There’s something about a list like this that makes me want to clear my afternoon and bake my way through every single entry. When I sat down to put together these 18 chocolate recipes, I kept thinking about all the kitchen moments that brought me here — the first time I realized a good chocolate dessert could fix almost any kind of day.
What follows is a collection of chocolate desserts I’ve personally wanted to make again and again, pulled from bakers I trust. Whether you’re after something quick for a weeknight, something impressive for company, or just want to drown your sorrows in a bowl of something deeply chocolatey, you’ll find it in the list below. Pour a cup of coffee, and let’s dig in.
Each recipe links out to the original source so you can see exactly how the baker made it. I’ve kept my notes short on purpose — these folks have already done the hard work of perfecting their version, and my job is just to point you to the good stuff.
What’s Inside
- Decadent Gluten Free Vegan Brownies
- Brownie Fudge Cake Light
- Brownie Caramel Cheesecake
- Chocolate Mint Brownies
- Caramel Brownies
- Maple Walnut Brownies
- Jelly Roll Brownies
- Brownies With Peanut Butter
- Heavenly Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
- Wonderful Vegan Brownies
- Super Fudgy Chewy Cocoa Brownies
- Chewy and Fudgy Brownies
- BestEver Brownies from Baking With Julia Child
- Caramel Apple Brownie Dessert
- Smores Brownie Bars
- Lemon Brownies
- Chocolate Chip Blondies
- Microwave Chocolate Mug Brownie
The 18 Recipes
All credit goes to the original bakers. Click through to the source for the full method, ingredient measurements, and the story behind each one.
Decadent Gluten Free Vegan Brownies
Decadent Gluten Free Vegan Brownies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Brownie Fudge Cake Light
Brownie Fudge Cake Light from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Brownie Caramel Cheesecake
Brownie Caramel Cheesecake from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Chocolate Mint Brownies
Chocolate Mint Brownies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Caramel Brownies
Caramel Brownies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Maple Walnut Brownies
Maple Walnut Brownies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Jelly Roll Brownies
Jelly Roll Brownies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Brownies With Peanut Butter
Brownies With Peanut Butter from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Heavenly Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
Heavenly Cheesecake Swirl Brownies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Wonderful Vegan Brownies
Wonderful Vegan Brownies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Super Fudgy Chewy Cocoa Brownies
Super Fudgy Chewy Cocoa Brownies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Chewy and Fudgy Brownies
Chewy and Fudgy Brownies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
BestEver Brownies from Baking With Julia Child
BestEver Brownies from Baking With Julia Child from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Caramel Apple Brownie Dessert
Caramel Apple Brownie Dessert from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Smores Brownie Bars
Smores Brownie Bars from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Lemon Brownies
Lemon Brownies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Chocolate Chip Blondies
Chocolate Chip Blondies from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Microwave Chocolate Mug Brownie
Microwave Chocolate Mug Brownie from Food.com is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with a mix. The food.com team has tested this one until it works every single time, and you can taste that care in every bite. If you only try one new chocolate recipe this month, make it this one.
Tips for Chocolate Success Every Time
After making my way through chocolate recipes for years now, I’ve picked up a few small habits that quietly make everything better. None of them are hard, and none of them require fancy equipment — just a little attention.
- Use the chocolate the recipe calls for. If it says dark chocolate chips, don’t swap in milk chocolate and expect the same result.
- Room-temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and bake more evenly. Pull your butter and eggs out 30-60 minutes before you start.
- Measure flour by weight if you can — it makes a real difference in final texture, especially in cakes and brownies.
- Don’t overbake. Most chocolate desserts keep cooking a little on the cooling rack, so pull them out when the center still looks slightly underdone.
- Let things cool before slicing or frosting. I know. The waiting is the hardest part. But the texture really does improve.
- Salt brings out the depth in chocolate. A tiny pinch of flaky salt on top of a frosted cake or fudge square is never a bad idea.
That’s a Lot of Chocolate
I know, I know — this is a lot. But when you love chocolate as much as I do, having options feels like a kindness to your future self. My personal favorite from this list is number 14, but I’ll let you discover your own.
If you make any of these, I’d love to hear how they turned out — drop me a note in the comments or tag me on social. And if you have a chocolate recipe I should add to the next roundup, send it my way. I’m always collecting.
Happy baking.
—Marina Caldwell
Sources & Credits
Every recipe in this roundup is the work of a real baker or food writer. I’m grateful to each of them for sharing their work so we can all learn from it.
- Decadent Gluten Free Vegan Brownies — Food.com
- Brownie Fudge Cake Light — Food.com
- Brownie Caramel Cheesecake — Food.com
- Chocolate Mint Brownies — Food.com
- Caramel Brownies — Food.com
- Maple Walnut Brownies — Food.com
- Jelly Roll Brownies — Food.com
- Brownies With Peanut Butter — Food.com
- Heavenly Cheesecake Swirl Brownies — Food.com
- Wonderful Vegan Brownies — Food.com
- Super Fudgy Chewy Cocoa Brownies — Food.com
- Chewy and Fudgy Brownies — Food.com
- BestEver Brownies from Baking With Julia Child — Food.com
- Caramel Apple Brownie Dessert — Food.com
- Smores Brownie Bars — Food.com
- Lemon Brownies — Food.com
- Chocolate Chip Blondies — Food.com
- Microwave Chocolate Mug Brownie — Food.com
