I have lots of favorite dessert categories, which maybe makes the “favorite” label a little less special, but dark chocolate is an easy addition to my personal Dessert Hall of Fame.
The recipes here are like a little friendly flavor explosion. Just phenomenally delicious.
1. Salted Dark Chocolate Tart
Okay, can we talk about this tart? It looks about 10x more fancy than it actually is. There’s no need for any special equipment or pro-level skills here, friends.
You’ll just whip up a quick crust using almond flour, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and coconut oil, and bake it until it’s nice and firm. Of course, you could also just use Oreo cookies and butter if that’s more your vibe.
Then, the filling is just a luscious chocolate ganache. You’ll heat some coconut milk until it’s almost boiling, pour it over the chocolate, and whisk until it’s silky smooth. Pour that into the crust, and you’re done. So simple, so good.
2. Dark Chocolate Ganache Truffles
Truffles are one of my go-to gifts for the holidays or birthdays. Ganache is ridiculously easy to make, and you can get all creative dressing these up after they’ve had time to set.
Unlike the hot chocolate we’ll talk about later, you want this ganache to be firm enough to hold its shape when you handle it. This just means you’ll need a bit more chocolate than cream.
I’ve learned to always heat the cream rather than the chocolate when making ganache, since chocolate can be a little tricky. Also, be sure you have some top-quality chocolate.
If you go for something cheap, it might not set up quite right, and you’ll absolutely taste the difference.
3. Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake
If you’re the kind of person who scrapes the extra frosting off your cake, you might be a Bundt cake fan. They’re super thick and incredibly moist, and a lot of them don’t even include any frosting at all.
I think frostings and glazes are great for adding new flavors to the mix, but I also believe that a cake should be tender enough to be amazing without it.
This cake is just that, and the sour cream guarantees this sponge will just melt in your mouth.
But even though it doesn’t need the glaze, it certainly doesn’t hurt it one bit.
4. Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies
Brownies are probably one of my all-time favorite things to bake. They’re just so easy, ready in one bowl, and packed with chocolatey goodness.
That said, they can also be pretty sweet, so using dark chocolate is the perfect way to keep them from becoming too much.
The very best brownies should have both melted chocolate and cocoa powder in the mix, along with eggs, sugar, butter, and flour.
Make sure to cook them only until the edges begin to get a little crispy, otherwise, they’ll end up cakey.
5. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark
While white chocolate bark is fun and festive, I think this dark chocolate bark looks absolutely stunning. The peanut butter against the dark background is so striking, and you know right away it’s going to be delicious.
Remember to melt the peanut butter first and be super gentle with a toothpick to get that signature swirl. Less is more in this situation, so take it slow and stop before it all mixes into the chocolate.
6. Homemade Caramels with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt
By its very nature, caramel is super sweet. It’s pretty much just sugar, cream, and butter, which is why you often see it paired with a sprinkle of sea salt.
But for those who want to dial that sweetness down even more, there’s nothing better than a coating of dark chocolate.
Since it can be a little bit of a project to completely cover individual caramels, you could always just use a piping bag and drizzle the chocolate over the top instead. That will give you a fun texture, too.
7. Big Fat Double Dark Chocolate Cookies
Have you ever tried to make Levain Bakery-style cookies at home? They are ultra-thick and ridiculously indulgent. Plus, they each weigh about six ounces!
This version is double the chocolate and double the decadence. Seriously, these babies are a meal all by themselves, so you might want to call over a few friends to help you tackle them.
To get these to that perfectly chewy and gooey texture, you’ll need to bake them for 9 to 10 minutes and then pull them out. They’ll look a bit underbaked, but they’ll finish setting up on the tray.
8. Double Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
Why have regular sticky Rice Krispie treats when you could have these rich and creamy chocolate treats?
It starts with a thick layer of dark chocolate on the bottom, which acts as a base. Over this, you’ll pour the mix of milk chocolate, butter, and Rice Krispies.
Go ahead and toss in some mini-marshmallows if you think you’ll miss that classic squishy texture. Or, you can melt some marshmallows right into the chocolate mixture.
9. Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
I should probably give you a heads-up that this dark chocolate banana bread is to die for. And since it just involves adding some cocoa powder, you can still totally eat this for breakfast!
The recipe suggests Hershey dark cocoa powder, which I love because it’s so easy to find. Of course, you can use any good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder you have.
For something extra special, try swirling some melted peanut butter over the top before sprinkling it with mini-chocolate chips.
