Recipe Roundup

81 Deep, Dark Chocolate Dessert Recipes

Our favorite bittersweet and semisweet chocolate recipes include flourless cakes, dark chocolate truffles, chocolate-caramel tarts, and rich cocoa puddings.
A single slice being removed from a tart topped with swoops and swirls of chocolate ganache.
Photo by Alex Lau
  • A single slice being removed from a tart topped with swoops and swirls of chocolate ganache.
    Photo by Alex Lau
    1/81

    Salted Caramel–Chocolate Tart

    This dark chocolate tart is dinner-party ready. A bit of flaky sea salt on top brings out the flavor of the chocolate and tempers the sweetness of the caramel.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
    2/81

    Luscious Hot Chocolate

    This intense version of winter's most comforting drink is for professional chocolate lovers only.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    3/81

    Chocolate Cream Pie

    This easy chocolate pie recipe is a dream: creamy chocolate custard piled into a chocolate cookie crust and topped with whipped cream.

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  • Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    4/81

    Flourless Chocolate Cake

    A classic. And a powerhouse. This is the cake to turn to on those nights when you want to be knocked unconscious by chocolate.

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    5/81

    Chocolate Blackout Cookies

    We love the look of the homemade extra-long sprinkles on these whoopie-pie-type chocolate cookies, but they take a steady hand and a wealth of patience to shape. Use any store-bought sprinkle in their place.

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  • Photo by Peden + Munk
    6/81

    Bittersweet-Chocolate Truffles

    Chef Jody Williams serves this truffle mixture family-style at holiday parties, with spoons, so guests can scrape off shavings of ganache and toss them through cocoa powder or sandwich between wedges of clementine.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    7/81

    BA's Best Chocolate Macaroon Cake

    This is a cake version of the chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons that are a Passover staple. Any nut will work in place of the almonds.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    8/81

    Sheet-Pan Brownie Thins

    These sheet-pan brownies don't require any special equipment, all you need is a standard 18x13" rimmed baking sheet and a bowl. The batter gets spread into a thin layer yielding rich, chewy (not cakey!) brownies that are about ¼-inch thick—perfect for parties, bake sales, or anytime you want just a little chocolate dessert.

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  • Photo by Eva Kolenko.
    9/81

    Dark-Chocolate Mousse

    You know what never, ever goes out of style? Chocolate mousse. Keep this recipe around for those times when you just need a bite of chocolate.

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  • Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling: Susan Spungen
    10/81

    Chocolate Fudge With Bourbon Sugar

    The exceptional texture and glossy sheen of this fudge result from the way you mix it. Make sure the chocolate and condensed milk are barely hot.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    11/81

    Chocolate-Hazelnut Napoleons

    Weighting the puff pastry with an extra sheet pan while it blind-bakes is a classic way to get the crackle without the height and also gives the pastries a sleek, modern look.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    12/81

    Warm Cocoa Pudding With Candied Pecans

    Makes you wonder why you would ever serve cold pudding again.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    15/81

    Hot Cocoa Cake

    Serve this versatile cake warm with lots of chocolate sauce and whipped cream. And a cup of hot cocoa, of course.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    16/81

    Frozen Mini S'mores Pies

    These campfire-inspired treats combine rich chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows in a whole new way.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen
    17/81

    Giant Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup

    This giant version of the classic childhood candy bar favorite can be made with milk, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate, but we highly recommend using bittersweet chocolate—aka dark chocolate—for that oh-so-delicious mix of rich chocolatey flavor and sweet-salty peanut butter crunch.

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  • 18/81

    Chocolate Plum Cake

    Dark chocolate and ripe plums make a sweet match in this decadent late summer dessert. Don't have ripe plums on hand? Canned plums will work just fine.

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  • Photo by Kelsey McClellan
    19/81

    Frosted Malt-Chocolate Cookies

    Original malted milk powder can be found in the baking aisle. Look for the Nestlé Carnation brand.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    20/81

    Chocolate-Raspberry Soufflé

    These pretty soufflé are our go-to recipe for sky-high results. A spoonful of jam is stirred into the base, which adds tangy flavor to the soufflé and stabilizes it, and an Italian meringue helps it rise and stay strong.

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  • Photo by Chris Court, William Meppem, Anson Smart, Ben Dearnley
    21/81

    Chocolate Shortbread Slice

    Essentially rows of buttery shortbread encased in a rich chocolate ganache, we suggest having a slice of this dessert by the fire with a strong cup of coffee.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    22/81

    Chocolate Budino With Candied Walnuts

    This deliciously wobbly, very special pudding isn’t thickened with cornstarch or gelatin. Instead, it’s made with chocolate, milk, cream, and eggs and spiked with olive oil and salt, which complement the bittersweet and fruity flavors of the chocolate. To die for!

