• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Vegan 8

  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • My Cookbooks
    • The Vegan 8 Cookbook
    • Vegan Wholesome Cookbook
    • Oil-free Dressings and Sauces
    • 8 Ingredient Desserts Ebook
  • Workout Plan
  • SHOP
You are here: Home / Dessert / Best Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes EVER!

Best Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes EVER!

3.2Kshares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

The Best Ever Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes are seriously so moist, decadent, rich and incredible! Nobody would ever guess, ever, that they are gluten-free, vegan or oil-free! They are some of the best cupcakes I’ve ever eaten!

closeup of inside of vegan chocolate cupcake

VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Have you ever seen a more beautiful texture on a cupcake, that was gluten-free??! I’m ecstatic to be sharing these! I won’t lie, I lost count on the trials I did for these Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes. This is because I wanted them to be just as unbelievably amazing as any cupcake made with white flour, white sugar and oil or butter. I swear, it was not an easy task. One of the hardest I’ve done to date. This is because when you are trying to create gluten-free and vegan, and then oil-free and then keep it at 8 ingredients, multiple trials are required. If you are also trying to bake or cook without using oils, check out my tips here How to Cook and Bake Without Oil!

These are truly the best vegan gluten-free chocolate cupcakes you’ll ever taste! They are so rich in chocolate flavor, moist, fluffy, soft and the perfect sponge cake texture.

After posting the original Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes, you all messaged me begging for a gluten-free version. If you prefer vanilla, make sure to make my Best Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes or these Vegan Gluten-free Vanilla Cupcakes!

Thrilled to say they are absolutely perfect in every way.

3 beautifully decorated chocolate cupcakes on white round plate

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE CUPCAKES

Gluten-free baked goods usually end up 1 or 2 ways….either extremely dry and crumbly with a nasty texture. OR, they are insanely dense, mushy and nothing like a texture you’d want in a cake or cupcake. I tried different flours, different combos, plant milks and sweeteners and even in various amounts.

They are so moist, but not mushy or dense. They are cakey, tender, fluffy, but not dry. And, they hold their texture so beautifully. They have the perfect spongy cake texture! They are also nut-free, yay! No almond flour!

So, when I say these are perfect as written, I can’t say that statement enough. I wanted to eat the whole batch, haha!

inside view of cupcake with chocolate frosting

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

First, you need to gather these 8 ingredients (+salt):

  • brown rice flour (I tried white rice flour and they were so chewy, so you must use brown. It yielded the PERFECT cake texture.
  • tapioca starch (this starch acts as eggs here to offset the dry, crumbly-ness that brown rice flour can give. But the 2 combined are a perfect combo.)
  • coconut sugar (I tried maple syrup, too dense. Granulated sugar bakes up differently giving a different scientific structure than liquid.)
  • natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 70% dark chocolate chips (these give a rich, deep chocolate taste, as well as the natural cocoa butter in them gives moisture)
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • canned lite coconut milk (this milk is crucial to the moisture level and fluffy texture, it is NOT the same as other milks)

To a medium bowl, add the brown rice flour, starch, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk very well.

To a large bowl, (you need a large since you’ll be adding the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet, not the other way around) add the coconut milk and chocolate chips. Heat in the microwave for 45 seconds. Whisk the mixture well until 100% melted and smooth.

Whisk the cocoa powder into the chocolate milk mixture until completed dissolved and smooth. This process creates a richer, more moist cupcake.

chocolate cupcake batter in muffin liners in pan

To the bowl of liquids, slowly add the dry ingredients a small amount at a time, whisking each amount in. Once the batter is very smooth and completely mixed, divide it into 15 cupcakes. This amount will yield perfect size cupcakes every time. Do not be tempted to overfill to only use 12, as these cupcakes rise A LOT while baking.

Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick is clean. Mine were perfect at 19 minutes, but ovens can vary. Don’t be tempted to eat one while warm, as they will taste under-baked since they will still finish cooking as they cool for the next 30 minutes. So, use patience. Remember, these are gluten-free and cooling them is super important.

chocolate buttercream frosting in icing bag with plate of cupcakes

Once fully cooled, decorate and ice them as you wish. These cupcakes have a rich, dark chocolate flavor, perfectly sweetened and not overly sweet at all. This makes the icing on top to be the perfect balance. I topped these with my Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. If you don’t want to use a standard buttercream, you can make my Chocolate Truffle Frosting instead or an icing of your choice.

fork with bite of vegan gluten free chocolate cupcake

You can see just how perfectly these vegan gluten-free chocolate cupcakes hold together in this bite. The structure is as if there are eggs! No crumbly gluten-free mess here.

MORE VEGAN CUPCAKES RECIPES

  • Vegan Gluten-free Vanilla Chocolate Chip  Cupcakes
  • Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes

If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!

closeup of inside of vegan chocolate cupcake

Best Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes EVER!

Brandi Doming
The BEST Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes that are also oil-free! Seriously so moist, decadent, rich and incredible! 8 ingredients & oil-free! Nobody would EVER guess they are gluten-free!
5 from 22 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 19 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Gluten-free, Vegan
Yields 15

Ingredients

  • 150 grams (3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons) brown rice flour (do not use white!)
  • 6 tablespoons (48g) tapioca starch
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (216g) coconut sugar
  • 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 1/2 cups + 3 tablespoons (405g) canned "lite" coconut milk, cans shaken first (SEE NOTES at the bottom!)
  • 88 grams (5 full rounded tablespoons) 69 OR 70% dairy-free dark chocolate chips (do not use regular semi-sweet)
  • 6 tablespoons (36g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder

NOTE

  • Of course, as always, I recommend highly to use a scale to prevent room for error. Especially with gluten-free baking. This recipe has a couple of odd measurements to get the perfect result, so it's much easier to just weigh each ingredient before adding to the bowl. Make sure to zero out before adding each ingredient. You don't compare the weights to cups, just simply follow the weights listed, as this is exactly how the recipes are tested and made.
  • I use this scale.

VEGAN FROSTING OPTIONS

  • I used this Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
  • This Espresso Chocolate Frosting is a great option
  • Use this if you prefer Vanilla Frosting

Instructions
 

  • Please note that a huge part of this recipe is the coconut milk, so it's crucial to use a quality brand so that the cupcakes turn out light and fluffy and rise beautifully. Watery milks will yield dense/gooey results that deflate. I highly recommend the Thai Kitchen brand (linked above) if possible, it is consistently creamy and always performs well. DO NOT use the Polar brand, it does not bake well, as it is mostly fillers and very little actual coconut. I also like the Sprouts "lite" coconut milk.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line 2 muffin pans with 15 muffin liners. This recipe yields 15 perfect size cupcakes, so don't be tempted to only do 12. They rise A LOT while baking.
  • To a medium bowl, add the brown rice flour, starch, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk very well.
  • To a large bowl, (you need a large since you’ll be adding the dry ingredients to this bowl of wet, not the other way around) add the coconut milk and chocolate chips. Heat in the microwave for 45 seconds. Whisk the mixture well until 100% melted and smooth.
  • Whisk the cocoa powder into the chocolate milk mixture until completed dissolved and smooth. This may take a minute.
  • To the bowl of liquids, slowly add the dry ingredients a small amount at a time, whisking each amount in. Using a large whisk helps. Do not worry about over-mixing here, you want it smooth. Gluten-free batter is ok to mix longer. Once the batter is very smooth and completely mixed, divide it into 15 cupcakes. I used about a 1/4 measuring cup of batter for each. This amount will yield perfect size cupcakes every time. Do not overfill or do less than 15. They will rise almost double.
  • Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick is clean. Mine were perfect at 19 minutes, but ovens can vary. So, make sure you go by the toothpick, not the time. A few DRY crumbs are ok, but not wet sticky batter.
  • Don’t be tempted to eat one while warm, as they will taste under-baked since they will still finish cooking as they cool for the next 30-45 minutes. So, use patience. Remember, these are gluten-free and cooling them is super important. I found a good hour to be the perfect result.
  • Once fully cooled, decorate and ice them as you wish. These cupcakes have a rich, dark chocolate flavor, perfectly sweetened and not overly sweet at all. This makes the icing on top to be the perfect balance. I topped these with my Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. If you don’t want to use a standard buttercream, you can make my Chocolate Truffle Frosting instead or an icing of your choice.

