This post is heavily detailed to teach beginner bakers how to make fluffy, yet rich 7 ingredient chocolate soufflé. If you’re already a pro, you can scroll right down to the recipe. But for best success, I recommend reading all of my tips and explanations, as well as reviewing the video tutorial and step-by-step photos.
Along with creme brûlée, chocolate souffle is one of the most raved about, luxurious French desserts. But here’s the thing that most beginner bakers don’t realize: it sounds a lot more intimidating than it actually is. Trust me, I was a ball of nerves when I first attempted soufflé in a French dessert class 3 years ago. It’s where I learned to bake choux pastry, too. Once I got started on both, I realized I was perfectly capable—and you are too. In fact, many are surprised to learn that you only need 7 basic ingredients for chocolate soufflé and the entire process is about 45 minutes start to finish. (If that!)
And for those in need of gluten free dessert recipes, chocolate souffle fits the bill!
I’m going to walk you through each step so you feel confident when it’s your turn.
Chocolate Soufflé Details
- Texture: I applied some techniques I learned in class and adapted this recipe from Saveur‘s flourless soufflé as well as the bittersweet soufflé recipe found on New York Times. (Their recipe has deep, dark chocolate flavor and I found it a little heavy on the cream of tartar—just my opinion though.) The soufflé I make at home is semi-sweet. Each spoonful is perfectly balanced between (1) magically rich and (2) blissfully spongey with a set crackly top. It’s wild that one bite can encompass all this varying texture, but that’s why chocolate soufflé is so special. There’s just nothing like it.
- Flavor: Semi-sweet. I first prepared it with 1/4 cup of sugar, but reduced the final amount to 3 Tablespoons so more of the chocolate flavor comes through.
- Ease: I’m categorizing this with my advanced baking recipes simply because there’s a few moving parts and there’s an importance placed on the precise mixing methods. However, if you’re a beginner, don’t let that discourage you from trying it.
- Time: I appreciate that this recipe can go from oven to table immediately. No waiting for it to cool because soufflé will quickly fall. This recipe will take you no more than 45 minutes if using ramekins.
This chocolate soufflé is a naturally gluten free recipe.
Video Tutorial: How to Make Chocolate Soufflé
Chocolate Soufflé Success Tips: What I’ve Learned
- Chocolate soufflé is only as good as the chocolate you use. I use and recommend semi-sweet or bittersweet baking chocolate. It’s sold in 4 ounce bars in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. I use, love, and recommend Ghirardelli and Bakers brand. Do not use chocolate chips. The flavor, texture, and rise will be compromised.
- Whip the egg whites appropriately and fold in gently. You’ll notice that baking powder and soda are missing. That’s because all of a soufflé’s rise is from the whipped egg whites. If this step is skipped or changed, it will directly impact how your dessert rises. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar together until soft peaks form, then with the mixer still running, slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. This is the same process we use for making chocolate swirled meringues. We only use a small amount of cream of tartar, but it has a BIG job—it helps the egg whites hold their peaks. It’s an imperative ingredient that you cannot skip. In a pinch, the same amount of lemon juice or white vinegar can be used as a substitute. But for best results, use cream of tartar. Here are many more recipes using cream of tartar too. After your egg whites reach stiff peaks, very slowly and gently fold them into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions, always being careful to avoid excessive deflating.
- Chill the batter as the oven preheats. This is a super useful tip I learned in my class—as you preheat the oven, place the batter in the refrigerator. This quick 5-10 minute chill slightly thickens the batter and, from what I’ve experienced, helps the soufflés rise a bit taller. After refrigerating, spoon into your ramekins/dish. You could also cover and chill the batter up to 2 days in advance.
- Reduce oven temperature: Preheat the oven to a hot 400°F (204°C). Then immediately after you place the soufflés inside, reduce the temperature down to 375°F (191°C). Why? The initial hot burst of air will help the batter rise up, while the slightly lower heat will help evenly cook the centers.
Step-By-Step Photos
Chop up your quality chocolate, then melt it with butter in a double boiler or in 20 second increments in the microwave. Some chocolate soufflé recipes use heavy cream instead of butter, but I prefer the flavor, texture, and richness butter provides.
