Before having to eat a gluten-free diet, my first choice for candy bar would probably be a Coffee Crisp. Mmm…those chocolate bars are special to me because my Grandma would occasionally treat us with a Coffee Crisp when we were at her place. But now, Coffee Crisp bars are off the list so I had to find a new favorite candy bar. That wasn’t difficult; when I found out that Snickers bars are gluten-free, they were an obvious choice. Peanuts. Caramel. Chocolate. Nougat. They are like the 4 ‘food groups’ of the candy world. And if you like a Snickers bar as is, you should really try freezing it. I like to stash a bag of fun-size Snickers bars in the freezer; the kids don’t think to look in the freezer for candy, and I can indulge in a nice cold, sweet snack every once in a while. Yum!
Gluten Free Snickers Cupcakes
A rich chocolate cupcake topped with a peanut butter frosting and chopped Snickers bars.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 2/3 cup sorghum flour
- 2/3 cup brown rice flour
- 2/3 cup tapioca starch
- 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 9 fun-size Snickers bars, unwrapped, cut in half and frozen
Peanut Butter Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 lb. confectioners' sugar (about 3 1/2 to 4 cups)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2-4 Tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sorghum flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at at time, making sure it is fully mixed in before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients, the wet ingredients, and the remaining dry ingredients, being sure each is completely mixed in before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
- Spoon cupcake batter into prepared cupcake pan, filling the liner 2/3 full. Place half of a frozen fun-size Snickers bar on top of the cupcake, in the center.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when gently touched. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing to wire cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about one minute.
- Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, peanut butter, and salt. Add 2 tablespoons of cream, and beat on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. If the frosting is still too heavy, add more cream, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Pipe the frosting on the cupcakes using a pastry bag and decorative tip. Top with more chopped Snickers bars if desired. Store in an air-tight container.
Cara says
I used to buy a big ol’ Snickers bar and a snack-sized bag of Doritos and call it lunch π So Snickers have a real soft spot in my heart, just as these cupcakes will have a designated spot in my stomach. They look gorgeous! xo
Jeanine says
Thanks, Cara! There is just something about Snickers, I’m glad that I didn’t have to give them up. π Have you ever tried them frozen??
Kate @ life's precious moments says
Wow! These look fantastic! I can not get enough of your recipes π I made your gf waffles over the weekend and they were so delicious! Great work π
Jeanine says
Thanks, Kate! I just read about your whirlwind weekend, sounds fantastic! And I’m really glad to hear that the waffles were a hit too. π
Gary Reeves says
Recently diognosed with early stage prostate cancer, any recommendations for diet?
Wendy says
Yummilicious i love snickers looking at the cupcakes makes me drooling ;p can i use cake flour or all purpose flour instead i can’t find those ingredients at the baking supplies shop here e.g. antham gum, sorghum flour if yes what is the amount of cake flour i should use for this recipe. I love cakes with buttermilk the taste and texture is moist n soft. I hope u can advise me on the flour use, its okay if it is not gluten free…;0 And i should try to make ur peanut butter frosting yummy yummy…oya can i omit peanut butter to nutella?Thanks for sharing!
Jeanine says
Wendy, if you’re not needing to eat gluten-free, feel free to use your favorite chocolate cake or cupcake recipe for the batter. Something like this one sounds good: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/buttermilk-chocolate-cake-with-fudge-icing/
You can absolutely substitute the peanut butter with the nutella, that shouldn’t be a problem. π
Wendy says
Thank you Jeanine for your prompt reply π
Carrie says
For anyone doesn’t do dairy and you want a sub for buttermilk in recipes, I have successfully been able to use home made coconut buttermilk in recipes in its place. the ratio is 1 Tbsp of vinegar/or lemon juice ( I use Apple cider) per 1 cup of coconut milk. Let it sit at least 5 min.
The same works for regular milk too if you don’t have butter milk in your home or just don’t want to buy a whole Carton.
Thank you for this cup cake recipe! Can’t wait to try.
Jeanine Friesen says
Yes – great substitution ideas, Carrie! thanks for sharing!
Alliesong says
Thank you. They turned out beautiful, taking them to share with our GF school mates for movie night tonight.
Jeanine Friesen says
Wonderful! I’m glad that you liked them, Alliesong!
Deb Howard says
Jeanine, our family just recently removed gluten from our diet in a team effort to help heal up our 7-year old’s severe skin problems. I’m so appreciative of all the time and effort you and so many other bloggers out there have put into developing recipes like these! I’m having so much fun learning to cook in this new way, and I haven’t heard a single complaint about missing out on our weekly pizza delivery night or a favorite dessert, because there’s nothing wrong with living in a gluten free world that involves Snickers cupcakes! I whipped up a batch of these tonight since my in-laws were coming to stay with us, and they were a huge hit. Thank you again!!!!
PS: in just two weeks, our daughter’s skin sores have almost completely disappeared, and she itches about 75% less than she normally would. She keeps saying “I feel like I’m starting a new life!”
Deb