Notes

  • MILK: Since these are gluten-free, the milk is crucial to the texture and rise of the cupcakes. Subbing with a lower-fat or lite milk will result in flat, deflated cupcakes. This is why I use lite coconut milk. It leaves no coconut taste (like full-fat coconut milk) and is creamier than other milks with a different mouthfeel. The brand is important too, as many can be quite watery. The best brands that deliver the same results are the Thai Kitchen Lite, Sprouts Lite and the Whole Foods 365 Light. All work well.
  • COCONUT-FREE OPTION: If you can't do coconut milk, my only other suggestion would be to try a high fat quality almond milk, which the only brand that doesn't fill with all fillers and is truly just almonds and water, is the Elmhurst brand. It's very creamy and delicious, it is sold at Sprouts and Kroger and possibly other stores. Do not use a standard other almond milk brand. Also, the full-fat Oatly oat milk may work. I've only tested this with the coconut milk, fyi, but these are suggestions I think that may work.
  • Nutrition does not include frosting.
  • Many have asked about turning this into a cake. I have tested this and it does not work as a cake as well as cupcakes. This is because cupcakes are made in much smaller sizes obviously and much less space. This means cupcake recipes don't always transfer well into large sizes as cakes. The texture does not turn out as perfect as the cupcakes, therefore I do not suggest. I am perfecting a gluten-free cake and will post that soon.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 30.1gProtein: 2.1gFat: 4.2gSaturated Fat: 2.8gSodium: 149mgFiber: 2.1gSugar: 16.5g
Tried this recipe?Tag @thevegan8brandi on Instagram and use tag #thevegan8!
Keyword dairy-free chocolate cupcakes, gluten free chocolate cupcakes, gluten-free vegan chocolate cupcakes, vegan chocolate cupcakes gluten free, vegan gluten free chocolate cupcakes

The Vegan 8 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

Filed Under: Dessert, Gluten-free, Kid Friendly, Muffins/Cupcakes Tagged With: Brown rice flour, chocolate, Cupcakes, Dark chocolate, Gluten-free

Previous Post: « Vegan Lemon Florentine Pasta
Next Post: Vegan Cookie Recipes Without Oil »

Reader Interactions

Comment and Rate This Recipe Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Shonda

    September 6, 2019 at 8:54 pm

    Hello Brandi,

    Would it be ok to sub the coconut sugar with monk fruit sugar instead?

    Can’t wait to try this recipe.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      September 7, 2019 at 1:16 am

      Hi! I’ve never tried monk fruit, so I don’t know what the flavor is like at all, but if it tastes like sugar, you can always try it!

      Reply
  2. Cliff Powell

    September 1, 2019 at 4:37 am

    Good Day,
    I am trying to purchase your The Vegan 8 cookbook via Amazon but it shows a price over $75! Surely that cannot be correct, right? Where might I purchase your book at a more rational price?
    Thanks in advance for your help!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      September 1, 2019 at 7:35 am

      Hi Cliff! No, don’t pay that! That is from 3rd Party sellers, not Amazon. The reason is as of last week through Amazon in the US, my book completely SOLD OUT! There are I’m sure some still in inventory at certain areas at local bookstores, so you could try calling certain Barnes & Noble locations to see if some are in stock or use their search location tool online. I talked to my publisher last week and they are in the process of ordering another large printing of books, but said it could take weeks.

      So, the best option currently is to buy the kindle version, or find it locally still in inventory at a book store. I’m just waiting until they tell me more will be available through Amazon. I sold so many, they didn’t anticipate running out. Here is the search tool to “check availability at stores” on the Barnes & Noble site. Some locations still have them in stock. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-vegan-8-brandi-doming/1128378555?ean=9780848757076#/

      Reply
  3. Zeb

    August 12, 2019 at 7:35 am

    Hi Brandi!

