Instead, get ready for some intensely rich and decadent chocolate treats. I love milk chocolate as much as the next gal, but there’s something so sinful about dark chocolate that works perfectly in desserts. Rather than making an overly sweet and sickly chocolate tart, dark chocolate allows for notes of bitterness that helps to balance everything out. Plus, dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients, and some people even claim it can improve your health. So, we’d better get baking because these dark chocolate desserts won’t make themselves!
1. Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies
Brownies are probably one of my all-time favorite things to bake. They’re easy, ready in one bowl, and full of chocolatey goodness. That said, they’re also pretty sweet, so using dark chocolate is the best option to keep them from becoming overwhelming. The best brownies should have both melted chocolate and cocoa powder in the mix, as well as eggs, sugar, butter, and flour. Be sure only to cook them until the edges start to crisp up, otherwise, they’ll be cakey.
2. Salted Dark Chocolate Tart
Although this looks super professional, it’s maybe the easiest recipe on this list of dark chocolate desserts. There’s no need for fancy equipment or chef skills. Just make a quick crust using almond flour, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and coconut oil, and bake it until it’s firm. Of course, you could also just use Oreo cookies and butter. Then, believe it or not, the filling is nothing more than chocolate ganache. Heat the coconut milk until it’s about to boil, and pour it over the chocolate. Whisk until smooth and pour into the crust.
3. French Hot Chocolate
If you’re a chocolate lover, you’ll have to try this French hot chocolate recipe. It’s nothing like the thin and watery stuff we so often see in the States. Instead, it’s a thick, dreamy concoction made with whole milk, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and espresso powder. Once that’s been heated, pour it over chopped dark chocolate, like you would ganache, and mix until it’s silky smooth.
4. Big Fat Double Dark Chocolate Cookies
Have you ever tried to make Levain Bakery cookies at home? They’re ultra-thick and ridiculously indulgent. Plus, they weigh about six ounces each! This version is double the chocolate and double the decadence. Seriously, these babies are a meal all by themselves, so you might want to invite a couple of friends over to help you devour them. To get these to that perfectly chewy and gooey texture, you’ll need to bake these for 9-10 minutes and then pull them out. They’ll look underbaked, but they’ll finish up on the tray.
5. Dark Chocolate Ganache Truffles
Truffles are a terrific gift to give around the holidays or for birthdays. Ganache is dangerously easy to make, and then you can easily dress these up once they’ve set. Unlike the hot chocolate above, you want this ganache to set hard enough to hold its shape when handled. That means you’ll need more chocolate than cream. Always heat the cream rather than the chocolate when making ganache since chocolate can be tricky. Also, be sure you have top-quality chocolate. If you go for something cheap, it might not set quite right, and you’ll taste the difference.
6. Salted Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
If you want ‘death by chocolate,’ look no further. These cupcakes are so rich, they might even be too much for the kids. Talk about a win-win! A lot of boxed cake mixes come with a lot of sugar in the mix. Even the chocolate cakes tend to err on the side of sweet. So, for something intense and flavorful, it’s always a good idea to make your own. And the best way to enhance that cocoa powder is to include coffee in your batter. You won’t taste the coffee, but it will wake the cocoa up and make it even more pronounced.
7. Decadent Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe
Like hot chocolate, if you don’t spend the extra money on a well-known brand, such as Häagen-Dazs, chocolate ice cream can be very disappointing. I often find it bitter and unpleasant, to be honest. The only logical 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 shine.
8. Homemade Caramels with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt
By design, caramel is very sweet. It’s essentially just sugar, cream, and butter, which is why you often see it paired with sea salt. But for those who like to tone that sweetness down even further, there’s no substitute for a coating of dark chocolate. Since it can be a bit of a pain to fully enrobe individual caramels, you could always just use a piping bag and stripe the chocolate instead. That will give you fun texture, too.
9. Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Balls
I think it’s safe to say that the vast majority of people like Reese’s peanut butter cups. I’ve never met anyone who would turn one down, and I’ve even gone as far as making my own. But have you ever taken that first bite and thought, “I wish this had more crunch!” If that’s you, then this recipe is a game-changer. By mixing Rice Krispies into the peanut butter, you’ll incorporate an incredible amount of crispiness into the mix, and you’ll be left reaching for seconds (and thirds).
10. Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
I should probably warn you in advance that this dark chocolate banana bread is to die for. And since it just involves adding cocoa powder, you can still eat this for breakfast! The recipe calls for Hershey dark cocoa powder, which I love because it’s so readily available. Of course, you can use any decent unsweetened cocoa powder. For something extra special, try swirling melted peanut butter over the top before sprinkling with mini-chocolate chips.
11. Dark Chocolate Raspberry Coffee Cake
One of my favorite flavor combinations is raspberry and dark chocolate. Not only do they taste incredible, but they also look fantastic against the light cake. Although raspberries aren’t that sweet, they offer an incredible tartness that really stands out against the chocolate. Dark chocolate is pretty strong and can be somewhat bitter. If you don’t want it as powerful, look for something with around 50 or 60 % cocoa solids.
12. Bisquick Chocolate Chip Muffins
When you need to make something sweet in a hurry, Bisquick is your best friend. It cuts out on some prep steps and makes your muffins super moist. Muffins are notoriously sweet, and this recipe also includes mashed bananas for a fruity kick. They would still be tasty with semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I find dark chocolate chunks work much better. Not only do you get lovely pops of gooey chocolate, but by chopping up a chocolate bar, you can infuse the batter with all those tiny chocolate shards, too.
