These flourless chocolate crackle cakes have a rich, chocolatey center and a feather-light crackly crust. I often describe them as the love child between a brownie, a cupcake and a chocolate cake. As the cakes bake, they develop a crunchy top with a rich, fudgy center. In other words, they’re heaven. I'll show you how easy they are to make! [Video below!]
Key ingredients
Instead of using all-purpose flour, these flourless chocolate crackle cakes are made with almond flour. The almond flour gives the cakes an ultra moist and tender crumb, and it also makes them gluten-free!
How to make chocolate crackle cakes
The batter comes easily using pantry staples!
- First, whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
- Next, beat softened butter with sugar until fluffy (you can use a stand mixer or hand beaters).
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
- Mix in vanilla extract.
- Beat in melted bittersweet chocolate, followed by the dry ingredients. The batter should be thick and scoop-able.
- Scoop the batter into lined muffin pans (an ice cream scoop works great for this!).
- Bake until the cakes have risen and the tops are dry and crackled on top, about 18-20 minutes.
How do you serve chocolate crackle cakes?
The cakes are perfectly delicious all on their own, but they can also be dressed up with whipped cream (try this Cardamom Whipped Cream), ice cream and/or berries for a little glamour.
They’re easy enough to whip up on a whim and are one of my favorite desserts for mid-week celebrations (think Valentine’s Day, birthdays and random dance parties, which yes, are a thing). But they’re also elegant enough to cap off any special occasion or holiday meal.
Tips for this recipe:
- I use my stand mixer to make the batter, but you could use hand beaters instead.
- Whenever making cupcakes or muffins, it’s best to use a light colored pan, as dark pans can cause the bottoms to brown too quickly. If you do use a dark pan, check them a minute or two early.
- Be sure to line the muffin tins with liners so that they don’t stick (I use these parchment cups).
- An ice cream scoop with a lever works great for filling the muffin cups.
- The cakes will slump slightly as they cool. Don’t worry, that's what helps create the rich center!
- This chocolate crackle cake batter can also make soft, slightly chewy cookies! Scoop the batter into 2-tablespoon-sized mounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving plenty of space for the cookies to spread. Bake for 9-10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking time.
*This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links to products I use and love (from which I earn income, at no cost to you). Thank you or supporting From Scratch Fast!
Other gluten-free chocolate desserts to try:
- Easy Chocolate Almond Cake
- Chocolate Quinoa Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
- Chocolate Sauce/Chocolate Fondue
- Fudgy Black Bean Brownies with Easy Cacao Frosting
Watch the video!
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Get the recipe!
Chocolate Crackle Cakes (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (85g) lightly packed almond flour (also called almond meal)
- 1 tablespoon (5g) cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ¾ cup (130g) bittersweet chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- ⅔ cup (138g) organic cane sugar (or granulated white sugar)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For serving (optional)
- Whipped cream
- Berries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line 8 muffin cups with paper liners.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Use your fingers to break up any clumps of almond flour.
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water or in a double boiler (alternatively, microwave the chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted).
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or using hand beaters), beat the butter and sugar on high speed until the butter is light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Continue beating until the mixture is light in color and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla.
- With the machine running on medium, slowly add the chocolate. Beat until well combined. Scrape down the sides, and add the flour mixture. Beat until just combined.
- Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling them three-quarters of the way full (an ice cream scoop with a lever works great for this job!). Bake 18-20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, or until the cakes have risen and the tops are dry and crackled on top. Let the cakes cool in the pan set on a cooling rack for 10 minutes (the tops will slump as they cool). Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
- Serve the cakes on their own, or with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries, if you'd like!
Notes
- I use my stand mixer to make the batter, but you could use hand beaters instead.
- Whenever making cupcakes or muffins, it’s best to use a light colored pan, as dark pans can cause the bottoms to brown too quickly. If you do use a dark pan, check them a minute or two early.