    I’m planning on making these for a wedding party event this week and am wondering if they will dry out too much if I make them 2 days in advance? I’m also planning on making some of the wedding cupcakes from the recipe you have on another post, but noticed that you recommend making them the day of because they will start to dry out after the first day (which I’m planning to do for those). Will these chocolate cupcakes be okay for two days in a fridge inside some cupcake storage/travel trays? …. I’m really looking forward making and sharing these!!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 12, 2019 at 6:24 pm

      Hi Zeb! These cupcakes stay really moist and delicious by the next day still! 2 days may be pushing it a bit, but they are still delicious. Just make sure to store them at room temperature and NOT in the fridge (which will dry them out quicker). Keep them covered tightly in a cake dome or something so air doesn’t get to them. Yes, definitely do the vanilla wedding cupcakes the day of. They are absolutely DIVINE and buttery and significantly start to dry out the next day because of the heavy starch content, but are magical butteriness the first 24 hours. Just make sure to follow the steps on the coconut butter and weigh everything and you should be good to go! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Penny Mackenzie

    August 10, 2019 at 6:42 am

    WOW i can not wait to make these?
    just one question can we use chocolate bar instead of nibs?

    Many thanks
    Penny

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 10, 2019 at 8:11 pm

      Hi Penny! Do you mean instead of chocolate chips? Nibs are very different.

      Reply
      • Penny Mackenzie

        August 11, 2019 at 4:12 am

        5 stars
        Yes sorry instead of chocolate chips? Looks amazing I can’t wait to try them

        Reply
        • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

          August 12, 2019 at 6:20 pm

          Yes, as long as it’s 69 or 70% dark chocolate, you should be fine! Just chop it up finely before melting 🙂

          Reply
          • Penny Mackenzie

            August 13, 2019 at 6:06 am

            YAY. thank you so much. xo

            Reply
  5. Connie

    August 5, 2019 at 11:20 pm

    5 stars
    My grandson says these are a “win, win” He has a birthday coming up and can’t have dairy or gluten. These will be perfect.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 7, 2019 at 8:23 pm

      Yay, wonderful to hear Connie!

      Reply
  6. Cici

    July 24, 2019 at 1:24 am

    Do you think this would work in a bundt pan?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 25, 2019 at 5:47 am

      Hi Cici! I’m not sure, as I’ve never tested it personally. Bundt pans are trickier since they are so deep and require longer baking times. You can always try it and see.

      Reply
  7. Mona

    July 21, 2019 at 4:00 am

    Hi Brandi, I have been following your recipes for a while. Thanks for doing such an awesome job!
    You make cooking for my two vegan boys so easy. They love the alfredo sauce. In this recipe
    Can cocoa powder be subbed with cacao powder?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 21, 2019 at 7:44 pm

      Hi Mona, so happy to hear that! Thank you for the kind words! Yes, I think that should be fine!

      Reply
  8. Mandy

    July 19, 2019 at 5:49 pm

    Give me a moment to pick my jaw up off the floor 😱😍 WHOA!!! These look incredible!!!! I’m almost at a loss for words…almost 😉 I was dying when I read the previous trial contained nine ingredients so you got it down to eight – I’m truly impressed with your dedication, my dear! I would have forgiven you for the extra ingredient, but I understand! Look at that beautiful texture and crumb 😍 and that ingredient list is blowing my mind. My mom’s birthday is next week so I think I have a perfect reason to make these beauties!! Can’t wait to try!! ❤️

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 20, 2019 at 7:44 pm

      AWw thank you so much my friend!! Girl, this recipe wore me out, hahaha. At a certain point, I wondered if I was going to get them down, but I’m determined and I can honestly say they are the best chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever had. I cannot wait to hear if you make them!! Yay! By the way, I emailed you a couple of months back, not sure you got itz (??), didn’t want you to think I never emailed back, haha. Hope you are doing well!! xoxo

      Reply
      • Mandy

        July 25, 2019 at 6:02 am

        5 stars
        These were phenomenal!!! Literally chocolate HEAVEN! So moist and fluffy and so wonderfully cake-y! My whole family was thoroughly impressed and could not believe they were gluten-free! You are a dessert wizard! ❤️ I think what really impressed me was how light the texture was…most gluten-free cakes/cupcakes are so heavy and dense. Definitely a keeper recipe!! Thanks for working so hard to create this!
        P.S. – I’m sorry! I didn’t get an email from you…so I hope you didn’t think I was being rude! We will have to catch up soon 🙂

        Reply
        • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

          July 27, 2019 at 10:12 pm

          Yay!! So very happy you loved these my friend!! Yes, exactly, LOL, that is why I was so excited with this breakthrough of a gluten-free recipe, as they taste and texture-wise as good as the version with all-purpose, I swear I like them even better! I never thought I’d say I liked a brown rice flour baked good more than an almond flour one, haha, but these are so much lighter and not dense like you said! I can’t wait to continue to use it in other recipes! So sorry the email didn’t go through, I will resend it! Thanks my friend for making these, it means to much!!

