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It appears that I'm on a Starbucks copycat recipe kick (remember yesterday's Gluten Free Asiago Bagels?). Today it's Starbucks-Style Gluten Free Chocolate Caramel Muffins. Just look at those tender chocolate muffins (not too sweet!) and the drippy, gorgeous caramel (yes, sweet!). And they were the ones who decided to call it a muffin. So it's fit for breakfast.
But for at least half of every year for the last 4+ years, I've been hard at work developing recipes … that I can't share with you at ALL since they're for the next cookbook (yay! good problem to have, for sure).
Since I'm also sharing new recipes most days on the blog, I can stay calm and not spill new recipes nearly a year before they hit the bookstore shelves. But what really helps is to take the concept (copycat recipes) and share recipes that are of a category that I don't plan to write about for the new cookbook.
Before we get to the recipe, I do have to warn you: these are better than you even think they are. The chocolate muffins are not overly sweet at all, so when the sweet caramel sits in the hole at the top of the muffin, it soaks into the muffin itself.
It makes for an impossibly tender muffin with the best chocolate-caramel flavor you've ever experienced. Those Starbucks people might make some hard-to-love coffee (sorry, fans!), but they do know how to bake. Luckily, I'm hell-bent on making it all gluten free for us.
Starbucks Style Gluten Free Chocolate Caramel Muffins
Equipment
- Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or handheld mixer
Ingredients
For the muffins
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- ¼ cup (36 g) cornstarch (replace with more Cup4Cup if that is your all purpose gluten free flour blend)
- ½ cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dutch-processed, but natural should be fine)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) vegetable oil
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon (21 g) unsulphured molasses
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ⅛ cups (9 fluid ounces) buttermilk at room temperature
- 3 ounces miniature chocolate chips tossed in 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the caramel filling
- 10 pieces (82 g) Kraft Soft Caramels
- 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease or line a standard 12-cup muffin tin, and set it aside.
- In a medium-size bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine well.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, place the butter and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the vegetable oil, melted chocolate, molasses and sugar, and beat to combine well. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat again to combine well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the mixer, alternating with the buttermilk, mixing to combine after each addition and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. The mixture will be thick, but somewhat fluffy.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer, add the chips mixed with cornstarch, and mix until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Fill the prepared wells of the muffin tin about 3/4 of the way full with batter. Shake back and forth and side to side to spread the batter into an even layer in each well.
- Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached (about 20 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the caramel filling.
- Place the caramels and heavy whipping cream in a small, microwave-safe bowl, and melt on 60% power in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
- Once the muffins are cool, with a paring knife, cut a cone shape out of the center of each muffin and fill with the caramel until it just begins to drizzle out a bit.
- Allow to set at room temperature and serve.
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Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Mare Masterson says
How about a plain and simple title such as “Nirvana” or “Yummy Treats for the Gluten Free”? (Because I know your recipes and “nirvana” and “yummy” are truly applicable descriptions!)
Mare Masterson says
OK…did I read right on Facebook that it is not going to have Gluten Free on a Shoestring in the title?
Nicole Hunn says
It will be in the subtitle, but not the title, Mare. You read that right. :)
Jennifer S. says
Why?
Nicole Hunn says
There isn’t really a simple answer to that question, I’m afraid, Jennifer. It’s a variety of factors! But nothing much will change in the style. Don’t worry. :)
Deborah Morey says
Title: GFOAS Cooks Better than you remember. Love your other books. Can’t wait for the next one.
Tricia says
I was thinking about some twist on “Better Than,” too.
Deborah Morey says
“unsubscribe”
Lorraine says
How about “Memories of…”
Monica F says
Ohhh!!! Can we preorder yet? All of these copy cat recipes coming our way…I can hardly stand it!!!
How about:
– GFOAS recreates classics.
If it’s all about coffee house goodies, then
– GFOAS recreates your favourite coffeehouse classics.
or
– GFOAS recreates your favourites. (for something more generic)
This is really exciting :):)
You know what I really miss? Those puffy yeast donuts, and even crullers. I don’t know if you have them in the US. Tim Hortons, our best known doughnut chain here, makes great crullers. They’re a puffy, yeasty, eggy doughnut that looks like a tractor wheel. They’re airy and yummy….yum… one would be pretty good right now :)
Nicole Hunn says
You can definitely make crullers with the Yeast-Raised Donuts recipe in Bakes Bread, Monica! No preorder yet. We haven’t even had the photo shoot yet so no cover. But I’ll be sure to let you know–and thanks for the book title ideas!
anna says
I make a chocolate cake where i melt caramel into the cake. These sound just as delicious, if not better beause it’s not instant box cake :) And it looks like the caramel doesnt get completely absorbed. Mmmm… I am so excited for your new book! Ive been steadily baking my way through Bakes Bread. Ive made LOTS of mistakes, but Im learning, and the successes are so worth it.
Nicole Hunn says
So glad, Anna!
