From smooth and sweet milk chocolate pudding to a rich and slightly bitter dark chocolate cake, these treats are always a safe bet. Chocolate is also super versatile, and there are so many combinations to make with it. Chocolate and peanut butter? Classic. Chocolate and caramel? Irresistible. Chocolate and chili? Yes, please! A decadent chocolate dessert can be sweet, rich, bitter, spicy, fruity, or even salty. The possibilities are endless. For something more than just your basic chocolate cake, check out these 24 easy chocolate desserts that are sure to impress your family and friends!
20+ BEST Chocolate Dessert Recipes
1. Chocolate and Chili Tart with Lime
Depending on the kind of chocolate you get, it can have citrus, earthy, nutty, and even floral notes. Adding certain chilis will give it a kick for sure, but will also enhance those subtle flavors in the chocolate. This recipe uses 70% dark chocolate and chili flakes for a gentle heat underneath the deep chocolate flavor. The part I love the most is the lime zest over the top for an added citrus boost you will love.
2. Chocolate Pasta with Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Sauce, White Chocolate Shavings, and Fresh Berries
This may sound a little out there, but trust me! If you’re anything like me, you can’t resist a bowl of pasta. It’s just so filling and satisfying. Making this pasta is pretty easy and lots of fun. Though this recipe calls for a pasta maker, you can make it by hand with a little extra time and elbow grease. This pasta combines flour with powdered sugar, vanilla, eggs, and cocoa powder, along with a little chocolate syrup. When thinned out enough, you’ll cut it into long ribbons and cook for just three minutes. The pasta sauce here is a smooth and warm mix of Nutella and heavy cream with a pinch of salt. Everything gets tossed and coated, and you’ll want to serve this crazy delicious pasta dish in a big bowl with fresh fruit and a dollop of creme fraiche. For extra pizazz, grate some chocolate over the whole thing at the table.
3. Chocolate Chip Dessert Pizza
Why not throw a whole Italian feast? You already have the chocolate pasta! Now, try adding chocolate pizza to the table. Making a yeast-based crust might seem intimidating, but there are no temperature checks or resting involved. Knead for five minutes and press into your pizza pan. I love the “white sauce” here. That smooth cream cheese is perfect, and when the chocolate chips melt, it turns into a gooey glue for the great streusel topping.
4. Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Avocado Pudding
This gluten and dairy-free dessert is healthy and so easy. Do you have a blender and five minutes? Then you have time to make this rich and nutritious pudding. It’s as easy as blending avocado, banana, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and maple syrup with the dairy-free milk of your choice. Once smooth and thick, you can portion it out and let it chill overnight. Serve with some coconut whipped cream and a drizzle of melted peanut butter for breakfast, lunch, or after dinner.
5. Cosmic Brownies
Brownies are one of those recipes that work for any occasion. They’re perfect for afternoon tea, a pot-luck, teacher’s gifts, or dressed up with some ice cream and salted caramel. I like my brownies dense and fudgy, and this recipe has to be my favorite. The brownie recipe uses a good dark cocoa powder for maximum flavor. Be careful not to overmix or overbake to ensure they come out perfect. Although they’re great alone, the ganache topping and rainbow chips are just like you had as a kid and come together too fast to leave off. If you can’t find rainbow chips, they would look and taste great with M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces.
6. Kentucky Bourbon Pie
If you’re looking for an upgrade to your pecan pie, I have you covered. Kentucky bourbon pie has a similar sweet filling, made with corn syrup, sugar, and eggs. But it gets new life by adding chocolate chips and bourbon into the mix. If you use a store-bought pie crust, you can have this pie in the oven in around 20 minutes. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the center still has a little jiggle to it. This pie is decadent and sweet, so serve with just a little whipped cream and maybe some extra chocolate shavings.
7. Chocolate Lava Cake
We’ve all had one of those little chocolate cakes with the warm, melted middle. They’re such a treat and usually reserved for a night out. Not anymore! You’ll be amazed at how easy this chocolate dessert is to pull together. It takes just six ingredients and around five minutes to make the batter. No mixer or heavy lifting. Just melt the chocolate with the butter, and stir through everything else, being careful not to overmix. These bake at quite a high temperature, around 425°F, so they set up on the outside but keep that gooey center. After 12 minutes in the oven, turn them out, and serve hot with a scoop of ice cream. I think a good coffee ice cream and a touch of caramel would push this dessert over the top!