          Reply
  9. Esperanza Lebron

    July 18, 2019 at 3:04 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for the amazing recipe! New vegan here and I appreciated how easy it was to make these. They were so moist and delicious! I used 175g of sugar and I only had a dark chocolate bar of 72% so I used that and wow! My teens didn’t even know they were eating vegan! Thanks!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 21, 2019 at 7:45 pm

      That is so wonderful to hear Esperanza, so thrilled these were such a hit and nobody knew they were vegan!!

      Reply
  10. June

    July 17, 2019 at 9:49 pm

    5 stars
    Brandi, your pictures and muffins were so tempting I just could not resist making them yesterday…and they did not disappoint…they are light, tender chocolate heaven! I have been mostly grain free for a long time so I normally use almond or cashew flour for desserts. While I love those flours, I sometimes miss the light texture of regular flour. I am not sure how you got the light texture, but you nailed it!

    The only change I made was in the amount of coconut sugar I used. My scale might not be accurate, but 216g turned out to be 1 3/4 cups and that just seemed like too much sugar. I reduced it to 138g which was a little over a cup and they were delicious. Also, they freeze well.

    Thank you for sharing all your hard work!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 17, 2019 at 10:32 pm

      That’s wonderful June! Yay! So happy you loved these! The 216g is actually correct, as I ONLY make my recipes according to the weights. (I don’t even get out the cups, haha) 1 tbsp coconut sugar is 12g and there’s 18 tablespoons sugar in the recipe. That’s why I list to not compare weights to cups, since it ends up just confusing people 😊. I’m glad to hear they still tasted delicious though! The sweet frosting on top helps!

      Reply
  11. Selena

    July 17, 2019 at 5:44 am

    I’m gonna be that annoying person that asks about subs and I’m sorry!! How do you think normal cane sugar (brown, white, or a combo of both) would work in this recipe?

    I have been trying FOR YEARS to make the perfect gluten free vegan chocolate cake that actually tastes like chocolate and I am very hopeful about this recipe, I’m just very intolerant to coconut sugar 🙁

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 17, 2019 at 5:54 pm

      Hi Selena! Oh, you are fine, I’m always here to answer questions! I haven’t tried it with white sugar, but I’m sure it would work totally fine. White sugar is a tad sweeter, but the chocolate taste is so rich, it should be fine. And I promise you these are amazing and super chocolatey. Weigh the ingredients and they should turn out perfect!

      Reply
  12. Kim

    July 16, 2019 at 4:49 pm

    5 stars
    This was absolutely AMAZING!!! I mean, who’d ever want to eat a regular cupcake again?? This is top-notch gourmet quality!
    The first words out of my daughter’s boyfriend’s (stuffed and barely audible) mouth was, ‘oh my gosh… These are VEGAN?’ 😂
    So good!! I sent some with her and my husband to take to their workplace today. Waiting for reviews. 🤗

    I used the truffle icing…. And had to thin it down and add some sugar after chilling. Also chose to use recommended amount of vanilla extract and just a dab of peppermint. So so sooo good!!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 17, 2019 at 7:02 pm

      This was the best review ever Kim, I’m so thrilled these were such a hit and they looked absolutely beautiful and perfect on social media!

      Reply
  13. Phoebe

    July 15, 2019 at 10:20 pm

    5 stars
    These are exceptionally good!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 15, 2019 at 10:35 pm

      Yay Phoebe! So glad you loved them!!

