Food Ingredients Chocolate Our 42 Best Chocolate Dessert Recipes Make rich, crave-inducing chocolate cake, cookies, brownies, and more. By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 2, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christina Daley If you're craving chocolate, this collection of our most craveable chocolate dessert recipes is for you. Perfect a simple Chocolate Cake, advance to brave the version from The Bear, opt for gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies, or take on homemade ice cream. Our collection of the best chocolate recipes showcases the versatility and deliciousness of chocolate, from brownies to black-cherry chocolate ice cream sandwiches to chocolate pudding, and so much more. 01 of 42 Double Chocolate Layer Cake Julia Hartbeck "This is the most fabulous chocolate cake that I've ever made," Ina Garten declared when we ran her recipe in 2007. The buttermilk keeps the cake moist and light, and the bit of coffee in the cake and frosting keeps the sweetness in check. Get the Recipe 02 of 42 Lee Lee's Double Chocolate Chunk Brownies Greg DuPree Pastry chef Lee Lee Reid is a self-proclaimed brownie aficionado. "I'm always looking for that perfect chew," she says. Needless to say, the chocolate chunk brownie recipe she developed, which customers can find at her husband's bakeshop, Nathaniel Reid Bakery in St. Louis, is the ideal balance of cakey and fudgy — falling in line with Nathaniel's own baking philosophy. Get the Recipe 03 of 42 Vegan Chocolate-Chipotle Ice Cream Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Christine Keely This recipe is 100% vegan, but you would never know it: It's rich and decadent, like frozen ganache, with a bit of smoky tang from the chipotles. The finished product is as creamy as it gets for being made without dairy, and the flavor combination of chocolate and chipotle, which is smoky and a bit hot, adds personality. Get the Recipe 04 of 42 Chocolate Party Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Homemade Sprinkles Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee Rich, chocolaty, and so very festive, this chocolate cake with ganache frosting is worthy of a party on its own. Ganache has many applications in pastry, and here Chef Paola Velez uses it to make the silky-smooth frosting to top her chocolate cake. Get the Recipe 05 of 42 Miso Chocolate Tart with Black Sesame–Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust Victor Protasio This dessert is savory-sweet. The nutty, crunchy crust lays the foundation for a velvety-smooth filling and the addition of miso mixed with melted dark chocolate adds depth and umami, an almost buttery quality, and saltiness to balance the sweetness in the truffle-like ganache. Get the Recipe 06 of 42 Chocolate-and-Citrus Cassata Victor Protasio This spectacular holiday dessert comes from chef Rebecca Wilcomb's New Orleans restaurant, Gianna. To decorate it, use an offset spatula, a bench scraper, and a cake turntable for the smoothest cake with straight sides. Prevent air bubbles from forming in the dark chocolate ganache glaze by using a spatula to stir the melting chocolate. Get the Recipe 07 of 42 Air Fryer Brownies Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis With the help of an air fryer, these gooey, fudgy brownies — baked in ramekins and reminiscent of a molten chocolate cake — are less than an hour away. Get the Recipe 08 of 42 'The Bear' Chocolate Cake Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christina Daley The famous chocolate cake from the television show The Bear features an airy chocolate mousse layered between a fudgy chocolate cake and topped with a rich chocolate frosting. Get the Recipe 09 of 42 German Chocolate Cake Julia Hartbeck This classic dessert is a textural delight, pairing layers of tender chocolate cake with the sweet chew of coconut-pecan frosting. Get the Recipe 10 of 42 Brown-Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland The butterscotch-tinged dough in this essential chocolate chip cookie recipe is a perfect complement to the dark chocolate. Get the Recipe 11 of 42 Molten Chocolate Cakes Jennifer Causey It seems as though every restaurant in America offers a version of this amazing cake created by master chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. But his supremely rich and chocolaty original is in a class by itself. Get the Recipe 12 of 42 Indulgent Hot Chocolate Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely The ultimate chocolate lover’s hot chocolate, this drink is thick, rich in flavor and texture, and topped with an airy chocolate-infused whipped cream. Get the Recipe 13 of 42 Giant Chocolate Cookie with Cacao Nibs and Flaky Salt Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland The only thing better than a dark cocoa cookie with a hint of chewiness and a generous sprinkle of flaky salt is this impressively oversized one that's designed to feed a crowd. Cut into wedges, the cookies resemble chocolate shortbread, but these treats — studded