Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes (gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free)
These paleo chocolate cupcakes are moist but not eggy and have a rich, dark chocolaty taste! Topped off with chocolate fudge frosting. Grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Scroll down for a how-to recipe video.
Here’s the promised cupcake recipe that I used as a carrier for the paleo vegan chocolate frosting I posted last week.
Before anyone gets their knickers* in a twist, I know sprinkles aren’t paleo. They’re, like, the very opposite of paleo. But just look at how they brightened up these cupcakes! They look much happier with the sprinkles.
Here’s how you can make your own paleo coconut sprinkles. The recipe uses plant-based natural coloring and coconut, and while they’re not nearly as bright as nasty store-bought sprinkles, you don’t have to worry about what you’re eating!
Raspberries, strawberries and mini chocolate chips would also make for pretty and delicious paleo alternatives to sprinkles.
* I don’t think I’m British – I just loathe the p-word.
This paleo chocolate cupcake recipe is essentially the same as the one I used in my spiderweb cupcakes. I adapted it a little to make the cupcakes bigger and to make the measurements a bit easier for people who use measuring cups instead of grams.
I also added a little more sweetener! The original paleo cupcake recipe was sweetened with just honey but when I tried the recipe as written, and ate a cupcake without the frosting, I wanted more sugar. So I added two tablespoons of coconut sugar.
These gluten-free, dairy-free cupcakes have a really interesting texture, and I don’t mean that in a bad way! It’s hard to describe, but they’re kind of mousse-like. They’re not like regular, fluffy, airy cupcakes, but they’re moist and… mousse-like. I’m sure that won’t convince you to make them, so here’s a review from the original recipe:
“A girl who has been eating GF for 3 years said they were the best GF cupcakes she has ever had! They were all asking after the recipe!” I think they’re pretty darned delicious, but I don’t know about best gluten-free cupcakes ever. I think I’ll reserve that title for cupcakes that have the same exact texture as regular cupcakes. Ones where you have no idea that they’re gluten-free (like my best gluten-free brownies recipe!)
These paleo chocolate cupcakes don’t have that typical weird, eggy, and spongy thing that a lot of grain-free cupcake recipes I’ve tried have had, though, so that’s a huge plus. All in all, I’d say that these cupcakes are a victory. :) Check out the reviews in the comments if you need convincing!
For more of my most popular paleo recipes, try my chocolate chip paleo cookies or these paleo blueberry muffins! I can pretty much guarantee you that neither will disappoint. :)
I definitely need to up my paleo cupcakes game (when it comes to variety!). These chocolate cupcakes are pretty much all I have. What kind should I make next?!
Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes (gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons (104 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (80 grams) finely ground blanched almond flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder see notes
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional to enhance cocoa flavor
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (126 grams) refined coconut oil melted
- 2/3 cup (213 grams) honey
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (160 grams) unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 4 large eggs 50 grams each out of shell, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 1 to 1 1/2 batches paleo chocolate fudge frosting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a muffin pan (or two) with 14 liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, almond flour, baking powder, espresso powder and salt. Set aside.3/4 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons (104 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (80 grams) finely ground blanched almond flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon espresso powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil, honey, applesauce, coconut sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir just until combined.1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (126 grams) refined coconut oil, 2/3 cup (213 grams) honey, 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (160 grams) unsweetened applesauce, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, 4 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pour the batter evenly into the muffin liners, about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 24-28 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out mostly clean. A few moist crumbs or a little stickiness is okay, just not raw batter. These are super moist so if it comes out totally clean, they’re probably overdone.
- Let cool for 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. These do not taste very good straight out of the oven. I recommend letting them sit for 2 hours and then frosting. When you refrigerate them, they become denser, the way brownies get when you refrigerate them. Can be kept at room temperature, unfrosted, for up to 3 days or can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
- 1 batch of frosting will yield just enough for slightly more than 1 tablespoon of frosting per cupcake, which isn’t very much for frosting lovers. You may want to do 1 1/2 batches or even a double batch if you want to frost the cupcakes more generously. I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 batches) of frosting on mine.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator. The values are without the frosting and decoration ideas.
Nutrition
Categories:
Cupcakes, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Gluten-free Cupcake Recipes, Grain-free, Paleo, Paleo Desserts,
Really impressed with this recipe, the texture is light and moist and just the right amount of chocolatey flavour and sweetness.
I made a nut-free version by substituting quinoa flour, they worked great.
I’m so glad that the cupcakes worked well with your sub! Quinoa flour sounds really interesting. Thanks for your feedback. :)
Sooooo delicious!!!!
Thank you for sharing such an awesome chocolate cupcake recipe. Turned out beautifully. I subbed pureed banana (from frozen) + Stevia/erythritol for the apple puree and honey. It’s so nice to have a recipe that notes all the exact weights. I just iced the cupcakes with a chocolate sweet potato icing. They look divine! Thank you again. I’m going to have to check out other recipes on this site now!!
My apologies for just now seeing your review! It was in spam for some weird reason with a bunch of other comments. :( I’m so happy that the cupcakes worked with all your changes! That’s great. :) I hope that you’ll enjoy the other recipes just as much! Thanks a ton for your comment and sorry again.
Hi Erin,
What can I use in place of the coconut oil..canola, extra virgin olive oil for baking, vegetable…..?