10. Salted Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
If you’re looking for ‘death by chocolate,’ this is it. These cupcakes are so rich, they might even be a bit much for the kids. Talk about a win-win!
A lot of boxed cake mixes have a ton of sugar in them. Even the chocolate cakes tend to be on the sweeter side. So, for something intense and flavorful, it’s always a good idea to make your own.
And the best way to really bring out that cocoa powder flavor is to include coffee in your batter. You won’t taste the coffee, but it will wake up the cocoa and make it even more amazing.
11. Homemade Dark Chocolate
Did you know you can make your very own dark chocolate with just cocoa powder, coconut oil, honey, vanilla, and sea salt?
Just melt the coconut oil and stir in all the flavorings before whisking in the cocoa powder until it’s smooth.
These won’t have the same ‘crack’ that store-bought chocolate has, and they need to be kept in the fridge. But if you have some silicone molds, you can make your very own chocolate bars.
12. Decadent Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe
Just like hot chocolate, if you don’t spend a little extra on a well-known brand, chocolate ice cream can be very disappointing. I often find it a bit bitter and not great, to be honest.
The only real solution is to make my own, right?
Not only is this recipe loaded with cream and rich cocoa powder, but it’s also packed with real melted chocolate. Again, spend the extra money on something top-quality if you want this to really shine.
13. Double Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Zucchini plays the same role in baking as carrots do. They add a ton of moisture and a little bit of sweetness, along with just enough texture that you’ll know they’re there, but they’re not distracting at all.
And if you can add some extra nutrients to something as decadent as this double chocolate bread, why wouldn’t you?
I’ve fed this to so many people, and most of them can’t even tell there’s zucchini in the mix. That’s especially true if you throw in some chopped nuts.
14. Dark Chocolate Dipped Figs
When they’re ripe, figs are the perfect blend of sweet and tart. I think they’re like a cross between a peach and a strawberry, and they’re super juicy, too.
The great thing about this dark chocolate dessert is that it’s so easy to make, and it’s nice and light. So, you can enjoy a few bites even after a big dinner.
The sea salt is optional, but you won’t believe the difference it makes.
15. Dark Chocolate Raspberry Coffee Cake
One of my favorite flavor combinations is raspberry and dark chocolate. Not only do they taste incredible together, but they also look fantastic against the light cake.
Although raspberries aren’t that sweet, they offer an amazing tartness that really stands out against the chocolate.
Dark chocolate is pretty strong and can be a little bitter. If you don’t want it to be as powerful, look for something with around 50 or 60% cocoa solids.
16. French Hot Chocolate
If you’re a chocolate lover, you have to try this French hot chocolate recipe. It’s nothing like the thin and watery stuff we often see.
Instead, it’s a thick, dreamy drink made with whole milk, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and espresso powder.
Once that’s been heated up, pour it over some chopped dark chocolate, just like you would with ganache, and mix until it’s silky smooth.
17. Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
How amazing do these shortbread cookies look? That freeze-dried raspberry makes these pop so well, and it’s a great little trick to make them look like they’re from a bakery.
Shortbread is a simple dough made with just flour, sugar, and butter. That’s it! This version, of course, also includes cocoa powder, but the method stays the same.
Only mix the dough until it’s just barely coming together. Then, finish it on the counter as you work it into a disk. Let it chill before you roll it out, and chill your cookies, too, before baking to keep them from spreading.
18. Chocolate Pizza
Even though this doesn’t have a dough base, you can’t deny that it definitely looks like a pizza. I really enjoyed this crunchy base, and I like that you can pick up a slice without having to worry about anything sliding off.
Another great option would be to use the chocolate shortbread recipe. Or, for something more authentic, you could try a fantastic chocolate pizza dough.
19. 5-Minute Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Toast
I’m a big fan of a hot sandwich and will often order a BLT for dinner if I see it on a menu. But have you ever tried a hot, toasted sandwich filled with yummy, ooey-gooey chocolate?
All you need to do is butter some bread and cover it with cinnamon sugar before sandwiching in lots of dark chocolate. Feel free to add marshmallows, sliced bananas or strawberries, chopped nuts, or even a layer of peanut butter.
20. Dark Chocolate S’mores with Fresh Berries
I made these over the summer thinking they’d just be for the adults at the party, but I was so surprised at how many kids liked the dark chocolate and berry combination.
I think it helps that there’s a sticky-sweet marshmallow inside. In fact, they ate them so fast, I don’t even know if they noticed the berries were there.
To make these in the oven, just cover a cookie sheet with graham crackers and top them with chocolate and marshmallows. Then, let the broiler do all the work.