Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins (One Bowl)

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These bakery style Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins are quick and easy to make in one bowl. No xanthan gum is needed and the results are light, fluffy, rich with vanilla and packed with chocolate.

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Watch the video to see how to make them
Why you’ll love this recipe
Expert tip: Hand chopped chocolate
Gluten-free flours required
Ingredients needed
Step-by-step instructions
More expert tips
Shop the recipe
FAQs
Flavour variations
More gluten-free muffin recipes you’ll love!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins (One Bowl)

If you have been missing bakery style muffins which are soft, light and fluffy then you are in for an absolute treat with these Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins. They have a rich vanilla flavoured sponge and are stuffed with hand chopped chocolate. I guarantee the whole family is going to adore them.

If you have had disappointing results with other gluten-free muffins which are dry, crumble and lifeless then rest assured that this Gluten-Free Muffin Recipe looks and tastes just like the real thing. They are also are incredibly easy to bake up and don’t require any xanthan gum to achieve a soft texture that is moist and doesn’t fall apart.

The secret is to use my DIY gluten-free flour mix. You will not be reliant on a specific brand so you will be able to bake these bakery-style muffins whichever country you live in. If you struggle getting hold of some of these flours then I offer substitution suggestions over on the original recipe page for this Homemade Flour Blend.

Watch the video to see how to make them

Why you’ll love this recipe

Generous chocolate chunks. These muffins are generously loaded with chocolate so there is a rich, indulgent chocolate flavour in every bite.
Homemade gluten-free flour. This flour blend delivers a more wholesome taste and the fluffy texture it produces is a much closer relation to wheat flour compared to store-bought alternatives.
No xanthan gum. So suitable if you have a sensitivity to xanthan. READ MORE >>> Why I never bake with xanthan gum.
Simple foolproof method. It’s so quick and easy to make these that this recipe is accessible to both novice and experienced bakers.

Expert tip: Hand chopped chocolate

If you are a certified chocolate lover like me then I recommend you don’t use shop bought mini chocolate chips but instead you chop the chocolate yourself from a top quality bar. It is a great way to produce a really beautiful result and spreads the chocolate throughout the muffin into pieces of all sizes so there is a lovely textural contrast.

You’ll also love the little puddles of chocolate that are baked into the muffin top for a totally melt in the mouth chocolate experience. And of course by using your favourite bar you can control the quality of the chocolate.

Chocolate Chip Muffins on a wire rack. One muffin case opened to show inside of muffin.

Gluten-free flours required

This recipe uses my Homemade Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour which works really well for most gluten-free baking recipes (not bread though – that’s a totally different ball game). This flour blend is a mix of 4 different flours:

Sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour).
Sorghum flour.
Oat flour.
Tapioca flour (tapioca starch).

There are plenty of flour substitution tips if you can’t have the oat flour or can’t find sweet rice flour or sorghum flour if you click on the original post for this flour mix. READ MORE >>> Homemade Gluten-Free Flour Blend.

This is the best gluten free flour for cakes as the flour ratio has been carefully tested to ensure the mix between wholegrain flours and starchy flours is balanced. This also means we don’t need to use xanthan gum as the blend is strong enough and produces a soft and tender sponge which can hold together without needing any extra binders.

READ MORE >>> Why I don’t bake with xanthan gum.

I do not recommend switching this gluten-free flour for a different flour blend. The ratio of wholegrain and starchy flours will be different and will not give the best results (especially if you don't want to use xanthan gum).

Ingredients needed

Brown sugar. Gives lovely gentle molasses flavour and moisture.
Caster sugar. It’s a fine white sugar. If you can only get hold of granulated sugar you can grind more finely in the food processor before you use it in the recipe.
Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell).
Melted butter. Unsalted is the best choice here.
Whole milk. I don't recommend swapping for a skimmed version. But you can use a plant based alternative if you prefer.
Vanilla extract. Use a good quality extract, I like Nielsen Massey.
Homemade gluten-free flour. This recipe has only been tested with my homemade gluten-free flour blend which has a perfect balance of flours (see above). I don’t recommend a substitution
Baking powder. A leaving agent which causes the cake to rise and become light and fluffy. Do check your baking powder is gluten-free before use.
Salt. I like to use kosher salt in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.
Dark chocolate. I particularly like using this recipe with 54% dark chocolate which is slightly sweeter and less intense than 70%. Although either is still delicious.

