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    Home » Baking

    Best Bakery-Style Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins

    April 28, 2021 by Jamie · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    A top photo of six gluten free chocolate muffins on a plate and a bottom picture of a muffin close up with a bite missing.
    Overhead view of six gluten free chocolate muffins on a plate. One has a bite missing to show moist texture.
    Three gluten free chocolate muffins arranged on a napkin. One with a bite missing to show the moist texture.

    Gluten-free chocolate muffins used to be something I would only buy from a bakery. I could never get the right rise or texture. But recently, I made a deep-dive into the perfect bakery-style Gluten-free muffins! These gluten-free chocolate muffins went through three trials for amazing rise and texture. This recipe is dairy-free too, and you can substitute cow's milk if you like. Read on for the best gluten-free muffin-making secrets!

    Top view of six gluten free chocolate muffins in a dish with a bite out of one to show the texture.

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    Why you'll love these gluten-free chocolate muffins

    • (vegan) Buttermilk gives excellent rise and a rich texture 
    • You get sky-high tops that won't fall back on you after baking 
    • Your friends will never know they are gluten free!

    So let's take a deep-dive into the world of gluten-free muffin baking shall we?

    How do you make gluten-free muffins from scratch?

    Making gluten free muffins from scratch is the same as making traditional muffins with a few exceptions:

    1. Use a gluten-free one-to-one flour 
    2. Double-check all other ingredients are gluten-free (no hidden additives)
    3. Mix the batter more thoroughly -- This creates elasticity, which is missing in gluten-free baked goods. 

    If you need help searching for hidden gluten in your ingredients, use our printable list of gluten ingredients to avoid. 

    Close up of the inside of a gluten free chocolate muffin to show its moist texture.

    How do you make gluten free muffins rise?

    Follow these tips to get the BEST gluten-free muffin rise:

    • Wait for the oven to fully preheat. The first 5-10 minutes of baking is where most of the rise happens and high heat 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 keeps the centers soft.
    • Measure ingredients carefully. An extra tablespoon or two of flour can make the difference between 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 dough stick together, which means they play the role of gluten in gluten-free flours.

    Mixing the ingredients really well helps create elasticity in the dough so tops rise vertically rather than spread horizontally. This is different from general muffin making because most instructions suggest barely mixing the ingredients for a crumbly texture.

    For these muffins, because that smooth texture makes them ultra fudgy and delicious, we mix the batter really well until it's smooth and almost creamy. This increases the surface tension (holds your muffin top together) to get that beautiful rise.

    Side view of a gluten free chocolate muffin to show the sky high tops!

    Why do muffins rise and then fall?

    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.

    Is dark chocolate gluten free and dairy free?

    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 out our free printable list of hidden gluten ingredients. 

    Overhead view of a gluten free chocolate muffin to show the gluten free chocolate chips on top.

    What gluten-free flour is best for muffins?

    To get a traditional muffin texture, the best gluten free flour blend for muffins is one made with gluten-free grains. Pamela's all-purpose flour blend is the best in terms of taste and texture. Bob's Red Mill one-to-one gluten free flour is also very good for muffins.

    If you choose to make your gluten free chocolate muffins paleo, I recommend using cassava flour. Otto’s Cassava Flour has tips for substituting in this post.

    Does baking powder have gluten?

    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. 

    Let's make Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease six cups of a muffin pan.

    Mix vegan buttermilk ingredients and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk together until well mixed.

    Add vegan buttermilk and wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly with a wooden spoon. The batter should be smooth and wet with some elasticity.

    • Vegan buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup and a large mixing bowl with dry ingredients.
      Dry ingredients and Vegan Buttermilk.
    • Fully mixed dry ingredients with wet ingredients added in, ready to mix.
      Ready for full mixing.

    Spoon the batter evenly into the 6 muffin cups. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips if you like.

    Muffin baking pan filled with batter, ready to bake!

    Now you'll bake at two temperatures - 425 degrees F for 7 minutes for a rapid rise cycle and 375 degrees F for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

    Three gluten free chocolate muffins. One has a bite out of it to show a creamy chocolate texture on the inside.

    How long do gluten free muffins last?

    Gluten-free muffins can last up to two days if left on the counter or five days if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen for up to six months and thawed at room temperature when ready to eat. 

    Once you taste these beauties, the real question will be how do you keep them around longer... because they are just too good to let sit!

    Side view of a hand reaching out to take one of the gluten free chocolate muffins from a plate of six.

    Other Gluten Free Treats You'll love:

    • Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins
    • Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
    • Gluten Free Mango Muffins
    • Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
    • Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts

    Gluten Free Chocolate Muffin Recipe

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    Close up of the inside of a gluten free chocolate muffin to show its moist texture.

    Best Bakery-Style Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Jamie
    • Total Time: 50 minutes
    • Yield: 6
    • Diet: Gluten Free
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    The best gluten free chocolate muffins with creamy vegan buttermilk for a rich texture and awesome rise! Easy, dairy-free, 11 ingredients.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Vegan/Dairy-free Buttermilk

    • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons dairy-free milk
    • ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar

    Dry Ingredients

    • ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon gluten-free 1-to-1 flour
    • 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 egg
    • 3 tablespoons avocado or canola oil

    Other

    • ⅓ cup Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease 6 cups of a standard muffin pan.
    2. Mix vegan buttermilk 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.
    3. Add vegan buttermilk and wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly with a wooden spoon. The batter should be smooth and wet with some elasticity. Fold in the chocolate chips.
    4. Spoon the batter evenly into the 6 muffin cups. They will be filled to the top. Bake for 7 minutes at 425 degrees F. Then decrease the temperature to 375 degrees F for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Do not open the muffin door before you expect them to be ready for best rise. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the muffin pan.

    Notes

    For this recipe, we mix the batter until smooth. This is more mixing than traditional muffins. The extra mixing gives a creamy texture and creates elasticity in the batter to maintain a high rise.

    Storage: Store gluten-free muffins on the counter for two days or for five days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen for up to six months and thawed at room temperature.

    • Prep Time: 10
    • Cook Time: 40
    • Category: Baking, Breakfast
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: gluten free double chocolate muffins, gluten and dairy free chocolate muffins, dairy free chocolate muffins

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @vibrantlygfree on Instagram and hashtag it #vibrantlygfree

    Enjoy the chocolatey goodness, and save me one too <3

    xo, Jamie

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    Comments

    1. Molly

      May 11, 2021 at 7:07 pm

      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.

      ★★★★★

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