The best gluten-free chocolate chip muffins. This easy recipe is made with a combination of sour cream and brown sugar. Plus lots of chocolate chips, of course.
These gluten-free chocolate chip muffins are a variation of my gluten-free sour cream muffins. Like those muffins, these are dense, tender, and just sweet enough to be called a muffin and not a cupcake. The combination of brown sugar and chocolate chips makes for a really tender and flavorful gluten-free muffin.
This recipe comes together in one bowl. You simply whisk together the dry ingredients and then add the wet ingredients.
Ingredients.
Here’s what you need to make a batch of these muffins.
- Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan or guar gum. If your blend doesn’t, whisk a half teaspoon into the flour before using.
- Brown sugar. Light or dark brown sugar both work. Dark brown sugar adds a more pronounced molasses flavor and a darker color.
- Butter. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly before adding to the batter. Dairy-free butter works great in this recipe.
- Eggs. Two eggs gives the muffins a nice lift and texture. I haven’t tested the recipe with an egg-replacer.
- Sour cream. Adds richness and flavor. You can substitute the sour cream with full-fat Greek yogurt.
- Vanilla Extract. Makes the muffins flavorful.
- Baking powder and baking soda. Helps the muffins rise and brown.
- Salt. Enhances all the other flavors. Use fine or table salt. It blends easily into the batter.
- Chocolate chips. For a taste of chocolate in each bite, use mini-chocolate chips. If you prefer larger pieces of chocolate, use regular chips. Or use a blend of both.
- Walnuts (optional) Stir in up to ¾ cup of chopped walnuts.
- Coarse Sugar. (optional) A sprinkle of coarse sugar on the muffins gives them a little extra sweetness and a nice crunch.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Prepare your pan and heat your oven.
Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners or grease it generously with either nonstick cooking spray or brush each cup with oil.
Turn on the oven before making the batter. This way it’ll be ready and waiting when the batter is mixed.
Prepare the batter.
Whisk the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter, brown sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.
Mix until the batter is thick and creamy.
Add the chocolate chips. If you’re using walnuts, add them now.
Fill the Pan and Bake.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan. You want to fill each cup about ⅔ full.
A batch of these gluten-free chocolate chip muffins take about 18 minutes to bake. Check the muffins by inserting a cake tester into the center. It should come out dry or with one or two crumbs clinging to it.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for about five minutes. Then remove them and let them cool on a wire rack.
Tips for Baking Perfect Gluten-Free Muffins.
- Use a muffin scoop. It not only makes it easy to fill the muffin pan, it ensures each cup is filled with the same amount of batter.
- Use a Metal Pan. Gluten-free muffins baked in a metal pan brown nicer than those baked in a silicone pan.
- Fill the muffin cups almost to the top. For an extra-tall muffin, fill each muffin cup almost to the top. If you’re worried about the pan overflowing, place a baking sheet on the rack below the muffin pan.
- Bake the muffins in a hot oven. Muffins baked in a preheated oven helps the muffins to rise quickly.
Storage Instructions.
Store your cooled gluten-free chocolate chip muffins in an airtight container on the counter. They last about 3 to 4 days at room temperature. Gluten-free muffins stored in the refrigerator tend to dry out.
If you need to keep them longer, freeze them.
Place the muffins in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw the
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free baking flour (10 ounces; 283 grams)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (5 ½ ounces; 155 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter, melted (4 ounces; 113 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream (8 ounces; 226 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips (6 ¼ ounces; 177 grams)
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts, optional (3 ounces; 85 grams)
- coarse sugar, optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray a 12-count regular muffin pan or a 6 count jumbo muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners.
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Whisk gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Blend until the batter is thick and creamy. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.
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Spoon the batter into the pan, filling them about ⅔ full. Sprinkle each muffin with a little coarse sugar.
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Bake until golden brown. A cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin should come out clean, about 18 minutes for standard muffins and about 22 minutes for jumbo muffins.
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Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Store muffins, wrapped, on the counter for up to three days or freeze for up to two months.
Recipe Notes
Gluten-Free Flour: This recipe was developed and tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend. Use a gluten-free flour that contains xanthan or guar gum. If yours doesn’t whisk a ½ teaspoon into the flour before using.
Chocolate Chips: Use your favorite chocolate chips for these muffins. Mini, regular, and chocolate chunks all work. And a combination is lovely too.