Step-by-step instructions

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.

Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 180°C (160°C for fan-assisted, gas mark 4, or 350°F).
Prepare Chocolate: Chop the dark chocolate into small chunks and set them aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a big bowl or with a mixer, combine caster sugar, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
Add Dry Ingredients: Put in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until you have a thick, smooth batter.
Add Chocolate: Gently fold in 180g of the chocolate chunks into the batter.
Line Muffin Tin: Use paper muffin liners to line a 12-hole muffin tin.
Fill Cases: Spoon the batter into the cases, filling each about two-thirds full. There's enough batter for 16 muffins.
Add Chocolate Toppings: Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chunks on top of the muffins.
Bake: Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, until the muffins are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool: Remove the muffins from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack immediately to cool completely.

Chocolate chunks of different sizes on a chopping board and a glass mixing bowl with the wet ingredients

A glass mixing bowl showing the wet ingredients and then with the flour dumped in

Glass mixing bowl showing thick and smooth cake batter and then with the chocolate chunks dumped in

Glass bowls showing chocolate chip muffin batter with an electric hand whisk and then a muffin tray filled with the batter

Muffins in a tray before and after baking

More expert tips

Room temperature ingredients: Ensure that ingredients like eggs and butter are at room temperature. This allows for better mixing and smoother batter.
Use a trigger-release ice cream scoop / cookie scoop. This makes filling the muffin cases much easier with less mess and creates consistently-sized muffins. Each muffin needs about 1½ scoops of batter.
Muffin liners. This recipe was tested with paper liners for the muffins which are 50 x 50 x 40 millimetres.
Don't overfill the cases: Aim for about two-thirds full to allow room for rising.
Ensure the oven is fully preheated. Depending on your oven, it can take up to 15 minutes for your oven to reach the correct temperature. A hot oven helps the muffins rise properly.
Don't peek too soon: Avoid opening the oven door too early in the baking process, as it can cause muffins to collapse.
Check for doneness: Use a toothpick or skewer to check for doneness. Insert it into a muffin; if it comes out clean (not wet batter), the muffins are done.
Cool properly: Immediately transfer the muffins from the tin to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents them from becoming soggy. (be careful to avoid touching the hot melted chocolate on top!)

FAQs

Can you make in advance?

These muffins are the fluffiest on the day you bake them. However they store well for the next couple of days but just won’t be as light in texture.

How do you store?

Store the muffins for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Can you freeze the muffins?

Freeze these muffins on the same day that you bake them. Wait for them to cool completely then store in the freezer in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 3 months.

Can you make them dairy-free?

This is an easy recipe to make dairy-free. You can substitute the melted butter for a mild and light olive oil (which is more or less flavourless), vegetable oil or canola oil. Swap the whole milk for oat milk (or almond milk) and make sure you use dairy-free dark chocolate.

Flavour variations

Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins. Add some chopped hazelnuts to the batter too for a lovely nutty flavour.
Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon for a lovely warming flavour.
Triple Chocolate Chip Muffins. You can use a third white chocolate chips, a third milk chocolate chips and a third dark chocolate chips for the most indulgent muffins.
Chocolate Orange Muffins. Ah, chocolate and orange is one of my most favourite combinations. Adding a little bit of orange zest to the batter really gives these a warming citrus vibe.

Chocolate Chip Muffins on a wire rack. One muffin opened to show inside of muffin.

More gluten-free muffin recipes you’ll love!

✨Have you tried these Bakery-Style Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well! I would love to hear about how your recipe turned out and your feedback also helps other readers✨