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    23/81

    Double Chocolate Cake With Peppermint-Chocolate Frosting

    This festive winter cake relies on applesauce and—believe it or not—mayonnaise to make a dairy-free chocolate dessert that’s perfect for the holidays.

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  • Photo by Eva Kolenko, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    24/81

    Dark Chocolate Semifreddo

    The texture of this airy semifreddo is somewhere between frozen chocolate mousse and gelato. In other words: you’re going to love it.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
    25/81

    Chocolate, Pistachio, and Tahini Truffles

    The perfect party treat, these two-bite truffles can easily be made ahead of time and are a wonderful accompaniment to a glass of bubbly. In this version, tahini (ground sesame paste) replaces the traditional heavy cream for a nuttier flavor.

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  • Photo by David Japy
    26/81

    Chocolate Satin

    Silkier, lighter, and more delightful than anything you've ever tasted before.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    27/81

    Chocolate Croissants (Pains au Chocolat)

    Using melted white chocolate in the vanilla portion of this marble cake adds a complex toastiness, and makes a luxurious textural match for the chocolate swirls—even if you don't like white chocolate, give it a try.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li
    28/81

    Gluten-Free Chocolate-Tahini Brownies

    David Lebovitz’s timeless brownies inspired our own take with a sweet and nutty tahini swirl.

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  • Photo by Leigh Beisch
    31/81

    Brigadeiros

    Somewhere between a fudgy chocolate truffle and a Tootsie Roll is the Brazilian confection known as the brigadeiro.

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  • 32/81

    Salted Chocolate Caramel Tart

    You can cut through the richness of sweet caramel sauce with a dark chocolate glaze. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt balances the dish and adds a pop of brightness.

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  • Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian
    33/81

    Hot Chocolate Baked French Toast

    Combine that mug of hot cocoa with your Sunday morning brunch with this fun twist on the classic brunch dish. An added bonus: you can easily prep it the night before, making breakfast quick and easy after you've slept in.

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  • Photo by Tara Fisher
    34/81

    Chocolate and Passionfruit Layer Cake

    Chocolate cake is a beautiful thing on its own, but adding a thick layer of sharp passionfruit curd undercuts the heavy richness and balances the sweetness—which means that one slice is no longer enough…

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    35/81

    Chocolate-Covered Marshmallow Cookies

    This ambitious Mallomars-inspired recipe is a project: Make the (wheat-free!) cookie base and top with marshmallow on day one; enrobe in chocolate on day two.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen
    36/81

    Giant Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars

    Buttery pat-in-pan shortbread takes the place of mass-produced cookies and gets smothered in from-scratch caramel and silken chocolate in this jumbo version of a classic candy bar.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
    37/81

    Chocolate-Pecan Sheet Pie With Molasses

    Creamy chocolate ganache, sweetened with earthy molasses, and crunchy candied pecans add texture and richness to this eminently shareable Thanksgiving dessert.

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  • Photo by Dan Forbes
    38/81

    Spiced Chocolate Torte Wrapped in Chocolate Ribbons

    This pecan-studded chocolate spice-cake is filled with a luscious chocolate buttercream, drenched in a rich espresso-infused ganache and then decorated with edible dark and white chocolate ribbons for an impressive presentation.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    39/81

    Chocolate, Cinnamon, and Hazelnut Thumbprints

    Way better than jarred hazelnut spread, these luscious cookies make the most of their headlining ingredients. These are an amazing addition to any Christmas cookie assortment.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen
    40/81

    Giant Chocolate Candy Bar with Peanuts and Nougat

    The iconic chocolate bar of peanut-studded caramel and nougat is all about chewiness. Transforming that small bite into a giant layered treat means keeping the same flavors, but whipping up nougat fluffy enough to eat by the forkful with soft peanut-studded caramel.

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  • Photo by Johnny Autry
    41/81

    Chocolate Sour Cream Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Glaze

    This is one heck of a cake on so many levels. For starters, nobody is ever going to guess there's zucchini in here, because it virtually disappears in the baking—there's not even a hint of vegetable flavor or nubbiness that you might expect from grated zucchini. What you will notice is what a moist cake this is, maybe the moistest chocolate cake you've ever had.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
    42/81

    Chocolate-Pistachio Sablés

    These slice-and-bake shortbreads can be prepped and kept wrapped in the freezer for up to a month before baking. And guess what? No need to defrost before slicing and zipping them into the oven.

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  • Photo by Stephen Lewis
    43/81

    Salted Caramel "Ding Dong" Cake

    It may look like a giant lunchbox treat, but an ultra-smooth ganache and a final flourish of crunchy sea salt make this one elegant cake.

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  • Photo by Peden & Munk
    44/81

    Chocolate-Nut Rugelach

    Our slice-and-bake technique is easier to manage than shaping a crescent version—a touch of sanity during holiday baking madness.

