Gluten-Free Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
As soon as we spotted the first snowflakes falling down this season, my kiddos shouted gleefully, “let’s make hot chocolate mama!”
Hot chocolate is one of their favourite cold-weather treats, and I don’t blame them. There’s something comforting about a rich, steaming hot mug of cocoa, especially when you’ve been playing in the cold outside, it just warms you right up!
When the snow begins to fall, it’s time for hot chocolate
With my children’s love of hot chocolate in mind and the desire to bake something together, we recently made these delectable gluten-free hot chocolate cupcakes. We used a classic chocolate cupcake recipe to start with. And even though they’re a cinch to make, they taste positively decadent, hitting a beautiful balance of dark chocolate goodness and ideal sweetness.
The taste of hot chocolate in a rich, moist, fluffy cupcake
To top off our chocolate cupcakes, we made a creamy hot chocolate frosting, using a blend of cocoa powder and hot chocolate mix. The hot chocolate mix adds a bit of crystallization to the frosting, which everyone actually really loved because it tasted so much like hot chocolate. However if you want a totally smooth frosting, than you would just use cocoa powder.
Of course, our gluten-free hot chocolate cupcakes wouldn’t be complete without mini marshmallows! My kiddos absolutely adore them in their mugs of hot chocolate, so it’s only fitting we decorated our cupcakes with them as well.
These are such a yummy treat, perfect for this time of year. Whether you make them for a weekend surprise or as a holiday dessert, they’re wonderful to enjoy while watching the snow fall.
Dress up your hot chocolate cupcakes with candy canes for Christmas
Should you want to make them even more festive as we approach the holidays, you could crush some candy canes on top, or decorate with a mini candy cane sticking out of the side. Because, I have no doubt kids and grown-ups alike would love that.
Most importantly, you’ll have to remember to whip up a few mugs of creamy hot chocolate to serve with these too, because the combination is just too heavenly to resist.
Happy baking lovely friends!
Gluten-Free Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
Description
The taste of hot chocolate in a rich, moist, fluffy cupcake!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose gluten flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened baking cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons gf baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup golden yellow sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup almond milk (or regular milk)
- ½ cup melted coconut oil, room temperature (or vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup boiled water
- Optional for decorating: 100 mini marshmallows or more (about 4 per cupcake)
Creamy frosting
- ½ cup creamy/buttery refined coconut oil (or regular butter)
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsweetened baking cocoa powder
- ¼ cup hot chocolate mix
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup almond milk (or regular milk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Prepare two cupcake pans with paper liners (for 24 cupcakes).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil. Using a fork or mixer, beat until smooth (about 1-2 minutes).
- In a medium mixing bowl, blend flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Slowly add to wet mixture and blend until smooth (you can use a mixer on low).
- Gently pour in boiled water. Blend until smooth.
- Scoop the batter into the lined cupcake pans.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean from testing the center.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing.
- Place on a plate or rack to cool further.
- To make the frosting, use a large mixing bowl.
- Add in creamy coconut oil and vanilla, mix until smooth.
- Add in baking cocoa powder and hot chocolate mix, continue to stir or beat with a mixer until smooth.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar (icing sugar) in small quantities, ½ cup -1 cup at a time.
- Then gradually add in the almond milk. Using a fork or mixer, beat until smooth and creamy.
- Decorate your cupcakes with the frosting and marshmallows.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Cook Time: 20
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Great recipe! Thanks for sharing I can’t wait to try these