8. Reese’s Cake
Correct me if I’m wrong, but peanut butter and chocolate are pretty much made for each other. Using a simple boxed chocolate cake, this dessert has glorious layers of moist cake and creamy peanut butter frosting. I like a good cake to frosting ratio, but you can cut your cake slices as thick or thin as you like. For an extra kick, try adding some Reese’s Pieces or chopped up Peanut Butter Cups in the frosting layers for added texture. You can never have too much peanut butter, in my opinion. I love the addition of the chocolate drip here. Though, I can’t help but picture some salted caramel in there somewhere.
9. Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you like your chocolate chip cookies crisp, I can’t judge you. And heck, cookies are delicious either way. But a soft, chewy, and warm chocolate chip cookie is pure magic. For this recipe, be sure to use room temperature eggs. And that extra yolk in there? That’s how you make sure they’re ultra-chewy. This recipe has a ton of helpful tips and tricks to make sure your cookies come out exactly how you like them. My favorite has to be adding sea salt on top. It’s such a simple way to jazz up your cookies!
10. Vegan Silk Pie
Not all vegan recipes are made equal. I’ve made many over the years and been left wanting more. There can often just be something lacking. This chocolate silk pie is not one of those recipes. With a raw brownie base made from crushed walnuts, cocoa, and dates, you get a great texture and natural sweetness. But the real winner is the filling. Made with just silken tofu, dairy-free chocolate, and coconut milk, it’s creamy and full of rich chocolate flavor. Without any added setting agents, this pie is best served frozen for a firmer texture. Serve with a tart raspberry compote and a light dusting of cocoa.
11. Baked Hot Chocolate
These little delights are kind of a cross between a brownie and a souffle. The base is melted butter and chocolate with thickened egg yolks. This batter gets whipped with the egg white gently stirred through for a light and moist cake. Serve right in the ramekins with some ice cream or whipped cream. For that real hot chocolate feel, why not try a little marshmallow fluff?
12. Easy Chocolate Truffles
As much as I love an over-the-top truffle with liquor filling and a perfectly tempered chocolate coating, we don’t always have time for that. Three ingredient truffles are rich, smooth, and perfect chocolate bites. Gently melt the chocolate, cream, and butter together and mix well. Leave it to cool completely until it’s firm and you’re able to scoop it. I like to use a mini-ice scoop for this, just because it’s a little less messy. But if you like messy, don’t be afraid to jump right in! These can be rolled in cocoa, coconut, chopped nuts, or freeze-dried raspberries for an extra layer of flavor.
13. Chocolate Marshmallow Pie
This pie is so easy and even more irresistible. Start with a good Oreo base for that super chocolate punch. The filling is a fantastic creation you’ll want to eat with a spoon right out of the bowl. Melted marshmallows and milk chocolate with some whipped cream lighten it up. That’s it. Pile it in your dish and let the waiting begin. The bad news is, it needs a couple of hours to set. The good news is, you can always “forget” a little of that filling in your bowl. I won’t tell.
14. Eagle Brand Fudge
Sometimes you just want something sweet and chocolatey, but don’t want to worry about putting the oven on. That’s where fudge comes in. Gently heat chocolate with condensed milk and a pinch of salt until smooth and combined. Mix your vanilla at the end and pour into a lined dish. It doesn’t get any easier! Try adding some fun topping to switch things up. I like chopped nuts and mini-marshmallows.
15. Turtle Cookies
I know I said chocolate and peanut butter were made for each other, and I meant it. But chocolate and caramel are just too good to ignore. These little chocolate cookies are rolled in chopped pecans before baking and are delicious as is. That being said, adding caramel will never be a bad idea. After baking, carefully make a dent with the back of a measuring spoon and fill with melted caramel. Everything will cool and set together for a great chocolate and caramel bite. These get drizzled with chocolate for a pretty finish. Don’t be afraid to add some sea salt, too.
16. Chocolate Cheesecake
With an Oreo crust and super chocolate filling, this cheesecake is everything you want out of a chocolate dessert. Definitely bake your crust before adding your cheesecake batter to ensure you get that crisp bite. You’ll need to use a water bath for this baked cheesecake. Don’t panic! I always wrap my pan in a few layers of foil, and I even add in a couple of layers of plastic for good measure! I use cooking bags, torn in half for an extra layer of protection. A good ganache topping will set this off perfectly. But I think you could really out-do yourself with some cookie and/or brownie chunk scattered over the top.
