Little bits of chocolate pack gluten free chocolate chip cupcakes with crunch and loads of chocolatey flavor. Perfect for a kid's birthday party, or just because!
Similar to my gluten free chocolate chip cake (a gorgeously vanilla-scented loaf) and my recipe for gluten free banana chocolate chip cake, these adorable cupcakes are packed with mini semisweet chocolate chips for loads of chocolate in every bite. The cupcakes are light and tender and capped with a sweet buttercream frosting and a scattering of more chips. My girls loved these as an afternoon snack and they're also great for birthday parties!
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Why You'll Love These Cupcakes
Chocolate + cupcakes - what could be better? Top them with a fluffy homemade buttercream plus a few more mini chips and you've got the makings of a favorite dessert. I love adding buttermilk to the batter because it helps the gluten free flour to rise, and creates such a soft and tender crumb. Some cupcake highlights include:
- A perfect chip-to-cake ratio
- Sweet + creamy frosting
- Easy!
- Beloved by kids and adults
Ingredient Notes
I've outlined the ingredients you'll need to make these tender little cupcakes below.
Cupcakes
- Gluten free flour - You can use your favorite all-purpose gluten free flour or use my homemade gluten free flour blend!
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Butter - Use unsalted butter.
- Sugar
- Eggs - I always develop my recipes using large eggs, so try to use large eggs here if you can.
- Buttermilk - Make sure to shake your buttermilk before adding to the batter. If you don't have buttermilk, mix 2 teaspoons of vinegar with ½ cup of whole milk and use it in place of buttermilk.
- Mini chocolate chips - I LOVE using mini chips in cakes and cupcakes for little pops of chocolate flavor that don't overwhelm the bites of cake.
Frosting
- Butter - I use unsalted butter but if you prefer a touch of salt you can use salted butter since I don't include any added salt.
- Powdered sugar
- Milk - You'll use just enough milk - either whole milk or 2% milk is fine - to make the frosting beautifully fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon at a time as needed.
Variations
Want to change up these cupcakes a bit? Go right ahead! You can use this cupcake recipe as your base for all sorts of frostings, skip the mini chocolate chips, and more. Here are a few ideas:
- Make vanilla cupcakes - Add 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract to the cupcake batter to infuse them with delicate vanilla flavor.
- Try chocolate frosting - You can use any frosting you prefer with these cupcakes! My chocolate buttercream frosting is always a hit, especially if you are a chocolate lover.
- Add sprinkles! My girls love sprinkles, so we'll often shake rainbow or chocolate sprinkles over the tops of these cupcakes.
For a more muffin-y version of chocolate chip cupcakes, check out my gluten free mini chocolate chip muffins recipe!
Instructions
Here's a look at the steps you'll take to make chocolate chip cupcakes.
- Make dry mix: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream butter: Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes.
- Combine: Add the eggs one at a time, then beat in the flour and buttermilk. medium speed.
- Add chips: Stir in the chocolate chips and divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups.
- Bake: Bake the cupcakes for about 25 minutes, then cool to room temperature.
- Make the frosting: Beat the butter until fluffy, then sift in the powdered sugar, adding milk if needed.
Baking Tip
Make sure to rest the cupcake batter in the tin for about 20 minutes to allow the gluten free flour to hydrate, or at least as long as it takes the oven to preheat (this is why we turn the oven on after we make the batter, unlike in traditional baking recipes which often has to preheat the oven as the first step). This is especially important if you use a commercial gluten free flour mix, which can be gritty if not properly hydrated.
Substitution Suggestions & More Tips
- Make your own buttermilk - If you don't have buttermilk on hand, a simple formula for a good DIY substitute is adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of milk.
- Use homemade gluten free flour - Yes, store-bought gluten free flour works in this recipe. But I love using my homemade gluten free flour blend because it doesn't contain any extra gums or weird ingredients.
- Dairy free - If you keep dairy and gluten-free, use the DIY buttermilk method above with a non-dairy milk, then add it to the batter. Use non-dairy butter in the batter and buttercream.
- Soften your butter - For the best results in the cake and the frosting, bring the butter to room temperature before using it. This is especially important in the frosting because you don't want to see any clumps or streaks of butter that can come from too-cold butter.
- Sift your powdered sugar - Another easy way to avoid lumpy frosting is to sift the powdered sugar. This quick step is SO essential to making perfect frosting!
Storage
These cupcakes last well in the fridge for up to 5 days, and you can freeze them if you want to enjoy them later.
- Fridge - Place the cupcakes in an airtight container, or cover them tightly with foil, and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - You can freeze cupcakes with or without frosting. To freeze with frosting, place the assembled cupcakes in a freezer-safe container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost them in the fridge before serving. To freeze without frosting, place the cupcakes in a freezer-safe bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw thoroughly in the fridge before frosting them.
More Cupcake Recipes
If you tried these Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cupcakes or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below! And I always appreciate a star rating if you loved it ❤️
Recipe
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour (210 grams)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Frosting
- ½ cup butter
- 1 ½-2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk
Instructions
Make the Cake
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until thick and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition then scrape down the bowl.
- Add the flour mixture on medium speed, alternating with the buttermilk, and beat well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl then beat until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups and rest the batter for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 25 until the tops are firm and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Frosting
- Cream the butter for about 1 minute in a large bowl. Sift in the powdered sugar and add 1 teaspoon of milk, more if needed. Continue to beat until the buttercream is fluffy and smooth. Frost the cupcakes.
marie @ little kitchie says
yes! This classic combo is still my favorite dessert. Your frosting looks SO good!
Lisa says
Can we have these on our game night? Pretty please?!