Below left: Separate your eggs. It’s convenient that this recipe uses 3 egg whites and 3 egg yolks—there’s no extra yolks or whites. If you’re interested, an egg separator always makes this task this easier. You don’t want any remnants of yolks in your egg white because any fat will prevent the whites from whipping properly.
Below right: Whisk egg yolks, vanilla, and salt into your chocolate/butter mixture.
Here is the chocolate/butter/yolk/vanilla/salt mixture:
Below left: Whip egg whites and cream of tartar into soft peaks.
And below right: After you slowly add/beat in the sugar, the egg whites will considerably expand in volume and eventually reach stiff peaks.
Below left: In 3 additions, slowly fold the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture.
And below right: Here is the batter after folding in all of the egg whites.
Refrigerate batter as you preheat the oven. See how it slightly thickened when compared to the photo above?
Now it’s time to prepare the ramekins/dishes.
Below right: Spread or brush every crevice/inch of your ramekin with softened butter, then coat in granulated sugar. The sugar coating helps the soufflés rise straight up (no sticking!) and adds a pleasant crust around the exterior. You saw me do this step in the video tutorial above.
Below left: Spoon batter into ramekins, then level off with a knife or flat icing spatula.
If You Read Anything Here, Read This:
Run a knife, icing spatula, or your thumb around the very top rim, creating a “channel” between the batter and the rim of your pan. Why? This forces the soufflé to rise UP without expanding OUT.
Chocolate Soufflé Toppings
You can serve it plain, but crème anglaise, which is a thin custard cream, is a popular option. We like ours with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, a little whipped cream (halve this whipped cream recipe), and fresh raspberries. Other options include a spoonful of red wine chocolate ganache, a drizzle of salted caramel, or you could even use the raspberry sauce from these white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars. Have fun with garnishes!
Pan Options & Bake Times
This recipe produces about 3 heaping cups of batter, which is close to 1/2 quart. For the most authentic chocolate soufflé, I recommend the ramekins or soufflé dish detailed below. However, I know many home bakers don’t own either. You can definitely get away with using other pans and I explain each below.
Guideline/directions for other pans: The bake time for 6 ounce ceramic or porcelain oven-safe ramekins is included in the written recipe below. For all other pans, prep the pans as detailed in step 7 (same amount of butter/sugar should be plenty for any pan you use), add the batter as detailed in step 8, then bake until the edges are set and the center just barely jiggles when you give the pan a light tap. All pans/dishes should be placed on a baking sheet in the oven, though that’s not necessary if you’re using a muffin pan. Oven temperatures remain the same no matter which pan/dish you use.
- 6-ounce ceramic or porcelain oven-safe ramekins with straight sides: These ramekins are the best option for this recipe and the bake time is included in the recipe below. Conveniently, we use the same size for other recipes too including chocolate fudge cakes, chocolate lava cakes, upside down key lime pies, spinach & bacon dip, and lemon pudding cakes. I love Emile Henry and Apilco brands for their high quality—I bought both online at Williams Sonoma. Other fantastic options include these or these. 6-ounce cast iron ramekins could work too, as long as they have straight sides. The bake time will be about a minute shorter than stated in the recipe below. If using smaller straight sided ramekins, the bake time will be shorter. If using larger (such as 8 ounce) straight sided ramekins, the bake time will be a couple minutes longer. Fill ramekins to the top with batter, just as I instruct with the 6-ounce size.
- 1 or 1.5 quart soufflé dish: I own and love the Apilco 1.5 quart soufflé dish, pictured below. It’s doubles as a great serving bowl, too. The amount of batter doesn’t fill either size, but the baked soufflé rises pretty tall as you can see. The bake time for either size about 26-30 minutes. You could get away with a 3/4 quart dish and an extra few minutes in the oven, but I wouldn’t go smaller than that due to rising.
- Any 1 or 1.5 quart oven-safe dish with straight sides: You can use any oven-safe casserole dish as long as it’s about 1-1.5 quarts and has straight sides. The bake time will vary depending on how deep your pan is, so use the guideline above. Like I mention with the soufflé dish, you could get away with a 3/4 quart dish, but I wouldn’t go smaller than that due to rising.