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  • The New Easy, photography by William Meppem
    45/81

    Chocolate Chunk Share Cookie

    This crumbly dark chocolate cookie is best served with ice cream, sticky dulce de leche, and an eating-with-abandon attitude.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Katherine Sacks
    46/81

    Fudgy Double-Chocolate Brownies

    Brownies can go two ways—fudgy or cakey—and these rich squares decidedly fall into the fudgy category.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    49/81

    Christmas Bombe With Spiced Cake and Chocolate-Brandy Glaze

    Meet your new favorite show-stopping Christmas dessert: a spiced chocolate cake topped with a cream cheese mousse studded with dried fruit and nuts and glazed with brandy-spiked melted chocolate. Serve it with sparklers on top for a memorable entrance.

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott
    50/81

    Fallen Chocolate Cake

    Who doesn’t love chocolate cake? This one is moist, dense, rich, and naturally gluten-free.

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  • Jamie Chung
    51/81

    Classic Chocolate Mousse

    Dark chocolate and espresso add the slightly bitter notes needed to balance this dessert. Remember, the higher the cacao percentage, the less sweet the chocolate.

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  • Ditte Isager
    52/81

    Mile-High Chocolate Pie

    To get a super-light mousse, you'll need to properly fold together the whipped cream, egg whites, and melted chocolate.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Katherine Sacks
    53/81

    S'mores Sandwich Cookies

    Upgrade your campfire treats with soft honey-cinnamon cookies slicked with melted chocolate and two toasted, charred marshmallows.

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  • Romulo Yanes
    54/81

    Chocolate Tiramisu

    Adding melted chocolate to the mascarpone filling of tiramisu is a genius move that only makes this coffee-infused dessert even better.

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  • Romulo Yanes
    55/81

    Zeppole with Chocolate Sauce

    Once you dip your doughnuts in chocolate sauce, you will never want doughnuts without sauce again.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    56/81

    Buttered Rum Hot Chocolate

    Butter adds velvety texture and comforting flavor to this special-occasion cocktail, a combination of our two favorite winter warmers.

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  • Photo by Deb Perelman
    57/81

    Marble Bundt Cake

    Using melted white chocolate in the vanilla portion of this marble cake adds a complex toastiness, and makes a luxurious textural match for the dark chocolate swirls.

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  • Photo by Shutterstock
    58/81

    Quatre-Quarts au Chocolat de Juliette (Chocolate Pound Cake)

    This delicious cake is different from other good chocolate pound cakes. It uses chocolate instead of the more usual cocoa, and the cake is baked in a bain-marie, or water bath.

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  • Photo by Peter Frank Edwards
    59/81

    Bourbon Balls

    Bourbon Balls function as the ultimate easy dessert for Southern cocktail parties, and they put a sweet, slightly boozy finish on any get-together. Think of them as an edible digestif. Crushed vanilla wafers hold all the chocolatey goodness together.

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  • 60/81

    Triple-Chocolate Cookies

    For when single- or double-chocolate desserts just won't do.

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  • Photo by Chris Court, William Meppem
    67/81

    Flourless Cacao Fudge Cake

    Raw cacao powder retains a higher portion of nutrients than more common cocoa powder, which is usually heated during manufacturing. Swap the almond meal here for hazelnut meal, if you prefer.

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  • Photo by Misha Gravenor
    68/81

    Chocolate Pudding with Espresso Whipped Cream

    Why top your chocolate pudding with plain whipped cream when you can top it with espresso whipped cream?

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  • Photo by Dennis Prescott
    71/81

    Double-Chocolate Skillet Brownie

    This double-chocolate brownie with crunchy pecans and ice cream is perfect for dinner parties, family gatherings, or any time a hungry crowd wants something sweet and delicious.

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  • donna hay magazine, photography by Chris Court
    72/81

    Dark Chocolate Pretzel Cake

    Crispy pretzels add a crunchy, salty bite and a pretty finishing touch to this rich and silky chocolate cake.

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  • Chris Gentile, Gourmet Live
    75/81

    Triple Chocolate Tart with Boozy Whipped Cream

    This triple threat dessert offers three distinct textures and flavors: A nutty, crumbly crust is filled with a dark chocolate pudding enriched with bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, and chocolate stout, then topped with a billowy bourbon whipped cream.

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  • Jake Chessum
    76/81

    World Peace Cookies

    These intense, ultra-rich cookies are a dark chocolate lover's dream.

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Following stints at StarChefs and Saveur, Joe joined Epicurious in 2016 where he’s written about how to make the very best biscuits, the singularity of third-culture cooking, and the ultimate cream cheese frosting. Currently, he works across both BA and Epi as the senior SEO editor for cooking stories, which ... Read More
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The Epicurious editorial team develops original recipes, and publishes stories about cooking better, faster, and more creatively, sustainably, and affordably. See our full masthead, here. ... Read More
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75 Incredible Chocolate Recipes for Cookies, Brownies, Cakes, and More
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