This post is heavily detailed to teach beginner bakers how to make fluffy, yet rich 7 ingredient chocolate soufflĂ©. 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 brĂ»lĂ©e, 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 soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ© as well as the bittersweet soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ© 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 SoufflĂ© Success Tips: What I’ve Learned
- Chocolate soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ©’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 soufflĂ©s 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 soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ©, I recommend the ramekins or soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ© dish: I own and love the Apilco 1.5 quart soufflĂ© dish, pictured below. It’s doubles as a great serving bowl, too. The amount of batter doesn’t fill either size, but the baked soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ©-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 soufflĂ©s into bowls/onto plates. A jumbo muffin pan could work and will produce 2-3 large soufflĂ©s. 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 soufflĂ©(s). Avoid checking excessively, though.
- Waiting too long to serve: Serve soufflĂ© 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. SoufflĂ©s 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 soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ© 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 soufflĂ©s 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 &Â New York Times
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I was surprised how easy it was, and how delicious soufflĂ© is! Thank you for this recipe!! I ended up making 1/3 of the recipe into 2 souffles (one of which I’ll bake tomorrow), which worked out perfectly for me as I live on my own.
This Pennsylvania Dutch girl who is comfortable with cakes and cookies just got a challenge with a soufflé. And the final verdict: MOUTH WATERING MAGIC!!
The detailed instructions made it so much less intimidating. Loved the flavor and texture! Can’t wait to make these again!
This was my first time making soufflĂ©s and it was a complete success!! Great chocolate flavour and beautiful rise. I used 4-oz ramekins, since this is what I had at home, and was still able to fit all of the batter into four ramekins. Thank you so much for this recipe – I’m looking forward to impressing guests with my soufflĂ© skills in the future!
Love this recipe! This was my first time ever making a chocolate soufflé. Thanks for the easy to follow recipe!
This is the second recipe I made today from your website. The snickerdoodle cake I made before this recipe might be the best homemade cake I have ever had. This recipe did not go as well as the cake. I had a hard time getting the sugar to stick to the outside. This could be why the souffle did not taste very sweet. I have never had a souffle before, so I am not sure what they are supposed to taste like.
Tried these souffles for the first time for this month’s baking challenge! The instructions were easy to follow and they turned out delicious (I served them with marshmallow topping)! Mine expanded over the sides a bit, but overall the recipe isn’t too difficult and I think I just need a bit more practice!
I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but I was stunned; I followed the instructions and it did rise! I was very pleased, and well, if you love chocolate, you’ll definitely enjoy this recipe!
Delicious recipe! I’m not usually a soufflé fan but I really enjoyed this baking challenge ! It was a super easy to follow recipe!
My daughter and I have always wanted to bake a souffle but have never dared. Thank you for the detailed instructions. They are in the oven now and we’re looking forward to tasting them!
I’ve never had a soufflĂ© before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The detailed, step-by-step instructions made it really easy to make these. Thanks again Sally for another great recipe!
This was my first time making souffle. I love that I was able to make the batter ahead of time. The souffles were delicious! I’ll definitely make them again.
This soufflé was awesome! It’s my first time ever having one. However, my friend is quite familiar with them. She said “this tasted way better than the $14 chocolate soufflé she had this past weekend.” Definitely a winner!
Great recipe! Thanks for making everything so clear. So delicious. The only downfall I see with this recipe is the very nature of a soufflé itself. It has to be eaten right away. I halved the recipe so my husband and I could have one each. Baking four and having 2 the next day wasn’t an option.
They taste so lovely and the recipe is so easy to follow!
Hi Sally,
Wonderful recipe, my husband loved it (me not a chocolate fan), quite the hit on Valentines Day!! You really have the best recipes, so easy to follow. Can’t wait to see what you have in store for us in March!!
Jeanne
I have never made soufflé because it was intimidating. This recipe was easy to follow and with all the tips and clear directions, I found it pretty easy to make. I used semi sweet chocolate, but I think next time I will try making it with a mix of semi sweet and bittersweet chocolate. They did not come out as pretty as I had hoped, but they were still delicious!