- Oven-safe mugs: Mugs could work too, but it’s imperative to ensure yours are 100% safe. It’s best not to assume mugs are oven-safe if they’re made from stoneware or porcelain, though. If they are truly oven-safe, there will be a manufacturer stamp/statement/guarantee on the bottom.
- Standard 12-count muffin pan: This recipe yields 8 muffin size soufflé-like desserts. As you can see in the photo below, they don’t rise much since muffin cups don’t have straight sides. Bake time is 10 minutes. For serving, spoon out the warm soufflés into bowls/onto plates. A jumbo muffin pan could work and will produce 2-3 large soufflés. I’m unsure of the best bake time for a jumbo pan, so use the guideline above.
Why Did my Chocolate Soufflé Fall?
- Under-whipped egg whites: Follow step 3 below very closely.
- Over-mixed + deflated batter: Slowly and gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions, always being careful to avoid over-mixing and excessive deflating.
- Opening and closing the oven too much: You’ll likely have to open your oven to check the doneness of your soufflé(s). Avoid checking excessively, though.
- Waiting too long to serve: Serve soufflé as soon as it comes out of the oven because it begins to fall within minutes. Have your toppings ready to go before they’re done. If they fall before serving, not much is lost except for that impressive height. You’ll still have that sponge-like texture underneath a crackly top, though it settles into a denser texture as time passes.
See Your Chocolate Soufflé Success!
Many readers tried this recipe as part of a baking challenge!
PrintChocolate Soufflé
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: four 6 ounce soufflés
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Description
Use this thorough recipe to make fluffy, yet rich chocolate soufflés. For best success, I recommend reading all of the recipe notes and explanations, as well as reviewing the video tutorial and step-by-step photos above.
Ingredients
Soufflé Batter
- 4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup; 56g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 Tablespoon size pieces
- 4 ounce (113g) semi-sweet chocolate bar, coarsely chopped*
- 3 large eggs, separated*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
Prepping The Ramekins
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, extra soft (the softer it is, the easier it is to spread)
- 4 teaspoons (16g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- For the batter: Melt the 4 Tablespoons of butter and the chopped chocolate together in a double boiler or in a large heatproof bowl in the microwave. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after each until completely melted and combined. Slightly cool for 3-5 minutes.
- Whisk egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt into chocolate mixture. Set aside.
- In a completely clean residue-free medium glass or metal mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running on high speed, slowly add the sugar in 3 additions about 1 Tablespoon at a time, beating for 5 seconds before adding the next Tablespoon. After all 3 Tablespoons of sugar have been added, beat until stiff glossy peaks form, about 2 more minutes. Do not over-beat.
- Slowly and gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. It’s best to do this in 3 separate additions, combining each addition completely before folding in more.
- Refrigerate the batter for 5-10 minutes as you preheat the oven and prepare the ramekins. (No need to cover the batter unless you are refrigerating it for longer than 1 hour. Can be made up to 2 days in advance, see make ahead instructions below.)
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat to 400°F (204°C).
- Prepare the ramekins: Brush four 6-ounce oven-safe straight sided ramekins with a generous coating of the softened butter. Sprinkle in the granulated sugar, then shake/rotate each to ensure every spot of the ramekin has a sugar coating. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Discard excess sugar.
- Spoon batter evenly into ramekins. Using a knife or icing spatula, smooth down the surface. Run a knife, icing spatula, or your thumb around the rim at the top, creating a “channel” between the batter and the rim of your pan. Feel free to wipe the edges clean with a towel, though I don’t always do that and don’t notice a difference in appearance or rise.
- Bake: Place baking sheet with ramekins on top in the oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 375°F (191°C). Bake for 13-14 minutes or until the edges are set and the center just barely jiggles when you give the pan a light tap. Avoid opening/closing the oven too much.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately plain or with optional toppings. Soufflés begin to fall within minutes. You’ll still have that sponge-like texture underneath a crackly top, though it settles into a denser texture as time passes. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can prepare the souffle batter up to 2 days in advance (steps 1-4). Cover and refrigerate the batter in the mixing bowl or in the ramekins/dish until ready bake. Add another minute or so to the bake time if you refrigerated it for longer than 1 hour. I do not recommend freezing this soufflé batter or the baked and cooled soufflés.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Egg White Separator | 6 Ounce Oven-Safe Ramekins (like these or these) | Flat Icing Spatula | Double Boiler (optional)
- Topping Options: You can serve chocolate soufflé plain, but crème anglaise is a popular option. We like ours with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, a little whipped cream (halve this whipped cream recipe), and fresh raspberries. Other options include red wine chocolate ganache, salted caramel, or the raspberry sauce from these white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars.