Mare Masterson says
The new book will have that awesome copy cat for the Entenmann’s NY Style Coffee Cake, right Nicole? That recipe will be worth the price of the book alone, I just know it!
How about “Gluten Free on a Shoestring – The Impressionist…Snacks and Desserts Better than the Originals ”
Oh, Nicole we really would get along so well. I do not do Starbucks coffee either! I have been craving chocolate and caramel lately. This is going on Saturday’s baking list!
Nicole Hunn says
I promise it will be in there, Mare! That’s a solemn promise. The Impressionist, huh? Funny. :)
Mare Masterson says
Not meant to be funny. I really mean it – you are such an artist!
Rachel Whetzel says
OK. I love you even more because you don’t actually like Starbucks coffee. :) As a former barista at a REAL coffeehouse, this makes my heart SO happy to read… These look divine. I can’t wait to try them!! A few ideas for your book title: Recycled Recipes? Delectable Do Overs? Only Better… (as in: Just like ______ Only Better.)
Cat says
Hi, I’m waiting for all three of your books to arrive. Amazon sez Thursday. I have all my supplies, courtesy of that place in Montana, but I thought I’d make the sourdough starter while I’m waiting. Couldn’t find a recipe for it here. BTW, did you know about those Italian researchers who’ve applied for a patent (in 2010) for a sourdough starter they developed (2 types of “maize” flour, rice flour and buckwheat flour plus various lactobacillus) that manages to predigest the threatening proteins and renders wheat flour breads tolerable for celiacs? No joke. Must be why when living in France I found the Pain au levain very digestible. And I’ve been celiac for nearly 30 years.
Also, I adapted your peanut butter cookie recipe for almond butter (loved the saltiness) and loved it. And your Nilla wafer cookie recipe for lemon cookies (which i roll in 10X sugar and flatten before baking) – yum. Anyway, look forward to your books arriving.
Any help with the wild yeast (sourdough?) starter now would be nice.
Love your blog.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Cat,
I think that is junk science, I’m afraid, and dangerous for celiacs. I would stay as far away from that as possible!
I’m afraid that I’m not able to give you the directions to make the wild yeast sourdough starter. I’m very limited in the amount of information published in Bakes Bread that I am able to give away. The book will be there soon!
Cat says
I got a “blocked ” message from your site trying to comment after your books arrived yesterday. Wondering why.
Nicole Hunn says
Not sure, Cat! You seem to be able to comment now alright. I don’t know how to block someone from the site, so I know I didn’t do it! Glad the books arrived. :)
Donia Robinson says
Hell-Bent on Hostess (GF)
I just love a good alliteration.
Jennifer S. says
I’m gonna need some time to think of names but of course your teasing us with this new fab cookbook when it is over a year away is making me stubborn!! LOL!
This recipe looks way too good to be true, yum-o!
Guess what I made this weekend on top of frosted heart soft sugar cookies and ‘wheat’ thins? You got it – stuffed bread sticks!! 8 with hotdogs and 6 with cheesesticks from one recipe. The fam loved it to pieces!!!
Michelle says
Oh yum! I haven’t had time to try the stuffed breadsticks yet- I am envious!
MIchelle says
I actually like the title you mention above- Classic Snacks and Desserts, made gluten-free. These really look good. My husband and daughter are huge fans of caramel, so I suspect I will barely get a taste. (I say carmel, as one should, but his mother is from Brooklyn, so he says care-a-mel. I love him anyway)
Wendy says
Do you think the egg substitutes would work? Or just egg whites? I’m a no gluten, dairy or egg yolk girl.
Nicole Hunn says
I guess it depends upon the egg substitute, Wendy. I’m afraid I haven’t tested it egg free, so I don’t really know! Generally, my favorite egg substitute is a chia egg (1 tablespoon white chia flour + 3 tablespoons water, gelled). You’ll have to experiment, though!
Jennifer S. says
Wendy – I actually replace the eggs in a recipe with egg replacement (egg beaters, etc…) quite a lot in Nicole’s baked good recipes like this. I would use just a tad bit more as the recipe notes because it says on the carton to use more for it to rise properly. I usually have good luck with this option.
John Lachett says
I like “snack attack!” or maybe “Snack-tastic!” or “DATZ WHAT AMMA TALK ABOUT!!!”
;-)
Your GFF,
John L
Nicole Hunn says
You’re losing it, John! But I love it. :)
Laura H. says
For the book, maybe a riff of “Into the looking glass”?
Holding your favorites up to the gluten free mirror.
Too long, I know, but the idea is fun.
Oh! And these “muffins”! Wow! I can’t wait to give these a go! This morning is ear marked to get some bread dough for baguettes in the fridge before work.
Thank you for being amazing!!
Nicole Hunn says
Interesting idea, Laura! So smart to get that bread dough into the refrig before work. You can practically come home and bake!
Nichole Keller Lesniak says
How about calling the book “Just Like the Original”?