When you need a gluten free cupcakes recipe, you need the BEST gluten free cupcakes recipe, right?
Don’t settle for sinking cupcakes, dry or crumbly cupcakes or cupcakes that taste like bean flour (who does that?!) when you can make these moist moist and flavorful cupcakes with this easy recipe!
Frosting them is the most fun! My daughter likes to try her hand at it and has been doing a great job, even as young as six or seven (blue frosting, anyone?)! It’s not about perfection in decorating, it’s about having fun (and she’d say it’s about extra frosting!).
So, embrace the cupcake! You don’t even need a special occasion. The cupcakes will make any day sweeter!
This was my first really successful gluten free cupcake recipe and it made appearances at all the special occasions for years, making everyone happy, gluten free or not. So I have many fond memories of it, and I’m quite attached to it, really.
But I also must tell you that things change, and one of the ingredients that made this cupcake recipe work so well is no longer available in a dairy-free version. I’ve reworked it and it found an alternative, but it’s just not quite the same.
So if you’re looking for a dairy-free version and a recipe with a few fewer ingredients, I recommend that you hop over to my Best Gluten Free Cake recipe. My Best Gluten Free Cake Recipe requires no milk powder or vanilla pudding mix — dairy or non-dairy — so no issues there, and it’s perfectly light and airy, and makes wonderful cupcakes or cake!
So give that a look as another delicious option! (It also happens to be THE MOST POPULAR RECIPE on my blog! So, there’s that!).
But if you want to make these beautiful golden-topped cupcakes with milk powder/pudding mix, follow along with my recipe below and I know you won’t be disappointed.
Delicious gluten-free cupcakes await either way! Isn’t it nice to have options?
Best Gluten Free Cupcakes Recipe
The most important occasions call for the best gluten free cupcakes! And these delectable treats do not disappoint!
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients
- 3 cups (405 grams) gfJules®All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1 Tbs. baking powder
- 1/4 cup powdered vanilla pudding mix (measure out 1/4 cup from packet of gluten free instant pudding mix) -- preferred -- OR dry milk powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or non-dairy alternative (like Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 2 cups granulated cane sugar
- 4 large eggs (*see below for egg-free option)
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk or non-dairy alternative (chocolate for chocolate cupcakes)
Chocolate Cupcake Additional Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cocoa (Dutched)
- 1/2 cup additional milk
- 6 tablespoons chocolate syrup
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° F (static) or 325° F (convection). Butter cupcake tins or line with paper liners.
- Whisk together the gfJules Flour, baking powder, powdered pudding mix, cocoa (if using), and salt and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat well with your mixer’s paddle attachment, until the mixture is very light and fluffy (approximately 3-4 minutes). Add the eggs next, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and chocolate syrup (if using) with the last egg addition. Slowly add the milk, alternating with the flour mixture and beating in between the additions. Beat only until smooth and pour into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 20 minutes, turning the pans half-way through if using convection setting. Test the cupcakes for doneness by inserting a cake tester or toothpick in the middle of a cupcake and be sure it comes out clean. The cupcakes will also begin to pull away slightly from the sides of the pans. If necessary, add bake time in 5 minute increments until fully baked.
- When done, turn off the oven and leave the oven door open to let the cupcakes cool slowly there for 10 minutes or so, then remove to a cooling rack. After 15-20 minutes of total cooling time, remove from cupcake pans to finish cooling.
- Decorate with frosting only when fully cooled, or wrap the cooled cupcakes with wax paper or plastic wrap and seal inside freezer bags to freeze until ready to use.
Notes
**For egg-free, omit 4 large eggs. Add 4 tablespoons arrowroot powder to dry ingredients. Add 4 tablespoons applesauce to beaten butter and sugar mixture. Proceed with recipe instructions. OR just substitute egg ingredient with 12 Tbs aquafaba. For more egg substitute options, check this post.
Nutrition Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 124Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 42mgSodium 154mgCarbohydrates 19gFiber 0gSugar 17gProtein 2g
Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.
Best Gluten Free Cupcakes Recipe
Best Gluten Free Cupcakes Recipe
The most important occasions call for the best gluten free cupcakes! And these delectable treats do not disappoint!