      Reply
  14. Kathy Rain

    July 12, 2019 at 10:34 pm

    My husband is allergic to chocolate so i use Carob powder and carob chips.. Do you think this will work for this recipe?
    Kathy

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 10:46 pm

      Hi Kathy, no, sadly I do not think that would work well here. Carob chips are a completely different makeup than dark chocolate, so they wouldn’t melt the same and the cupcakes would also end up excessively sweet. They would work better in a recipe that doesn’t rely on melted chocolate as part of the base of the cupcake. You could try that in this recipe instead. These are incredible and use cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate. Carob is much sweeter though of course than chocolate, so the flavor would change. https://thevegan8.com/vegan-whole-wheat-chocolate-muffins/

      Reply
  15. Valerie

    July 12, 2019 at 6:31 pm

    I don’t bake much but this sounds like it would be worth trying. Any conversions needed for high altitude? I’m at 6500 feet.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 8:48 pm

      Hi Valerie! I’m so sorry, I don’t have any experience baking at a high altitude. Especially gluten-free may be even trickier. Maybe this article can help? Of course this article is referring to standard recipes with white flour, eggs, etc. so not sure how it would all compare to a vegan gluten-free recipe. You could always try baking it as written, maybe half a batch first and then adjust if needed. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html

      Reply
  16. Sue Gilmore

    July 12, 2019 at 6:28 pm

    Do you ever compute the nutritional info for your recipes?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 7:52 pm

      Hi Sue, yes, I have in the past and when I get a chance. Honestly, I just don’t have the time. Especially during the summer. It’s a stretch just to get recipes posted with being a full-time mom and my daughter home all day with me and having 3 weekly activities she’s involved in! I need a clone, haha! You can input the ingredients (by grams for accuracy) in this nutrition calculator if you want to know the nutrition. It’s what I use when I have the time. https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076

      Reply
  17. Terri

    July 12, 2019 at 4:21 pm

    I’m so glad you created a GF version of this cupcake! 🙂 Thank you!!! What brand of dairy-free dark chocolate chips did you use and could you please share where you purchased them? Also, I unfortunately do not have a scale, which I know is recommended. I went to a conversion website and the 88 grams of chocolate chips translates to 0.436 cups, does that seem about right to you? Thank you!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 4:32 pm

      Hi Terri! You are so welcome! 88 grams equals to 5 full rounded tablespoons! 🙂 I actually used the dark chocolate chips by the HEB brand at my local HEB but Enjoy Life also makes some dark chocolate chips too now I believe. Any dark will work as long as it states 69-70%

      Reply
      • Terri

        July 23, 2019 at 3:59 am

        Hi Brandi! A much belated thank you for answering my questions, I appreciate it! 😊 Looking forward to trying this recipe!

        Reply
  18. Tanya

    July 12, 2019 at 1:48 pm

    Brandi, I cannot wait to make these next week! As a family with Celiac disease, how do I say thank you enough?! I have bo doubt they will be incredible. You’re amazing and so gracious to share this with everyone. I already have your cookbook and LOVE IT! THANK YOU :)!!!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 13, 2019 at 5:20 am

      Tanya, thank you!! So very happy to hear how much you love my book, that is wonderful! Thank you for the kind words and amazing support, it means the world to me!

      Reply
  19. Deborah McDonnell

    July 12, 2019 at 12:46 pm

    So much effort went into this. Thank you! I can’t wait to try. 🙂

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 4:31 pm

      Yes, it did, thank you so much Deborah!

      Reply
  20. Mary

    July 12, 2019 at 6:20 am

    5 stars
    This looks great! What does 88 grams translate to for the chocolate chips? And can I use regular coconut milk instead of the lite? Thank you. Keep up the great work

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 6:20 pm

      Hi Mary! 88 grams equals to 5 full rounded tablespoons! 🙂

      Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 6:22 pm

      Oh and I wouldn’t use regular. It has 3 times the amount of fat and is much thicker and would be too much moisture and make them mushy dense I’m afraid.

      Reply
      • Meghan

        May 20, 2020 at 8:16 pm

        Does anyone know if I could just make RBI’s into a cake? What would the cook time and temp be? Thanks!

        Reply
        • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

          May 20, 2020 at 8:24 pm

          Hi Meghan, no this does not transfer to a cake very well. I’ve tried it and the texture is not as good as the cupcakes. I’ll be posting a gluten-free cake soon though!

