Decadent Chocolate Recipes You Need Right Now

Come to the Dark Side

By

Updated on 12/20/21

flourless chocolate meringue cake — The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

We don't need to tell you why chocolate is everyone's favorite dessert flavor. We just skip right to rounding up the best chocolate recipes to satisfy a dessert craving, impress a Valentine's Day date, or serve for special occasions. Whether you want to try your hand at multi-step recipes, are a beginner baker, or want to add chocolate flair to your workday snacks, you'll find a go-to chocolate recipe here.

Featured Video

01 of 25

Chocolate Martini

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Chocolate lovers can enjoy their favorite dessert treat in booze form with the classic chocolate martini. It's the perfect dessert drink for any Valentine's Day dinner, or a New Year's Eve party. It is also a cinch to shake up with vodka and chocolate liqueur, and makes a stunning table-topper served in a cocoa-rimmed glass with a garnish of chocolate candies.
02 of 25

Death by Chocolate Cocktail

The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Chocolate lovers rejoice! This cocktail is appropriately named "death by chocolate" because it is heavy on the chocolate and is guaranteed to kill your sweet tooth craving. One blender makes a pretty tall drink for one person, so you might want to grab a fellow chocoholic to share it with.
03 of 25

Classic Chocolate Mousse

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Fluffy and rich chocolate mousse is the ultimate romantic French dessert. Whip up this easy and classic recipe for a sweet and indulgent ending to your Valentine's Day dinner for two. It's an ideal choice because you can prepare it ahead for the fridge, so it's ready to serve at a moment's notice.
04 of 25

Flourless Chocolate Meringue Cake

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

The magic of this cake goes beyond its dramatic top and rich mouthfeel. Where most chocolate cakes eat as soft on soft, this offers a chewy, crisp meringue with a fluffy, yet nutty interior that only serves to enhance the star of the show: the flourless cake.

Continue to 5 of 25 below.
05 of 25

Easy Chocolate Cake

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Every home baker needs a foolproof chocolate cake recipe. This moist and sweet chocolate cake is a true classic, It can be mixed up easily by hand, uses ingredients you probably have in your pantry and fridge, and is a perfect dessert for birthday parties and other special occasions.
06 of 25

Cream Cheese Brownies

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Few things beat a plate of luscious brownies—whether they are cakey, fudgy, end pieces, or studded with chocolate chips, we come running. But there's a special place in our hearts reserved for cream cheese brownies. It's the ultimate mash-up of decadent chocolate and tangy cheesecake topping swirled throughout to deliver the optimal bite.
07 of 25

Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Dangerously dark and decadent chocolate raspberry truffles are an ideal Valentine's Day dessert. They are wonderfully rich, with a smooth ganache filling that melts in your mouth, and bursting with luscious chocolate raspberry flavor. They are also beautiful to look at, with a drizzle of melted red candy coating. Make them up to two weeks ahead, storing in an airtight container in the fridge.
08 of 25

Hot Chocolate Mug Cake

The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

When you crave chocolate cake, but lack the time or will to bake one, our genius hot chocolate mug cake is quick and satisfying. You need just 5 minutes to throw it together and "bake" it in the microwave, with little fuss or mess. It tastes just like the beloved hot winter beverage, but in a cake form, including a creamy cocoa base, and must-have mini-marshmallows on top.

Continue to 9 of 25 below.
09 of 25

No-Cook Chocolate Ice Cream

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Sure, you could buy a pint of ice cream from the store. But why not earn the bragging rights of making your own? This easy, no-cook chocolate ice cream is a fun kitchen project to do with kids, because it's simple enough for beginners, and has an amazing flavor and texture. The recipe needs just five basic ingredients, and freezes beautifully in an ice cream maker.
10 of 25

Dark Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

The Spruce Eats / Ana Zelic

The only thing better than a dark chocolate cake is one with a gooey, warm center. Serve these molten lava cakes warm from the oven for a real show-stopping dessert. Top with vanilla ice cream or good whipped cream for a nice contrast.
11 of 25

Instant Pot Brownies

The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray

When you crave brownies, but don't want to heat up the kitchen by using your oven, make these awesome Instant Pot brownies. Our easy recipe yields a rich, nut-studded batch of scrumptious brownies you can slice and serve by the wedge. They are amazing on their own, or as the base for brownie sundaes.
12 of 25

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

This classic light-as-air angel food cake gets chocolate flavor from unsweetened cocoa powder, which takes the place of some of the flour. The deeper color and subtle chocolate flavor make it a chocolate-lover's dream. Whether you dust the cake with confectioners' sugar, frost it with fluffy chocolate frosting, or leave it plain and serve it with berries or a drizzle of chocolate sauce, it will be a winning dessert.