These were absolutely delicious! I was worried they wouldn’t turn out because when I added the vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture, it separated. Luckily, I kept on whisking and it turned out fine! Was wondering if you had any idea what happened. I know that chocolate and butter can separate if they are too hot, so was that the case? It only separated after the extract though. Anyways, regardless, it was a delicious rich but light desert. A well worth it indulgence!
These came out great! They were much easier than I thought they would be! I only had 4 10oz ramekins so I doubled the recipe and baked the extra that I had in an oven safe mug. I am very happy with how they turned out. They are a little fancy for an everyday dessert but I will keep it in my back pocket for when I need something easy and impressive.
I was a bit intimidated by the sound of this challenge but it was much easier than I expected. First time and they turned out exactly as I hoped they would! ❤️
I’m not usually a fan of fussy desserts, but I was willing to try for a challenge! The “batter” came together very easily and I refrigerated it for several hours prior to baking. I used slightly larger ramekins and had to bake for quite a bit longer than the recipe said. Unfortunately that meant I opened the oven often as I was checking for doneness several times and didn’t get a nice straight sided rise. The end result was really delicious, beautiful spongy interior and crispy exterior!
This recipe is fantastic!! I was nervous to try something like this, but the recipe made each step really clear and I was able to successfully make a dessert I never thought I could. The video also helped a lot; I watched it several times to make sure I understood the techniques involved. I used 7 ounce ramekins because that’s what I have, and they turned out great. I will definitely make these again!
Never thought I’d do this! Wow! I used milk chocolate and the flavor was to die for!! I made it twice and it stayed liquidy at the very center. How would I have known when to take it out? The top looked great!
Hi Lauri! They may need a couple extra minutes next time. It’s done when the edges are set and the center just barely jiggles when you give the pan a light tap. Avoid opening and closing the oven excessively, though.
I’ve made this as written for my very first souffle, and it came out great! My question is I want to make it with blackberry jam included in the recipe. Any tips on how to accomplish that?
These turned out delicious! However I’d love to know how to adjust for high altitude, as I imagine that contributed to these over-inflating as they baked! I made the suggested raspberry sauce to go with the soufflés which also turned out great.
Hi Melissa, we’re thrilled you enjoyed the soufflĂ©s! Such a delicious choice to pair them with raspberry sauce. I wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. We know some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
This recipe was so easy! I nailed it on my first try!! I was so astonished. I was bouncing off the walls in excitement!!
I didn’t have a ramekin. So I ended up using a 1 cup (equals 8oz), oven-safe, glass container. It worked exactly the same!
I also used dark chocolate cause I didn’t have a semi-sweet pure chocolate bar on hand. I don’t know if I’m about to describe this well… it still works but the longer it cooks, the bitter notes from the dark chocolate come forward and the sugar plays a smaller role. I would only recommend using dark chocolate if you like 80-85% dark (or add more icing sugar on your plate) but I loved it!
I like the note that said you can put the batter into the cups up to 2 days beforehand. I didn’t want to eat the full thing in one go. So you could quickly pop them into the oven when you feel like another one. If you had guests over, I can just imagine that they would just be blown away with surprising them with a fresh soufflé for dessert!!! ♥️♥️
Very delicate souffle. It is so soft and fluffy and with no flour involved. It has a very velvet like texture that just melts into your mouth. It makes you want more until its gone. I will definitely make this again because it is a simple quick recipe with an upscale taste.
Great, easy to follow recipe! These were delicious!
These were a wonderful Valentine’s Day treat and not too difficult. Great texture and deep chocolate taste!
This was the first time I’ve made soufflé and it turned out great. The detail of the recipe was super helpful and gave me the confidence to try a cheese soufflé recipe (which I used what I learned from this recipe to make successfully.)
The soufflĂ©s turned out so rich and delicious! I also made a crĂ©me anglaise to serve over the soufflĂ©s. They were perfect for Valentine’s Day. The soufflĂ©s rose substantially from where they started, but after filling and before baking the batter in each ramekin was low to begin with, so they only rose slightly above the edge of the ramekins and didn’t look as tall as the pictures in the recipe photos. I used the same size ramekins the recipe suggested so I’m not sure why that happened. I wonder if you would be able to indicate in the recipe approximately how many oz of batter should be in each ramekin before baking? Otherwise, the recipe turned out great! Thank you!
I couldn’t get out of the snow, and all I had was white chocolate. These were AMAZING!