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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!
Kari says
I wanted to make a suggestion for a title for your next copycat cookbook. How about “I can’t believe it’s not _______________” (Nabisco, Starbucks, etc.) It strikes me that the gf baking that you do evokes this sentiment when you’re sinking your teeth into something delicious again! I’ve sampled the worst of gf since my diagnosis 10 years ago!
Meran niCuill says
How about “Twins” instead of clones or copycat versions? ;)
Meran
Bella says
Hey Nicole :)
Just a quick question as to what you have found the best way to freeze your cupcakes/muffins is…and the best way to defrost/re-heat? Thank you so much…all of the work you put into your trade makes our lives so much sweeter!
Jean Ann says
Oh Wow! The perfect Valentine treat! How about GFOAS Classics Remastered!
Diane Stemple Swearingen says
Thanks for this yummy recipe Nicole!
How about “GFOAS’s ‘Better Than’ Cookbook” or “GFOAS Remixed”? Whatever you call it, I can’t wait to get it!
Chris says
Gluten-Free Desserts and Snacks: GFOAS Recreates the Classics!
I wish you much success on your title quest. After pouring over synonyms for copycat, clone, and mock, I can see why you’re still struggling to come up with a working title!! Regardless, it sounds like another book to purchase!
Abby says
These look amazing!
PMo says
For the title: Upgrade the Classics to Gluten Free. Or– Cupcakes and Muffins and Cookies, Oh My! Or–Yes, I swear this is gluten free! and other phrases you will catch yourself saying after using these recipes. :) Love your books and your posts!
Susan Hartman says
I know what I’ll be making right after I finish my loaf of your Starbucks GF chocolate cinnamon bread!
Jennifer S. says
How about: gluten free makeovers OR a guide to making your favorites gluten free OR gluten free favorites guide. For some reason I’m digging the ‘guide’ term. Or how about ‘I call a gluten free do over!’
Karlie says
GFOAS Familiar Favourites: Snacks and Treats you thought you’d lost forever!
Harriette Brown says
How about the name:
A Different Sort of Nostalgia or Just like! Grandmas’
Carole says
While you are doing copy cats, have you tried Udi’s Maple Pecan Chocolate Chip cookies ?? My Hubby really likes them and I can’t find them anymore.
Nicole Hunn says
I haven’t, Carole. I don’t generally copycat treats that are already gluten free. Sorry!