My family is excited about my gluten free baking now. THANK YOU! They are truly life changing .
Deb says
Delicious!!!! Not what I expected. I’ve just gone gluten free to some extent and this is the first thing to normal baking I’ve found!! It’s moist and soft.
Jamie says
Thank you so much for the feedback Deb! I'm so glad you enjoy these too 🙂
Liana says
Wow, such a delicious, moist, quick, convenient recipe!
I discovered this recipe when looking for muffins to make in a hurry for my son so he didn’t miss out on birthday celebrations at kindy (his teacher forgot to let me know until 1hr before he needed them). He has intolerance to gluten, dairy & egg and I was able to deliver in the short time frame we had! Thank you for this recipe - I made another double batch tonight - the single batch didn’t last the day 😉
Jamie says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them and thank you so much for sharing this story! It's why I do what I do 🙂
Brooke says
My 12 year old daughter loves chocolate muffins and just learned she has celiac disease. These gave us all hope that she can eat normally! We also made
Them dairy and egg free. Looking forward to trying more recipes on this blog!
Callie P. says
These are divine! I never thought a gluten free muffin could be the best I’ve ever had. Totally blown away by the vegan option (I made them dairy free and egg free). My boyfriend thought I was baking with gluten again because they were so good.
Tiegan says
Don’t hesitate to try these! We bought the cacao powder recommended in the ingredients section and I think it really does elevate them. Thank you for the recipe and tips!
Amanda says
Wow this recipe is really spot on! My non gluten free friend now makes these but substitutes wheat flour. Great recipe! We’ll be making them many times I’m sure.
Molly says
I can't imagine a tastier muffin--the texture is perfect! I want these all the time and they never last long when I make them.