          Reply
    • Mary

      July 15, 2019 at 7:10 am

      Don’t worry, couldn’t if I wanted to. Highly allergic to milk (all dairy), egg, soy, etc. That’s why I love this recipe. I can actually make it. Yah! Thank you for your dedication!

      Reply
      • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

        July 15, 2019 at 9:56 pm

        So kind, thank you Mary!

        Reply
  21. Carolyn

    July 12, 2019 at 5:51 am

    Can this recipe be used for diabetics.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 13, 2019 at 5:19 am

      Hi Carolyn, I’m not a doctor, but I wouldn’t think so since they contain a good amount of sugar and fat.

      Reply
  22. Colleen

    July 12, 2019 at 3:21 am

    5 stars
    So so so so good!! The moment I saw this post I knew I had to make them. I wish I could describe the texture; so airy yet decadent and luscious! I topped them with your chocolate truffle frosting sprinkled with a few mini Enjoy Life chips and OH MY Brandi, they are chocolatey perfection! Thank you for working so tirelessly to get these cupcakes to a French Bakery level! I can guarantee these are going to be a new favorite for many of your readers, including me!!!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 3:27 am

      I’m so excited to read this Colleen!! I was thinking about you today because I saw your comment on Instagram! I’m beyond thrilled that you loved them so much and your description of them couldn’t be more perfect. Thank you so much for making them so quickly, it means so much!

      Reply
      • Colleen

        July 12, 2019 at 3:44 am

        Thank YOU for being such a caring generous person, Brandi! It was actually was a Brandi Day; I made your scrumptious Healthy Apple Pie Breakfast cookies, another batch of your divine Bakery Style Blueberry muffins, and my hubby’s all time fav Cocoa Chili. I had shut down the kitchen for the night when suddenly your email about these cupcakes came through. I jumped up, turned back on the oven and now here I am at 9:30 pm devouring pure chocolate bliss! 😄

        Reply
        • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

          July 13, 2019 at 5:19 am

          Oh goodness, I love those cookies soooo much!! You are the best, thank you so much for making my recipes, it’s a true blessing!

          Reply
  23. Luci

    July 12, 2019 at 2:09 am

    5 stars
    Yes you nailed it again! When I follow your instructions in their entirety, it’s pure perfection.
    I am not adverse to gluten but since I had all then ingredients I decided to give them a try
    They taste better than your version w all purpose flour, and those are delicious too!
    I topped w/ fresh made hazelnut cocoa butter.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 2:32 am

      Yay, you are the best Luci!! So happy you already made and loved them! I think I have to agree too, they are even better than the regular which I didn’t think was possible, lol! Thank you so much for making them and hazelnut butter sounds AMAZING!

      Reply
  24. Brenna

    July 12, 2019 at 2:00 am

    I love your recipes in general, especially since you don’t use oil, but recipes like this once leave me confused about your stance on “no oil.” I don’t use oil in my cooking either, and I also don’t use things like cocoa butter (an ingredient in chocolate chips) because as far as I can tell, the only difference is that it happens to be solid at room temperature. But warm it even just to body temperature, never mind cupcake baking temperature, and it becomes a liquid. Even its scientific name, “theobroma oil,” gives it away. Just wondering if you’re seeing a difference or a benefit that I’m missing? Thanks! (I won’t ask about substitutions… it sounds like you’ve already gone above and beyond to come up with this recipe! 🙂 )

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 2:55 am

      Thank you so much Brenna! Yes, chocolate chips do contain cocoa butter and unfortunately, there is no such thing as oil-free chocolate chips. If there was, they wouldn’t be real chocolate and would probably taste like chalk, haha. Even cacao nibs that are actually considered very healthy with many nutritional benefits and antioxidants, but are high in fat too, but of course not as a fully pressed fat from the cacao bean like cocoa butter. But, the fat is still there period, unless you are going straight for just cocoa powder. While I don’t use individual separated oils like canola, olive, vegetable etc. in my desserts or cooking (with the exception of special occasion buttercream), chocolate chips aren’t something I’ll ever do without! I use them for lots of recipes. I eat way, way better than I used to years ago, but I’m not super duper strict on things or a perfect eater. I’ve even seen some oil-free plant-based doctors use chocolate chips in recipes (while calling them oil-free/fat-free). I just think it’s one of those exceptions for special desserts/occasions. For me, personally, going the rest of my life without chocolate because it contains cocoa butter, is not something I want to do. 🙂