with chopped bittersweet chocolate and cacao nibs — are far more indulgent. Get the Recipe 14 of 42 Chocolate French Crullers with Dried Raspberries and Fudge Glaze Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Made with a classic choux dough, these French crullers are full of personality, featuring a crunchy crust, an airy center, and a colorful topping of dried raspberries and fudge. Get the Recipe 15 of 42 Spiced Chocolate Fondue Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen The chocolate holds its silky texture at room temperature, which makes it great for making ahead of your Valentine's day dinner. Serve this fondue with pieces of pound cake, gingerbread, apples, pears, strawberries, bananas, and/or marshmallows, for dunking. If you like, offer a few pretzels or salt-topped cookies for a sweet-salty dessert experience. Get the Recipe 16 of 42 Double-Chocolate Rye Cookies Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Christine Keely A mix of unsweetened cocoa and bittersweet chocolate bars gives these fudgy cookies a deep chocolate flavor. Dark rye flour adds a lightly savory note that balances the sweet intensity of dark chocolate well and plays off the crunchy sea salt garnish. The addition of light brown sugar makes these cookies extra chewy and helps to extend their shelf life. Get the Recipe 17 of 42 Black Cherry–Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Christine Keely / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer Homemade chocolate cookies encase store-bought black cherry ice cream for the ultimate ice cream sandwiches. Plus, wrapped in wax paper or parchment paper, sandwiches will keep in freezer up to 1 month. Get the Recipe 18 of 42 Chocolate-Raspberry Icebox Cake Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Crushed cookies, fresh raspberries, and layers of tart raspberry sorbet and vanilla ice cream transform into a gorgeous marbled layer cake in about 15 minutes — no frosting required. The raspberries sink into the milky, sweet layers of ice cream, adding a tart flavor and pops of color to the cake, and crunchy chocolate cookie crumble layers are the perfect sweet and salty counterpoint, adding satisfying texture and a hint of bittersweet flavor. Get the Recipe 19 of 42 Chocolate and Fig Cake Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis You've got options: The large range of figs called for in this cake recipe leaves the decoration and texture of this dense and fudgy chocolate dessert up to you. Four ounces of figs creates two small rings around the cake, while the full 12 ounces of fruit will cover the entire top with a jammy layer. Get the Recipe 20 of 42 Chocolate Cardamom Cream Tart with Pistachio-Sesame Brittle Anna Stockwell This recipe adds creaminess from milk chocolate and plenty of richness from heavy cream. A touch of cardamom in the custard and the whipped-cream topping, plus the contrasting crunch of homemade nut brittle, elevate this dessert. Get the Recipe 21 of 42 Peanut Butter–Chocolate Pie Antonis Achilleos With the smooth, nutty peanut butter filling, glistening ganache, and salty roasted peanuts on top, this pie evokes all the sweetness of a childhood memory, delivered in the form of an elegant, nuanced dessert that adults will want to savor. Get the Recipe 22 of 42 Bûche de Noël with Mascarpone Cream and Dark Chocolate Ganache Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kay Clarke Butter and corn syrup in the ganache keep it smooth and glossy. Stirring slivered toasted almonds into the ganache frosting gives it a "tree bark" look and adds contrasting texture to the silky filling and tender cake. Get the Recipe 23 of 42 Black and Ruby Cookies Farrah Skeiky Paola Velez adds her own spin to the iconic New York City treat of her youth: the Black and White cookie. She starts by going all-chocolate with the topping: one side gets piped with dark chocolate ganache and the other with ruby chocolate, a fruity chocolate with a pink hue. Get the Recipe 24 of 42 Cocoa Cola Bundt Cake Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Christine Keely In her modern-day version of the Coca-Cola cake, cookbook author Vallery Lomas flips tradition on its head by making a cola-flavored cake with cola-flavored icing. The batter is splashed with a bit of cola, sometimes for flavor but mostly for fluff; the soda's carbonation acts as a leavening agent, similar to baking soda or baking powder, helping the cake rise and come out light and airy. Get the Recipe 25 of 42 Salted Tahini Chocolate Shortbread Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley These buttery, nutty, salty shortbread cookies have enough structure to hold together when you pick them up, but when you take a bite, they are meltingly tender. The salt compliments the tanginess of the chocolate, and brings out the nuttiness from the tahini. Get the Recipe 26 of 42 Chocolate Puddings with Miso Caramel Photo by Caitlin Bensel / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Miso-enriched caramel intensifies the deep, chocolaty