From the Kitchen of Jenna McGregor
Double Chocolate Goblin Corks
Lisa and Brendan spent two weeks on these. Lisa wanted a Halloween treat the kids would remember. Brendan wanted to be on the tasting team. They went through eleven versions. Lisa says the early batches "weren't ready yet" and won't say how she knew. Brendan tasted every one of them, including the ones that didn't work, and still describes this as the hard part.
What they landed on is a tiny double chocolate cake, about the size and shape of a wine cork, with pumpkin in the batter, a little honey and agave for sweetness, and a chocolate ganache on top. The café handed them out as the Halloween parade came down Main Street, and they were gone before the high school went by. The kids love them because they're chocolate. The moms love them because they're small and made with pumpkin. With Jenna's approval, they're on the Brewed Awakenings menu as a seasonal special.
⏱ Prep Time: 20 minutes | Batter Rest: 10 minutes | Bake Time: 15–18 minutes | Cool in Pan: 10 minutes | Yield: 24 corks or 12 muffins ✅ Gluten-Free | ✅ Celiac-Safe
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INGREDIENTS
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 eggs, at room temperature
⅓ cup avocado oil
¼ cup agave syrup
2 tsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
¼ cup good cocoa powder (we use Navitas)
¼ cup Cup-for-Cup gluten-free flour
½ cup Antimo Caputo Fioreglut gluten-free flour
⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
For the ganache:
4 Tbsp heavy cream or butter
2 Tbsp chocolate chips, plus more as needed
💜 Lisa's Tip: Lisa insists the batter needs ten minutes to "settle" before it goes in the oven. She's right, for a different reason: gluten-free flour needs that time to soak up the wet ingredients, and the corks come out smoother for it. Don't skip it.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350°F. If you're using a silicone cork mold, there's nothing to prepare. If you're using a muffin tin, line it with papers or oil it.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, avocado oil, agave syrup, honey, and vanilla. Mix in the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Using a spatula or large spoon, stir in the cocoa powder, both flours, and the chocolate chips until everything is just combined.
Let the batter stand for at least 10 minutes so the gluten-free flour can absorb the wet ingredients.
Use a small scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly between the corks or muffin cups. Bake 15–18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. We use a kitchen thermometer and pull them when the center reaches 190–200°F. That gives you the perfect cork every time.
Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then flip the cork mold so the corks drop out, and let them finish cooling.
Ganache: once the corks are completely cool, heat the heavy cream or butter on the stove or in the microwave until very warm but not boiling. Add 2 Tbsp of chocolate chips and stir until completely melted. If the ganache is too thin, keep adding chocolate chips a little at a time until it reaches a good dipping or drizzling consistency. Dip or drizzle the tops of the corks.
Brendan's finish: Brendan likes to drizzle the ganache so the tops are covered and it drips down the sides. He thinks they look spookier that way.
Storage: keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. We freeze extras without the ganache, wrapping them in plastic wrap and tossing them into a freezer bag. Add the ganache after they thaw. Ours are usually gone in a week or two, but they'll realistically keep in the freezer for 3–4 months.
These came out of Halloween week in Maple Grove, and so did Parade of Peril. A parade down Main Street, a man posed in a field like a scarecrow, and a second body on a float parked behind Brewed Awakenings. Grab a Goblin Cork and settle in.