These bakery-style gluten-free chocolate chip muffins are light, fluffy, and packed with mini chocolate chips. They’re a perfect brunch favorite!
This gluten-free muffin recipe is truly exceptional.
These are gluten-free, bakery-style chocolate chip muffins with tall, domed tops, a tender, airy crumb, and mini chocolate chips in every bite. They look beautiful, taste even better, and are perfect for weekend brunch, a special breakfast, or an afternoon treat.
I tested this recipe until it delivered everything I wanted: impressive rise, a soft center, and lots of chocolate. The result has earned rave reviews from everyone who’s tried it.
Best of all, this easy gluten-free muffin recipe uses straightforward ingredients you may already have on hand.
Start With Simple Ingredients
The ingredients for these gluten-free muffins are familiar, with one or two choices that make a noticeable difference in texture and flavor. Here’s what matters:
- Gluten-free measure-for-measure flour — Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum for structure. If your blend lacks xanthan gum, the muffins will not set properly.
- Baking powder & baking soda — Fresh leaveners are important to achieve the tall, airy rise these muffins are known for.
- Kosher salt — If using table salt, reduce the amount slightly to avoid over-salting.
- Melted butter — Butter gives rich flavor and helps the base taste delicious without relying on many add-ins.
- Granulated sugar — Provides sweetness and promotes a golden exterior.
- Eggs — Room-temperature eggs blend smoothly with melted butter; cold eggs risk causing the butter to seize.
- Sour cream — Adds tang and acidity, which reacts with the leaveners to create a light, tender crumb.
- Heavy cream — Higher fat than milk, heavy cream keeps the muffins moist and tender. Using milk can make the crumb drier unless additional fat is added.
- Vanilla — Plenty of vanilla enhances the overall flavor.
- Mini chocolate chips — Small chips distribute evenly through the batter and are less likely to sink, so each bite has chocolate.
- Coarse sugar & extra chips — A sprinkle of coarse sugar and a few extra mini chips on top create a bakery-style finish.
How To Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins, Step By Step
The full recipe with quantities and tips appears in the recipe card below.
- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk the gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Combine butter & sugar. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and granulated sugar until blended.
- Add eggs & vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
- Mix in sour cream & heavy cream. Fold in the sour cream until smooth, then stir in the heavy cream.
- Combine wet and dry. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until only a few dry streaks remain.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips until the batter is smooth and the chips are evenly distributed.
- Let the batter rest. Rest the batter at room temperature for at least 1 hour (up to 2 hours) or refrigerate overnight. Resting hydrates the flour and lets the batter aerate for a taller rise.
- Preheat oven & prepare pan. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment liners.
- Scoop & top. Use a large scoop to fill each muffin cup generously. Add about 1 teaspoon extra mini chips and a sprinkle of coarse sugar on top of each muffin.
- Bake. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350°F and bake 10–12 more minutes, until the tops are light golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool. Let the muffins sit in the pan for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tricks For The Best Bakery-Style Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins
The keys to getting bakery-style muffins are an airy crumb and a high, dramatic rise. Here are the most important techniques:
Let the batter rest
Resting the batter for at least one hour hydrates the flour and gives the leavening agents time to react. This produces a taller, lighter muffin. You can rest the batter at room temperature for up to two hours or refrigerate overnight; if chilled, bring the batter back to room temperature before baking for best results.
Adjust the temperature
Starting at a higher oven temperature (425°F) encourages rapid rise, then lowering the oven encourages even baking so the centers finish without over-browning the tops.
Choose the best muffin pan & liners
A light-colored metal pan bakes evenly and avoids scorching. Dark pans can brown too quickly, and silicone won’t brown as well. Parchment liners are ideal for easy release and a clean edge.
Make them pretty
Top each muffin with extra mini chips and a sprinkle of coarse sugar (turbinado or demerara) before baking for that bakery finish. A light dusting of powdered sugar just before serving is optional.
More Gluten-Free Brunch Recipes To Try
Fluffy Gluten-Free Belgian Waffles
Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
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Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
5 from 10 reviews
- Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 12 Muffins
Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These bakery-style gluten-free chocolate chip muffins have a light, fluffy texture, sky-high muffin tops, and are packed with mini chocolate chips.
Ingredients
Scale
For the dry ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, weighed or scooped and leveled
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the wet ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp / 4 oz) butter, melted
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract or paste
- 3/4 cup (170 g) sour cream
- 3/4 cup (178 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (3 oz / 85 g) mini chocolate chips
To top the muffins:
- 1/4 cup (1.5 oz / 43 g) mini chocolate chips
- 2 Tablespoons coarse sugar (turbinado or demerara)
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Combine butter & sugar. In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar.
- Add eggs & vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to fully incorporate each before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla.
- Mix in sour cream & heavy cream. Stir in the sour cream until combined, then add the heavy cream and mix until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients to wet. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until only a few dry streaks remain.
- Mix in the chocolate chips. Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips until the batter is smooth and chips are evenly distributed.
- Let the batter rest. Rest the batter at room temperature for at least 1 hour (up to 2 hours) or refrigerate overnight. Resting hydrates the flour and improves rise.
- Preheat the oven & prep the pan. While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 425°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with parchment liners.
- Scoop & top. Use a large scoop to fill each muffin cup completely. Top each with about 1 teaspoon extra mini chips and a sprinkle of coarse sugar.
- Bake the muffins. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then lower the oven to 350°F and bake 10–12 more minutes, until light golden and set. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool the muffins. Let the muffins cool in the pan 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Serve & store. Enjoy warm or store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days (a few seconds in the microwave refreshes them). Freeze up to 2 months.
Notes
- Let the batter rest. Resting hydrates the flour and improves rise; one hour at room temperature is recommended. You may rest up to two hours or refrigerate overnight. If chilled, bring the batter back to room temperature before baking.
- Flour recommendation. A reliable measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum yields the best results. Do not substitute almond or coconut flour. For accuracy, weigh the flour when possible or use the scoop-and-level method to avoid packing extra flour.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Rest Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American