Cbj says
This was my first attempt at gf baking . It was so easy ! My kids love love the muffins . I’m so happy and greatful for this recipe . The kids are so happy. Thank you so much. It’s been such a struggle finding gf items the kids will take more than one bite of !
Elizabeth says
So glad they enjoyed them!
Brandy says
I’m going to try them tomorrow. My 3 year old has Celiac disease and it’s so hard to get her to eat
Shannon says
Loved these muffins. Used bob mills all purpose flour and added xanthum gum. Delicious!
Tracey Johnson says
Best gluten free muffins ever!!
I make them all the time and my kids love them. Best part is that I can eat them too. They are yummy!
Chelsea says
Tastes almost like a cookie! But has the quality of a muffin! Never really have luck with gluten-free recipes, but I am pleased with it!! Thank you so much!!
Gabby says
Muffins were so delicious, didn’t make as much as they said though, Only six Standard muffin cups.
Elizabeth says
Glad you enjoyed the muffins! I’m guessing you used a jumbo muffin pan, which makes 6 muffins. With 2 cups of gf flour, a stick of butter, and sour cream, plus sugar and eggs, it would be impossible to get that much batter into 6 standard cups.
Jess U says
Incredible recipe! The muffins are delicious, moist, and the perfect amount of sweet. These will be a staple in our house. Thanks!
Christine says
They came out great! 🙂
I did make some substitutions though… I used canola oil instead of butter and I didn’t have sour cream on hand. So I used a mixture of coconut milk, oat milk and greek yogurt.
and put 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup stevia.
Anyways, it’s delicious and I will be using it as I journey through gluten free life.
THANK YOU!!
Karen says
Great recipe! I used greek yogurt instead of sour cream and added a bit more liquid (1/4c milk, 1/8c water) as my batter seemed too dry. Delicious!
Lauren says
What would be the temperature and cook time for mini muffins?
Elizabeth says
Same temperature. I’d check them after 12 minutes.
Danielle says
My son is super picky (he doesn’t like anything) but he LOVES these muffins. They are so delicious!
Amy says
I’ve been gf for 10+ years and this might be the best gluten free baked good I’ve made yet. I subbed Greek yogurt for sour cream. I got 18 standard muffins.
Brandy says
Thank you so much. My 3 year old loves them. It’s hard to get her to eat because let’s face it most of the gluten-free stuff in the store is not that good. She only had about 2 bites left will be making these every week
Helaina Cullen says
These were DELICIOUS! Me and my family are trying the Gluten-Free Diet and these were awesome for breakfast! I did do some different ingredients. I didn’t have a lot of Brown Sugar so I got 2 Tablespoons out of the little bit I had and I added 1/2 a cup of white sugar! I also only got 1 Tablespoon of Sour Cream so I did add about 1/2 a cup of water to make it smooth and a bit chunky at the same time! But overall, it was great! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Mabel says
This was a terrible recipe. It was dry and hard to mix. The only change I made was 1 cup gluten free flour and 1 cup coconut flour. I also added xantham gum. Dry muffins that never rose at all. Very disappointed.
Elizabeth says
Oh Mabel,
You made a huge change to this recipe. One cup of coconut flour would surely cause the recipe to fail. Coconut flour must be used in very, very small amounts. When I wrote my grain-free baking book, entire recipes used 1/3 cup coconut flour. I’d imagine you must have had cement in your mixing bowl.
I’m not surprised the recipe failed. I’m actually surprised you were able to bake it at all.
Barb says
Followed your recipe EXACTLY. Only chocolate chips, no nuts. It was EXCELLENT. Used Namaste GF flour mix as Bob’s Red Mill can’t guarantee no nut cross contamination (we have nut allergies in the house). Everyone loves them. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. I wouldn’t recommend messing with it at all – leave as is!!
Lisa says
Can I sub coconut sugar for the brown sugar?
Elizabeth says
Yes but the texture and color of the muffins will be a bit different.
Wendy says
I mixed the recipe as written but it was too dry and crumbly to be muffin batter. I added 1/2 cup of milk and it was a better consistency. Made sized standard muffins and the results were good.
Elizabeth says
What flour blend did you use?
Laura says
Hi- could I call these cupcakes if I ice them?
Elizabeth says
Sure!
Judy Brochtrup says
Best gluten free muffin recipe I’ve made. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Ireland says
Made a half-batch of these as mini muffins for about 10 minutes. They turned out perfectly! Simple recipe for gluten free baking.