13. 5-Minute Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Toast
I’m a sucker for a hot sandwich and will often order a BLT for dinner if I have the chance. But have you ever tried a hot, toasted sandwich full of 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.
14. DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
What could be better after a long journey than a warm, thick, chewy chocolate chip cookie? DoubleTree knows how to please their guests, but I can’t wait for my next vacation to indulge. Luckily, I’ve cracked their recipe, so we can all enjoy these yummy, nutty, oat cookies whenever we want. What sets these apart is the oats. But don’t worry, these aren’t oatmeal cookies. Instead, you’ll grind them into a powder, so you get that wonderful natural flavor without the added texture.
15. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark
White chocolate bark is fun and festive, but I think this dark chocolate bark looks stunning. The peanut butter against the dark background is so effective, and you know right away it’ll be scrumptious. Remember to melt the peanut butter and be very gentle with the toothpick to get that signature swirl. Less is more in this case, so take it slow and stop before it mixes into the chocolate.
16. Caramel Brownies
I’m a massive caramel lover, and I’ll put it on almost everything. But as I mentioned before, it’s already very sweet. With that in mind, adding caramel to milk chocolate brownies might be too much, even for me. But when you pair it with deep, dark chocolate brownies, it’s just the right amount of creamy goodness and slight bitterness.
17. Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake
If you’re the kind of person who scrapes the excess frosting off your cake, you might be more of a bundt cake fan. They’re thick and incredibly moist, and many don’t include any frosting at all. Although I think frostings and glazes are fabulous for adding new flavors to the mix, I also believe that a cake should be tender enough to survive without it. This cake is just that, and the sour cream guarantees this sponge will melt in your mouth. But even though it doesn’t need the glaze, it certainly doesn’t ruin it.
18. Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
We’re well into the swing of fall, and I’ve probably made way too many pumpkin loaves already. But one more won’t hurt, right? This pumpkin loaf is tender, warmly spiced, and loaded with fantastic pumpkin flavor. But just like banana bread, it’s all made that much better when you throw in chocolate chunks. Remember to get pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, as the latter is already spiced. Or, make your own in a big batch and freeze what you don’t use for later.
19. 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 to boot. 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.
20. Rocky Road Fudge – Just 3 Ingredients!
Rocky road is such a fun treat, and it’s available in so many forms, depending on where you find your recipes. This version keeps it simple, using the key ingredients of dark chocolate and marshmallows. You’ll also add peanut butter to make it fudgy, and then feel free to toss in some chopped nuts or cherries.
21. Double Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
Why settle for sticky Rice Krispie treats when you can 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 milk chocolate, butter, and Rice Krispie mix. Go ahead and toss in some mini-marshmallows if you think you’ll miss that squishy texture. Or, melt some marshmallows right into the chocolate mix.
22. Fantasy Fudge Recipe
Fantasy fudge isn’t just any chocolate fudge. This recipe also includes oodles of gooey marshmallows. It’s creamy, nutty, chocolatey, and loaded with sticky fluff for added sweetness. Start by boiling the sugar with margarine and evaporated milk until the sugar dissolves and it starts to thicken. Then, add the chocolate and stir until it’s melted. Lastly, mix through the marshmallow cream, chopped walnuts, and vanilla extract. Remember to do this while the mixture is still hot, or it will be hard to stir.
23. Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
How amazing do these shortbread cookies look? That freeze-dried raspberry makes these stand out so well, and it’s a terrific little trick to make them look like they’re from a bakery. Shortbread is a simple dough made using 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 barely together. Then, finish it on the table as you work it into a disk. Let it chill before rolling, and chill your cookies, too, before baking to keep them from spreading.
24. Dark Chocolate S’mores with Fresh Berries
I made these over the summer thinking they’d be for the adults at the party, but I was amazed 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. 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 its thing.
25. Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Recipe
Similar to the peanut butter bark above, this recipe has excellent color contrast. And typically, color contrast means flavor contrast, too. In this case, you’ll layer creamy white chocolate over dark chocolate and then top it all off with crushed candy canes.
26. 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, so you’ll know they’re there, but they’re not distracting. And if you can add nutrients to something as sinful as this double chocolate bread, why wouldn’t you? I’ve fed this to so many people, and most can’t even tell there’s zucchini in the mix. That’s especially true if you throw in some chopped nuts.
27. 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 the flavorings before whisking the cocoa powder until 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.
28. Bavarian Mints
Bavarian mints are equal parts creamy, sweet, chewy, rich, and minty. Start by melting the dark chocolate with butter and then gently stir in condensed milk, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract. At this point, you’ve more or less made a tasty, minty fudge, But these are a little different, and you need to use an electric mixer to beat this until it’s light and airy.
29. Chocolate Pizza
Although this doesn’t have a dough base, you can’t deny that it certainly looks like a pizza. I enjoyed this crunchy base, and I like that you can pick up a slice without having to worry about anything slipping off. Another great option would be to use the chocolate shortbread recipe. Or, for something more authentic, try this fantastic chocolate pizza dough.
30. Hershey’s Chocolate Cake
I’ve tried a lot of chocolate cake recipes over the years, but I always seem to come back to this one. Hershey’s hit the nail on the head here, and this cake is insanely tender and flavorful. So much so that you might struggle to frost it! But, trust me, that’s a good thing. This cake will melt in your mouth. I always freeze my cakes before I stack and fill them; that way, I don’t have to worry about anything falling apart. Click on a star to rate it!
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