- Chocolate: For the best results, use a 4 ounce “baking chocolate” bar found in the baking aisle. I prefer Bakers or Ghirardelli brands. You can use semi-sweet, bittersweet, or even milk chocolate. We have not tested it with white chocolate, so we can’t guarantee results. Do not use chocolate chips, as they contain stabilizers preventing them from melting into the proper consistency.
- Eggs: Room temperature egg whites hold more volume, so if you can bring them to room temperature before beginning, that’s helpful. However, I’ve made soufflé with cold eggs and it’s never been a real issue.
- Cream of Tartar: We only use a small amount of cream of tartar, but it has a BIG job—it helps the egg whites hold their peaks. It’s an imperative ingredient that you cannot skip. In a pinch, the same amount of lemon juice or white vinegar can be used as a substitute. But for best results, use cream of tartar.
- Other Dishes/Pans: See Pan Options & Bake Times section above. Oven temperatures remain the same no matter which pan/dish you use.
- Doubling This Recipe: You can double this recipe for 8 individual soufflés by doubling all of the ingredients. Beating the egg whites may take longer since you’re working with more volume.
Methods/practice learned from pastry class; recipe adapted from Saveur & New York Times
I had never even eaten a soufflé before let alone made one. It was easier than anticipated and tasted AMAZING. The recipe notes, photos and video were all so helpful. Definitely will make this again!
Sally! so happy with my first try!
Your notes are clear and indeed helpful. My Valentine-husband- just loved it! I’m looking forward to making your Chocolate Souffle’ again soon.
June
Just made these for my husband for Valentine’s day – WOW so good! Never had a souffle before. I was worried it wasn’t going to be sweet enough for me but it was perfect. I made it with the raspberry sauce, they went great together.
Question – mine was a little runny in the center, does that mean it was under baked? Tasted great rather way!
Hi Lauren, so glad you enjoyed these! If it’s runny in the center, the soufflé is likely a little under-baked. It should be a little sponge-like, not liquid. An easy fix if you ever make them again– add an extra minute or 2.
I had always been intimidated to try these, but not anymore. The video was such a great help. All of the little hints and tips as well. Ours came out great – made them for our anniversary! Such a treat.
Unfortunately my souffle was a bust! Didn’t rise one milimetre. It may have to do with the fact that I had to add in 1 oz chocolate bar to make up the 4 oz of baking chocolate. (I was low on chocolate!) I will try again with 100% baking chocolate, because I think this recipe has potential, and it’s not hard.
The chocolate I used was all bittersweet. I found the end result was not sweet enough for me. I would go for semisweet the next time, or at least 50/50 bittersweet/semisweet.
I think adding a 1/2 tsp or so of instant coffee might be interesting too, to intensify the chocolate flavour.
I doubled this recipe for our family of 8, but my ramekins must be bigger because it didn’t even fill 7. They also took a lot longer to cook (30 minutes or so). I definitely feel like it must have been something I did as everything I’ve ever made from this site has been amazing.
The crust was especially good though. My husband said he’d like a while w.bowl of that!
I made these today for our Valentine’s Day dessert. They were amazing! My husband raved about them and rated them a 10/10. Excellent!
Another great recipe and challenge. Before I started I admit I was a bit intimidated. I was surprised that it really was as easy as you made it look. Thanks Sally!
I forgot to give them five stars!
Hi Sally. I made the chocolate soufflés for Valentines Day but sadly I didn’t have the right size ramekins so these don’t have that impressive “over the rim” appearance but they sure had an incredible flavor and texture! Your step by step instructions and tips were so helpful. I’ve never tackled a soufflé before but will definitely do so again. The texture was so delicate and they were chocolatey but not too sweet.Thank you!
This is the first soufflé I have made or that my family has eaten. I was very excited to try this out for a special Valentine’s dessert, and it turned out so amazing! I will make this again when a special treat is needed.