- Be sure to line the muffin tins with liners so that they don’t stick (I use these parchment cups).
- An ice cream scoop with a lever works great for filling the muffin cups.
- The cakes will slump slightly as they cool. Don’t worry, that's what helps create the rich center!
Mel says
I made this with a dark pan and at high altitude (risky, I know!) but they still turned out great! For anyone else who might be baking at altitude... I just left them in the oven a bit longer. They seemed a little soft at first but solidified after settling on the counter.
Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Nicki Sizemore says
This is such great information. Thank you for sharing!
Jessica Vandewalker says
Hello! I was wondering if you have the nutrition information to go along with each recipe?
Thanks!
Jenny Spencer says
Ok! Thank you Nicki! I will make them again soon and then let you know. That would be great if you would let me know if they work in a 8-inch pan! They might not be the most thickest brownies, but they would still taste AMAZING!
That makes total sense about the egg whites.
Thank you so much.
Raine. 🙂 🙂
JENNY SPENCER says
These were so good. It tasted exactly like a super fudgy brownie. If I were going to just put this batter in a brownie pan, how long would I bake it for? I should probably grease the pan or line it with parchment paper - correct?
For some reason, the cakes did not crack for me! It cracked only a little, but nothing like yours. When they were cooling, they didn't slump either! I was so disappointed. :(.
Any guesses why it didn't work? My guess is maybe I over mixed the batter. I for some reason didn't see that you were only supposed to mix in the dry into the wet until it was JUST incorporated. I think I mixed it for about 2 min or so! Dang. 🙁
Regardless if they didn't crack or not, all I hoped for was that they would be delicious, and they were. 🙂
Please let me know what you think went wrong.
Thank you,
Raine
Nicki Sizemore says
Hi Raine! I actually have not tested these cakes in a brownie pan (how could I not have thought of that?!). You would definitely want to grease the sides, but I'm wondering if there would be enough batter to fill a 8-inch pan... I'm going to have to give it a try and report back.
As far as the cracking issue, that would definitely have to do with the egg whites. If the egg whites deflated by over-mixing the batter (as you suspected), the cakes wouldn't have the same rise and would loose their crackly top. The batter should be very gently folded just until you don't see any white streaks. That should do the trick. I'm so happy they still tasted good, even with out the crackles!
Great questions, Raine!
Kerry Weaver says
Oh my goodness, I don't know who you are or where you are from or how I got so lucky to run across these, but this is the absolute best recipe I have ever had!! We have been gluten free for 30 years and finally found a mix we liked, then I found this recipe and thought, OK, I will try one more....and viola!! Far bettter than expensive mixes! I don't know if everything you make is this great, but you have won a fan for life!! I hid the entire batch so no one else can get them! Maybe my husband for date night tonight...THANK YOU!!
Nicki Sizemore says
Hi Kerry, thank you for this awesome comment, and welcome to my site! I'm so happy to hear you like the cakes. ? (and don't worry, I won't tell anybody that you hid the batch... ?) All of my recipes are gluten free; I hope you enjoy!
jenny spencer says
Hello Nicki. These look amazing and my mom and I can not wait to try these one day. 🙂
-Raine
Linda says
Just made these for the 2nd time in a week! Dessert to follow the vegetable massaman curry that’s almost done in the crockpot. My middle boy and his family are coming for dinner, and they’re huge Thai food fans. Chilling a nice rosé as well. Thanks for your awesome, creative dishes.
Nicki Sizemore says
Woohoo!! I hope your family liked the curry and the cakes!! 🙂
Susan Byrnes says
Nicki , can you substitute all purpose flour for the almond flour called for.
Merry Christmas to you and all the family
Nicki Sizemore says
Hi Sue! I haven't tried using regular flour in this recipe, but the almond flour gives the cakes a really moist, delicate crumb that I think you'd lose with AP flour. I hope you have a wonderful holiday!!!