flavor of these silky puddings from pastry chef Clarice Lam. A touch of cornstarch in the custard base helps thicken the puddings and keeps them from curdling or breaking. Be sure to bring the leftover caramel to the table; its savory, bitter, and sweet flavor will have guests reaching for more. Get the Recipe 27 of 42 Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Pastry chef Paola Velez's recipe for these chocolate sandwich cookies creates crisp, buttery cookies filled with rich, fluffy milk chocolate ganache. The creamy filling is made with chocolate and butter instead of the usual heavy cream, resulting in a softer ganache. Get the Recipe 28 of 42 Classic Chocolate Cake © Greg DuPree This is a real old-fashioned American chocolate layer cake. It's very moist, very chocolatey, a snap to make and best baked the day before serving. Marcia Kiesel acquired the recipe from her friend Joyce Cole, who got it from her mother. Get the Recipe 29 of 42 Chocolate-Peppermint Brownies © Kristin Perers These rich peppermint brownies topped with crushed candy canes are from London's renowned bakery Violet. No candy canes? Use striped peppermint candies. Get the Recipe 30 of 42 Ultimate Chocolate Mousse Greg DuPree A legendary food writer shares his definitive recipe for the richest and fluffiest chocolate mousse we have ever tasted. Get the Recipe 31 of 42 Icebox Chocolate Cheesecake © CON POULOS Grace Parisi brilliantly layers chocolate cookies with a quick mix of cream cheese, chocolate syrup and a little water. The cookies soften as the cake chills overnight for a perfectly moist, chocolate cheesecake. Get the Recipe 32 of 42 Chocolate Truffle Layer Cake © Anna Williams This superfudgy cake is layered with dark chocolate and white chocolate ganache, then covered in dark chocolate frosting. Get the Recipe 33 of 42 Crunchy Milk Chocolate-Peanut Butter Layer Cake © Tina Rupp The genius of this layer cake is its extraordinarily crunchy filling, made with almonds, salted peanuts, creamy peanut butter, chocolate and Rice Krispies. The silky milk-chocolate ganache frosting almost pushes the recipe over the top. Get the Recipe 34 of 42 Milk Chocolate–Peanut Custards © Constantine Poulos These clusters are built with low-fat chocolate milk and silken tofu for texture. Plus, roasted peanuts add terrific flavor and a little crunch. Get the Recipe 35 of 42 Chocolate Brownie Cookies © Christina Holmes Dana Cowin, a cookie connoisseur and former F&W editor in chief, declares these double-chocolate ones the most delicious she’s ever had. They’re like crispy-chewy brownies in cookie form. Get the Recipe 36 of 42 Chocolate Fudge Loaf Chocolate Fudge Loaf. Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver This rich and fudgy cake is topped with a thick blanket of dark chocolate ganache and sprinkled with cacao nibs and flaky sea salt. Ingredients like coffee, rye flour, and crème fraîche enhance the robust, nutty, and slightly sweet aroma of Dutch-process cocoa. However, the real secret ingredient here is salt. A generous dose of salt acts as a flavor enhancer and balances the brown sugar for a decadent, not overly sweet loaf. Get the Recipe 37 of 42 Warm Chocolate Cakes with Mascarpone Cream © Quentin Bacon In his riff on Black Forest cake, a favorite dessert of his father's, Hosea Rosenberg tops individual cakes with mascarpone cream instead of whipped cream and luscious brandied cherries instead of jarred. Get the Recipe 38 of 42 Salty-Sweet Chocolate Pretzel Bars © Marcus Nilsson There are only a handful of ingredients in these simple but outrageously decadent and fun dessert bars from Food & Wine's Justin Chapple. If big pieces of hard pretzels aren't your thing, feel free to swap in thinner pretzels. Get the Recipe 39 of 42 Chocolate-Buttermilk Snack Cakes © David Malosh In her update of the classic chocolate Hostess cupcake, Chicago pastry chef Mindy Segal uses mascarpone to make the rich and creamy filling. Get the Recipe 40 of 42 Chocolate Panna Cotta with Spiced Pepita Brittle © Con Poulos This light, silky panna cotta tastes a lot like hot cocoa in custard form. The brittle is easy to make; heat sugar and water on the stove, swirl in butter and spiced pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), then let cool. Get the Recipe 41 of 42 Chocolate-Cookie Crunch Trifle © Christina Holmes Any kind of cookie works as a layer in this decadent and super-chocolaty trifle from Washington, DC, pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac. Get the Recipe 42 of 42 Gianduja Mousse Frances Janisch As if the chocolate-hazelnut spread gianduja isn't delicious enough straight off the spoon, Grace Parisi has folded in whipped cream and crème fraîche to create a truly decadent (and ridiculously easy) mousse. For a supereasy ice cream sandwich, spoon the mousse between chocolate wafers and freeze overnight. Get the Recipe The Best Dark Chocolate Bars, According to Our Tests Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! 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