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In the mood for a decadent and delicious chocolate cupcake? These gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free double chocolate cupcakes are the perfect easy treat to whip up. They’re rich and fudgy and bursting with chocolate flavor. You can even make them sugar free if you need to! These would make the perfect Valentine’s Day dessert!
How do I make these cupcakes sugar free?
I used coconut sugar in this recipe, but you could substitute the coconut sugar with monk fruit to keep them sugar free.
What ingredients will I need to make these double chocolate cupcakes?
These double chocolate cupcakes will require just a couple simple ingredients. They are:
- oat flour
- flax eggs or regular eggs
- cocoa powder
- salt
- baking powder/baking soda
- coconut sugar (or monk fruit)
- instant coffee (optional)
- pure vanilla extract
- water or dairy free milk
- olive oil
- apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- unsweetened applesauce
- nut butter of choice (or vegan butter)
How can I make these nut free?
If you’re allergic to coconut, you can replace the coconut sugar with brown sugar or monk fruit. If you’re allergic to nuts, you can use sunflower seed butter in the place of the nut butter or just use vegan butter instead!
Which nut butter should I use?
I personally prefer almond butter or cashew butter for icing on these cupcakes, but you could use another nut butter of choice if you prefer. Hazelnut butter and peanut butter would both be delicious!
Help, I don’t have applesauce on hand!
If you don’t have applesauce on hand, you can try replacing it with dairy free yogurt or pumpkin puree. I haven’t tried this recipe with those substitutions, but those are typically great replacements for applesauce.
How do I make homemade oat flour?
To make homemade oat flour simply blend gluten free quick, old fashioned, or rolled oats in a high speed blender (or process them in a food processor). Blend/process until a flour consistency is reached. Check out this video if you want to see how I make my own oat flour!
Help, I don’t have apple cider vinegar!
The apple cider vinegar is not necessary for this recipe, but it does really help to give the cupcakes a nice rise. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can use distilled white vinegar or lemon juice instead. Or just leave it out if you don’t have any of those ingredients!
Do I need the instant coffee?
The instant coffee is not necessary in this recipe but it does help to enhance the chocolate flavor. If you don’t have instant coffee you can simply add a shot of espresso to this recipe or replace the water with chilled coffee instead. Or simply leave out the coffee altogether, they’ll still be delicious!
Looking for more decadent chocolate recipes?
Try some of these!
- Flourless Chocolate Torte
- Triple Chocolate Brownie Batter Truffles
- Double Chocolate Donuts
- Chocolate Fudge Popsicles
- Double Chocolate Layered Cake
- Double Chocolate Oat Flour Bread
- Double Chocolate Brownies
- Double Chocolate Oat Flour Muffins
- No Bake Double Chocolate Cheesecake
- Double Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes
Ready to make these cupcakes? The full recipe is below!
Decadent Double Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour (I use homemade)
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp instant coffee (optional)
- 2 flax eggs or regular eggs
- 2/3 cup water or dairy free milk
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
For the Frosting
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp nut butter of choice (or vegan butter, softened)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt (if using unsalted nut butter/butter)
- 3-4 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spray the cupcake liners gently with cooking spray. The cupcake liners are optional; if omitting the cupcake liners, spray the muffin tins with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients for the cupcakes. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix again, until the batter is smooth.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each muffin tin equally with batter. This recipe should make 12 cupcakes.
- Let the batter sit for 15 minutes before baking.
- Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out mostly clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the pan until completely cool.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a medium sized bowl mix together the frosting ingredients: nut butter, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, water, and salt (if using). Mix until smooth and creamy. You can also beat the frosting together with a hand mixer if preferred. Add more nut butter, coconut sugar, cocoa powder, or water to the frosting if needed to achieve the desired consistency and taste.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost each one with frosting. Sprinkle with sprinkles of choice (optional).
- Store cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for 2-3 months.