Deb
Hello! Any of those work. Hope you’ll enjoy them. :)
Wow Erin, unbelievable chocolate cupcake recipe. The thing I loved the most is that it is gluten free. My family love chocolate. I’d be making it this weekend for sure. My mom has teeth sensitivity issues. Won’t you think if I could skip the frosting so that she could eat it with us. Will it effect the taste? Thanks for sharing.
You can leave off the frosting without a problem. :) I hope you’ll all enjoy them!
I almost never comment on recipes but I am SO impressed with these cupcakes I felt I had to give them their dues. I have been gluten free for nearly ten years and these are hands down the best GF cupcakes I have ever had. I have made the recipe twice. First time I had to make quite a few subs because of what I had on hand and I was so impressed with the result I wanted to try again with the right ingredients. Second time around I followed the recipe to a T and they turned out even better! Flavour is rich and chocolatey and the texture is amazing! Nobody would ever guess these are gluten free. My family (not GF) also agreed these were absolutely fantastic.
I just made this recipe i just change the applesauce for Greek yogurt same amount and instead of honey a use organic agave..and the taste is delicious in the cupcakes..my husband loved the recipe.
I’m so glad that your husband loved them! Thanks for sharing your changes to the recipe. They sound great!
Can i sub avocado oil for coconut oil?
I’m sorry for just now seeing your question! (my son and I have been sick for weeks) I haven’t tried it but I think it would work. But there might be some avocado taste to the cupcakes.
Every week I bake a grain-free, dairy-free dessert for my sister’s office. I would like to make these as mini-cupcakes for her clients to sample. What would be the baking time? They look absolutely delicious so I’ll probably make the regular size cupcakes for me!
I never make mini cupcakes / muffins so I really have no idea. I’d check starting at 5 minutes! I’m guessing it’ll likely take about 8-10. Sorry I can’t be more exact. I hope everyone will enjoy them!
These were my bday cupcakes and were divine! I replaced the almond flour with tigernut flour, and it worked out beautifully! Usually tigernut flour is a great sub for almond flour in baked goods, and my digestion is much happier because of it. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed them! And what an awesome tip with the tigernut flour. I have about 15 bags that I need to use up soon (it was on sale and I couldn’t help myself ;)) Do you use the same amount in cups or grams? Like 1 cup of almond flour = 100 grams and 1 cup of tigernut flour = 120 grams. So if a recipe calls for 1 cup of almond flour, do you use 1 cup of tigernut flour? Or 100 grams of tigernut flour? Thanks so much for the feedback and sorry for my slow reply (I was on vacation).
I use the same amount in cups. And to be honest, I tend to not be the best at making exact measurements, especially when it’s a super familiar recipe. You’ll have to post some recipes of how you use all that tigernut flour you have! Hope you had a nice vacation :)
Haha. If I can first make something super delicious with all that tigernut flour, then I will! Right now, everything is just edible. :/ And thank you – it was indeed nice! Thanks a bunch for coming back to let me know. I’m super excited to try it out!
Everyone loved it! Made for my parents and siblings, but cake version. Left it too long in the oven, but it was still amazing. Making it all the time. I LOVE CHOCOLATE and cupcakes! Good job on the recipe.
Thank you! I’m really happy you liked it. :) What cake pan size did you use? Thanks for your feedback!
LOVE. AMAZING. Made half the recipe to try it out, why did I do that? I need more! Perfect as is.
Haha. It’s usually a good idea with paleo sweets, right? ;) I’m glad you liked them!
Just made them again! Hubby and kids loved them!! Didn’t think I’d have to share them with everybody, the downfall of a great recipe lol
Haha. I’m sorry you had to share but happy your family liked them! :)
I absolutely love this recipe.
I’ve made it a couple of times tweaking it a bit to experiment with other ingredients and it turns our well every time. My family loves this cupcake. It’s now our family favourite, even our visitors love it.
Thank you for sharing your scrumptious recipe.
I’m so glad that you all have been enjoying the cupcakes! And how awesome that your visitors like it, too. :) Thanks for your feedback and sorry for my slow reply!
I didn’t see a recipe on your website for vanilla cupcakes. Can I just modify this recipe? I need both chocolate and vanilla cupcakes for a party.
Thanks!
I’m so sorry for just now seeing your question! That unfortunately wouldn’t work. You’d have to rework the whole recipe. Sorry about that!
These chocolate cupcakes look yummy, I can see why they are a hit. We can’t do eggs so I’ll just have to keep coming back and drooling over the pics ! I can do the icing though and that is a MUST make.
It really is! Hope you’ll love it.
I was intrigued, I’m a chocolaholic and I’m trying to get healthier foods in my life, so I tried it. I loved itJust made these and the original recipe wasn’t quite rich enough for me, so I added some cocoa processed with alkali and a little maple syrup. Then it was perfect! These cupcakes look heavenly! Thanks for this recipe.
I’m happy that you enjoyed them! Interesting idea with the maple. :) Thanks a bunch for your feedback (and sorry for my slow reply!).
These these are so beautiful!!! I love how fudge-y they look and that they are paleo compliant!! Pinning for later!
Thanks so much! :)
Hi. I’m from Mauritius. I tried your recipe and it came out really good. Thanks a lot.
I didn’t have applesauce, so I used buttermilk in its place, it was no longer dairy free, but it was so moist.
Oooh! Thanks for the buttermilk tip. It’s also possible to make dairy-free buttermilk so I’ll recommend that in the future. I’m happy that you enjoyed the cupcakes! Thanks for your comment. :)
Oh my gosh, these look SO good! I hardly ever bake with applesauce but you now have me convinced. :-)
Thank you! I hope you’ll get to try them out. :)