These chocolate cupcakes with cookie dough frosting are decadent and delicious, and sure to please! The dairy free frosting really does taste like cookie dough. Make these treats for a party, bake sale, or any celebration!
These cupcakes are an extra special treat. Chocolate cupcakes with cookie dough frosting are the kind of dessert you make for a birthday party, or maybe for a graduation party, or if you’re like me, you make them when you feel bad that your kiddo can’t just walk into a cupcake store and pick out a fancy cupcake.
Food allergies make those kind of special outings difficult, if not impossible! So, what are we to do?
Make our own fancy, allergy friendly cupcakes at home.
Making gluten free and vegan chocolate cupcakes is relatively easy. I have a few recipes here on my site, and if you have a good gluten free flour blend, they turn out very well!
We’ve enjoyed lots of different icings on our cupcakes – dairy free buttercream, chocolate frosting, and naturally dyed pink frosting to name a few. This frosting uses a couple of ingredients that aren’t normally found in icing – brown sugar, and gluten free flour, giving it that signature cookie dough flavor that’s so delicious!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – These work well with Namaste Perfect Flour Blend, but you can most likely use any gluten free flour blend that works for your dietary needs. I don’t recommend grain free flours like almond flour or coconut flour for this recipe. If you are not gluten free, you can go ahead and use both regular all purpose flour in the cupcakes and the frosting.
- Vegan Buttery Spread – We love Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan Buttery Spread for baking. You could also use the Earth Balance Baking Sticks, those should work very well.
- Sugar – I like Wholesome Sweets Organic Cane Sugar and Light Brown Sugar, so that’s what I always use. If you have a different brand that works for you, you can use that.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Hershey’s cocoa powder is what we use, but feel free to use any brand that works for your particular needs.
- Dairy Free Chocolate Chips – Enjoy Life makes mini chocolate chips that are perfect for this frosting.
Safety Tip
Eating uncooked flour isn’t recommended. There can be bacteria living in flour, so to be safe, heat treating the flour in the oven for a few minutes is a good idea. That way you will kill any bacteria that may make you sick otherwise.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overfill the cupcake liners. Fill them about ⅔ full. Overfilling will result in the batter overflowing as it bakes.
- Use parchment paper liners. The different flours in a gluten free flour blend can make baked goods stick to the pan or paper liners. Using parchment liners will ensure that your cupcakes will not stick.
- Use a gluten free flour blend, not grain free flours like almond meal or coconut flour. If you use a grain free flour, your cupcakes will be flat and dense.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan before moving them – gluten free baked goods tend to be delicate, especially straight out of the oven!
- If your batter seems very thick or dry, you may need to add a little more liquid. Different gluten free flour blends absorb moisture differently. Trust your instincts – the batter will be thick, but not stiff or dried out. Add a bit more water to get a good consistency if needed.
- This frosting is thick, and has chocolate chips in it, so it’s not great for piping. Just scoop it onto the cupcakes and enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Are you ready to learn more about gluten free and vegan baking? Join my community today and get emails with delicious recipes that really work!
Disclosure: This post contains paid affiliate links.
Recipe
Chocolate Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting (Gluten Free, Vegan).
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup vegan buttery spread melted
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 1 cups light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup vegan buttery spread
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend
- 1 cup dairy free chocolate chips the mini variety works well
Instructions
Make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the melted vegan buttery spread, water, applesauce, vanilla extract, and vinegar, and mix until smooth and combined. (You can use a mixer, or just do it by hand with a spoon. Either way works).
- If the batter seems too thick or dry, add a little more water. Some gluten free flours really soak up the liquid, so adjust the amount if the batter is too hard to stir.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about ⅔ full.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 19-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan before moving them.
Make the frosting:
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Spread the 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour out on it. Bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees F to toast it and kill any bacteria.
- Place the vegan buttery spread, powdered sugar, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until creamy and relatively smooth. Note: Try to get brown sugar that doesn't have huge granules. That way the frosting won't be too gritty.
- Add the vanilla, salt, and toasted gluten free flour. Mix until smooth.
- Turn off mixer and stir in mini chocolate chips.
- Frost cooled cupcakes. This frosting is thick, so it doesn't pipe too well, especially with the chocolate chips. Just spread it or scoop it onto the cupcakes.
Katie
Delicious recipe!