17. Coconut-White Chocolate Cheesecake
Speaking of cheesecake… I’ve focused on milk and dark chocolate for much of this list, but I have to admit that I love the sweetness and versatility of white chocolate. This crust is a simple graham cracker base, but I think it would be even better with some added toasted coconut to really boost that flavor. With both coconut milk and toasted coconut in the batter, you won’t be left guessing. I love the sweetness the white chocolate brings here, and I would even go as far as to add a white chocolate ganache on top.
18. Triple Chocolate Mousse Tart
This tart is the ultimate chocolate treat. With layers of dark, milk, and white chocolate, you get the whole amazing range in one bite. Though it calls for an Oreo base, I can’t help but think a brownie base would be truly luxurious. Each layer is a gelatine-set ganache that is smooth and super flavorful. Be sure to allow each layer to set before adding the next to get those clean lines.
19. Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
We’re back to that incredible spiced chocolate combination here. These cookies incorporate cinnamon, cayenne, and chili powder for an unmistakable layer of heat. Thick, chewy and bursting with chocolate chunks, you can even roll these in a cinnamon sugar mix before baking for a great spicy crust. If I were you, I’d make extra and use the excess to make an unforgettable cookie crumb for your next chocolate pie.
20. Easy Chocolate Bark
If you’re in need of a super-simple-super-speedy chocolate treat, you should give this a go. If you’re going to be using nuts for your bark, I would always suggest roasting them before use. Just five to ten minutes in the oven is all it takes to enhance the flavor. Melt your favorite good quality chocolate and spread it into a ¼” thick layer on a lined baking sheet. You need not worry about getting it smooth. In fact, I think it looks great with some texture! While the chocolate is still wet, add your toppings. I love the combination of pistachios and cranberries here for a color pop against the dark chocolate. But you can get creative! Try out coconut and chopped dried mango, or sea salt and pecans. Or for the kids, how about some M&Ms and mini-glace cherries?
21. Nutella Chocolate Monkey Bread Self-saucing Pudding
This is an absolute mouthful in more ways than one! If you love monkey bread and chocolate, you have to try this one. Although you can use store-bought dough for this, I really do recommend trying out the homemade stuff. It has cocoa powder in the dough for that extra rich flavor. The key to the ooey-gooey bites is filling each little nugget of dough with a spoonful of Nutella. Before baking, you’ll pour a warm Nutella-based sauce over the whole thing. I would recommend eating right from the dish so you can dip each bite into the sauce that will collect and thicken at the bottom.
22. Brownie Trifle
If you’re looking for a crowd pleaser that doesn’t take a lot of skill to put together, this trifle is the perfect choice. It starts out easy, using brownie mix and instant pudding. Of course, if you have a go-to recipe, feel free to make your own. The idea behind a trifle is the layers. And this doesn’t disappoint. Brownie, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and repeat. The great thing is you can so easily modify this recipe! I would add in some chopped nuts for crunch and maybe even fresh raspberries. But I bet the kids would go nuts for a little marshmallow fluff and M&Ms.
23. Chocolate Zucchini Bread
As soon as I start seeing pumpkins, I get out my flannel and race to the closest store so I can make some pumpkin bread. I add chocolate chips into mine because… well, do I need an excuse? Recently though, I’ve been loving this chocolate zucchini recipe. It has a similar texture to carrot cake, and the zucchini adds moisture in the same way. By using cocoa powder and chocolate chips, you’ll get the most chocolate flavor. I would eat this all by itself with a decent cup of coffee.
24. Chocolate Coconut Cake
I love the color contrast of this cake. The dark chocolate looks extra inviting with the icy coconut frosting, and it tastes even better than it looks. The chocolate cake recipe is quite standard, using flour, sugar, oil and buttermilk. It does call for dark cocoa powder, and it really is worth it if you can find it. For the frosting, you’ll need butter, shortening, powdered sugar, milk, and coconut extract. The whole cake then gets coated in toasted coconut. I think the super dark cake against the white is really striking, but you can use normal cocoa powder if you prefer. If you’re not into shortening, a coconut cream cheese frosting would be fantastic against the rich chocolate of the cake. Click on a star to rate it!
Average rating 4.4 / 5. Vote count: 20 No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.
Share on social media: Let us improve this post!