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients
- 3 cups (405 grams) gfJules®All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1 Tbs. baking powder
- 1/4 cup powdered vanilla pudding mix (measure out 1/4 cup from packet of gluten free instant pudding mix) -- preferred -- OR dry milk powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or non-dairy alternative (like Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 2 cups granulated cane sugar
- 4 large eggs (*see below for egg-free option)
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk or non-dairy alternative (chocolate for chocolate cupcakes)
Chocolate Cupcake Additional Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cocoa (Dutched)
- 1/2 cup additional milk
- 6 tablespoons chocolate syrup
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° F (static) or 325° F (convection). Butter cupcake tins or line with paper liners.
- Whisk together the gfJules Flour, baking powder, powdered pudding mix, cocoa (if using), and salt and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat well with your mixer’s paddle attachment, until the mixture is very light and fluffy (approximately 3-4 minutes). Add the eggs next, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and chocolate syrup (if using) with the last egg addition. Slowly add the milk, alternating with the flour mixture and beating in between the additions. Beat only until smooth and pour into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 20 minutes, turning the pans half-way through if using convection setting. Test the cupcakes for doneness by inserting a cake tester or toothpick in the middle of a cupcake and be sure it comes out clean. The cupcakes will also begin to pull away slightly from the sides of the pans. If necessary, add bake time in 5 minute increments until fully baked.
- When done, turn off the oven and leave the oven door open to let the cupcakes cool slowly there for 10 minutes or so, then remove to a cooling rack. After 15-20 minutes of total cooling time, remove from cupcake pans to finish cooling.
- Decorate with frosting only when fully cooled, or wrap the cooled cupcakes with wax paper or plastic wrap and seal inside freezer bags to freeze until ready to use.
Notes
**For egg-free, omit 4 large eggs. Add 4 tablespoons arrowroot powder to dry ingredients. Add 4 tablespoons applesauce to beaten butter and sugar mixture. Proceed with recipe instructions. OR just substitute egg ingredient with 12 Tbs aquafaba. For more egg substitute options, check this post.
Nutrition Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 124Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 42mgSodium 154mgCarbohydrates 19gFiber 0gSugar 17gProtein 2g
Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.
I hope your family loves this recipe as much as we do!
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Do I need to use cocoa powder dutched or can I use regular Hershey unsweetened cocoa powder?
Hi Amanda, you can use regular unsweetened (non-Dutched) cocoa in this recipe, but there may be a slightly bitter edge to the flavor due to natural cocoa’s acidity, which will not be fully neutralized by the baking powder called for. You can try it or you could sub out 1/4 tsp of the baking powder for baking soda and see if that does the trick.
~jules
Just look at these! And the taste, oh so yummy! The batter was very thick, but they taste just fine. Thank goodness I found gfJules flour and recipes!
They’re so pretty!!!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed sweet success with this gluten free cupcakes recipe! Thanks so much for posting a photo, too!!!!
Happy baking!
~jules
Just made these. Batter seems really thick. Did I do something wrong? Have had great success with every other recipe. Dang!
Hi Heather, sorry I’m just seeing this!!! How did they turn out?? If the batter was really too thick, it may have been a measuring issue. Check out this article on measuring gluten free flour and other dry ingredients and see if that resonates with you and your method.
~jules
When making this a chocolate version I plan to use Lactaid chocolate milk in the first part of the recipe. Does this mean I would add the additional 1/2 cup cocoa and also an additional 1/2 cup Lactaid chocolate milk?
Hi Kathryn, it’s really up to how chocolate-y you like your cupcakes. I’ve made them both ways (with ALL chocolate milk, with 1 cup chocolate milk and 1/2 cup regular flavored milk) and they’re delish no matter what, just more chocolate-y the more chocolate milk is added. How much of a chocolate lover are you? If you’d rather have the chocolate flavor less intense, I’d not go over the top with the chocolate milk, but if you can never get too much chocolate, then go all in!
~jules
What would I need to add/omit if I wanted to make these chocolate instead of vanilla cupcakes? Thanks! ~Dawn
Hi Dawn, I just added the chocolate option in the recipe for you!
~jules