      Reply
      • Lana

        July 19, 2019 at 11:21 pm

        5 stars
        This recipe sounds amazing!
        I just discovered that Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips don’t have cocoa butter. They contain only “unsweetened chocolate and cane sugar” according to the package.
        What I need for this recipe is a substitute for the coconut products. So many great sounding recipes call for coconut milk, coconut oil or coconut sugar and I can’t use any of those.
        Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
        Thanks for all your great recipes.

        Reply
        • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

          July 20, 2019 at 7:40 pm

          Hi Lana! Unsweetened chocolate is made from cocoa butter, so it’s the same thing. Hmm, that’s a tough one, because as I mention, the coconut milk is what gives an extra depth of moisture and lightness to these cupcakes. You can try subbing with cashew milk instead, but not sure how rich they will taste and the texture may change a bit. I would only recommend cashew, not almond or soy or anything like that. Needs to be a creamy milk and I think cashew would be the best to try. For the coconut sugar, try using regular white sugar instead.

          Reply
  25. Kristen Harris

    July 12, 2019 at 12:28 am

    I can’t wait to make these!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      July 12, 2019 at 2:59 am

      Awesome Kristen, I hope you love them!

      Reply
Newer Comments »

Primary Sidebar

Search this blog…

PREORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

I'm Brandi, cookbook author of The Vegan 8 Cookbook and latest cookbook, Vegan Wholesome, now available to preorder!. Many of my recipes focus on 8 ingredients or less, not counting salt, pepper or water, but not all of them. I love to create health-focused recipes, using whole foods to improve fitness and muscle-building, with the occasional comfort meal thrown in there! I'm an expert on oil-free cooking and baking!

Join 427,250 Followers!

FacebookInstagramPinteresttumblr

The Vegan 8 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclosure policy here.

MOST POPULAR POSTS!

WHAT’S IN MY VEGAN PANTRY

THE BEST VEGAN FLUFFY PANCAKES

Fluffy vegan pancakes stacked on plate

THE BEST VEGAN ALFREDO SAUCE

Best Vegan Garlic Alfredo on white plate

THE BEST VEGAN QUESO

Hand dipping chip into bowl of vegan queso

VEGAN STUFFED RICOTTA SHELLS

Vegan Stuffed Shells with Spinach

VEGAN THAI GREEN CURRY

Bowl of vegan thai green sweet potato curry

CHEESY MEXICAN TORTILLA BAKE

Vegan Cheesy Mexican Tortilla Bake in casserole dish

CLASSIC VEGAN NOODLE SOUP

Classic Vegan Noodle Soup in turquoise bowl

THE BEST VEGAN RANCH DRESSING

Best Vegan Ranch Dressing pouring over a salad

THE BEST OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Vegan Gluten-free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies stacked

THE BEST VEGAN FUNFETTI CAKE

Slice of Vegan Gluten-free Funfetti Birthday Cake

THE BEST VEGAN SNICKERDOODLES

Vegan Gluten-free Snickerdoodles stacked on plate

BEST VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

scattered vegan chocolate chip cookies on white board

Recent Posts

  • Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
  • Sweet and Smoky Tofu With Lemon Pasta
  • Vegan Carrot Mug Cake
  • Vegan Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
  • Vegan Lemon Mug Cake
  • The Best Vegan Chocolate Pudding Cake
  • Vegan “Chicken” Salad (Oil-free)
  • 5 Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
  • Healthy Vegan Butterfinger Candy Bars
  • Vegan Monster Cookies


I'm Brandi, creator of this vegan blog and cookbook author of The Vegan 8 Cookbook. Many of my recipes focus on 8 ingredients or less, not counting salt, pepper or water, but not all of them. I love to create health-focused recipes, using whole foods to improve fitness and muscle-building, with the occasional comfort meal thrown in there! I'm an expert on oil-free cooking and baking! read more →

Copyright The Vegan 8 © 2026 · Privacy Policy

  • 3.2K