Continue to 13 of 25 below.
13 of 25

Chocolate Mousse Pie

Morgan Baker

This silky mousse pie is perfect for summer or holiday gatherings. Rather than fussing with individual servings of mousse, we like to switch things up with mousse pie on top chocolate cookie crust. Consider adding more toppings to make it even more irresistible, like chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, or serve with a fudgy salted caramel sauce for contrast in flavor.
14 of 25

Vegan Ganache

The Spruce Eats

This dark chocolate ganache works well in a whole range of recipes, from the coating of truffles to a topper for a vegan cake. You can also simply drizzle it over dairy-free ice cream. It only tastes as good as the chocolate you use, so buy the good stuff. Trust us, you won't even miss the milk.
15 of 25

Chocolate Popcorn

The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker

With the best of sweet and salty dessert and snacking flavors, our easy chocolate popcorn is an instant family favorite. Super yummy, it is easy to make at home, and kids and adults will go nuts for the crunchy delicious, lightly chocolatey snack. Make a large batch for your next family movie night or kids' sleepover party, or package it in cellophane bags as an edible party favor.
16 of 25

Easy Chocolate Fondue

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Fondue might feel like a throwback to the 1980s, but a chocolate-dipping party can make a fun evening activity, regardless of the decade. Use dark chocolate or a mix of semisweet and bittersweet, depending on how intense you want the flavor. For dipping, grab some strawberries, banana slices, marshmallows, pretzels, graham crackers, and small cookies—or ask your guests to bring their own dippers for a fun DIY get-together.

Continue to 17 of 25 below.
17 of 25

Nutella Fudge

The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

Fudge is not only a holiday treat, consider it a year-round treat because it's so easy to prepare. In this version, decadent Nutella and crunchy hazelnuts add a new twist to a classic. This recipe makes fudge that's on the thinner side, but if you prefer a thicker bite feel free to double the recipe and use the same dish.
18 of 25

Dairy-Free Vegan Chocolate Pudding

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Pudding is a favorite dessert of kids and adults, but a vegan version can be tough to find at the grocery store. Luckily, it's easy to make at home with simple ingredients. The result is a luscious, creamy, chocolatey pudding that's dairy-free, egg-free, and healthier than your average dessert.
19 of 25

German Chocolate Cookies

The Spruce / Christine Ma

German chocolate cake is a delicious and decadent treat, with its rich layers separated by a gooey filling of coconut and pecans. But making it is a time-consuming project since it requires baking, assembling, resting, and frosting. Our German chocolate sugar cookies are a fantastic alternative, needing a lot less active time in the kitchen but providing all the flavor you desire.
20 of 25

Texas Sheet Cake and Icing

The Spruce / Rachel Riesgraf

Texas sheet cake may be so named because of its size, but ask any proper Texan and they can likely recite a family secret for making "the best." Featuring a signature Texas ingredient, pecans, this moist chocolate cake looks unpretentious, like brownies, but it makes an undeniably rich statement on the dessert table.

Continue to 21 of 25 below.
21 of 25

Rich French Chocolate Gâteau Recipe

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

This chocolate gâteau recipe, also known as gâteau au chocolat, makes for a versatile, rich dessert. Try topping it with powdered sugar, more cocoa powder, a caramel drizzle, or fresh raspberries for a delicious and remarkably easy treat. Whipped cream is another ingredient you may want to invite along to this party, it will top the cake beautifully.
22 of 25

French Dark Chocolate Truffles

The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

A truffle of softly melting dark chocolate ganache lavishly dusted with cocoa powder is a treat unlike any other. These traditional French dark chocolate truffles are the epitome of that treat, and once tasted will never be forgotten. The recipe is so rich and flavorful, it'll satisfy even the most dedicated chocolate lovers.
23 of 25

Edible Chocolate Cookie Dough

Kristina Vanni

Edible cookie dough is great because it is that satisfying treat that reminds us of childhood, but it is made safely, so we can feel comfortable enjoying it by the spoonful. It's easy to tweak this quick and easy recipe to suit your particular palate. Both kids and adults alike will love it.
24 of 25

Nutella Cake Pops

The Spruce / Christine Ma

This Nutella cake pops recipe is a delicious twist on regular cake pops. These candies are made with moist chocolate cake and Nutella and topped with chopped hazelnuts.

Continue to 25 of 25 below.
25 of 25

Chocolate Raspberry Tart

The Spruce / Bahareh Niati

This strikingly beautiful tart is made with a lusciously rich chocolate ganache and fresh raspberries. We use a pâte sablée for the tart crust which has a buttery, crumbly texture almost like a cookie.

More Chocolate Tips to Tempt You:

We've rounded up these links for chocaholics:

21 Chocolate Desserts That'll Make You Swoon

28 Sweet and Celebratory Graduation Cake Ideas

27 Decadent Chocolate Cake Recipes

How To Eat More Chocolate

How to Make a Cake

16 Dairy-Free Chocolate Recipes

Traditional French Dark Chocolate Truffles

30 Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipes

20 Crowd-Pleasing Super Bowl Desserts

7 Easy Dessert Recipes That Start With Chocolate Pudding

22 Decadent Chocolate Desserts for Valentine's Day

What Is Ganache?

Best Cupcake Delivery Services

14 Chocolate Chip Recipes You Need to Put On Repeat

14 Quick and Easy Microwave Mug Recipes

We Researched the Best Dairy-Free Ice Creams—These Are Our Top Picks

Chocolate Mousse Pie Recipe