These were the perfect treat for Valentine’s Day! I was a little intimidate it at first but they were easier to make than I thought. As always, Sally has detailed instructions and photos to make baking easier for her followers. Thanks for another great recipe!
Sally’s instructions make souffles so much less intimidating. I read the instructions several times before attempting this recipe, and it came out perfectly. I used a 70% chocolate bar, but topped it with homemade caramel and whipped cream for the perfect balance. What a deliciously rich dessert!
Easier than I expected although the video certainly helped in the success. Enjoyed by all.
I always thought these were impossible to make at home but it was actually pretty easy. Turned out delicious.
These were amazing…. light and fluffy. Exactly what you expect for a soufflé. The recipe was easy to follow and will definitely be a make again.
I gotta say I was quite intimidated by this one. As an avid watcher of cooking showed I would often watch contestants sit in nervous anticipation to see if their bakes would indeed rise. I figured if it stressed them out there was no way I could pull it off.
But to my surprise with a lot of helpful photos in the recipe I did it with somewhat of an ease.
I enjoyed making it as a special treat for Valentine’s day and I still had time to relax afterwards.
I would recommend this recipe for anyone looking to try something different. It tastes decadent and complicated but it isn’t.
And as a bonus they’re really fun to watch rise in the oven.
I’ve been wanting to making a soufflé for years, but I never felt like buying special ramekins. I was also a bit intimidated by the recipes I’ve seen elsewhere. When I saw you posted such a detailed recipe, I was willing to give it a shot. Your tips and the accompanying video were super helpful. I’ve made tons of things from your blog over the past few years with a 100% success rate, all thanks to your detailed instructions. In fact, I found this was actually one of the easiest and quickest recipes to date. Thanks for taking the time to break down an intimidating recipe and for always providing alternative instructions to accommodate everyone. My baking has improved tremendously over the years thanks to your blog 🙂
Made this using milk and dark chocolate.
Perfect amount of sweetness!
Great Valentines Day Treat!
This was a really fun recipe to try. While I consider myself a pretty experienced baker I have neither made nor eaten a souffle before! The step by step instructions, with video and pictures, made it all super easy to follow. I have little kids so I opted to make the reipe through filling the ramekins and then refrigerate until after bedtime. They chilled for a couple of hours so I ended up baking for just over 15 minutes. They turned out perfect! It felt like a very indulgent dessert for a couple who are usually ready to pass out by 8pm : )
Hi Sally!
Today I maked those and they were soooo good. They were a little like marshmallows. Sweet and omg literally so good.
I was so excited but also nervous making the soufflés for my family. It was the first time, but they turned out great. Thank you for the recipe and great detailed instructions.
I made the Chocolate Soufflé this weekend, and it was wonderful!
Very easy to make, great texture, and tastes divine!
Thank you for keeping challenging us with great recipes!
My first soufflé and it was success!!! Made it for Valentines for my hubby! It was so fluffy and chocolatey, like the chocolate cloud! This recipe boosted my baking confidence!!!
I made chocolate soufflé for my Friday night date night with my husband. We made and shared the dessert together. I like how it came together quickly and easily. We loved it!
We liked it so much we made a second batch the next night to share with our sons. The challenge came that I only had 2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate. So I used Ghirardelli melting chocolate for the remaining two ounces. While it tasted good and looked beautiful coming from the oven, they quickly fell as they had not set as nicely. I’m guessing that was due to the melting chocolate.
Thanks for a fun, elegant recipe that comes together nicely!
This recipe was so good and quite easy! I made my batter about 4 hours prior to baking- I loved that all the cleanup was done well before serving.
It was a perfect Valentine’s Day suprise for my Man 🙂 I tried it with dark and white chocolate and it was amazing. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Hi Sally,
Baked the souffle by following the recipe to the T, except I had to bake in mini tart pans since I don’t have ramekins. Thank you for all the points including pan substitution. Though not a fan of souffles , I am happy I could try out a new bake this time other than cake and cookies
Amazingly crisp on the outside and gooey in the center. Turned out great! February baking challenge entry.
Definitely tasty and the recipe is detailed and easy to follow! I will definitely be making these again!