Chocolate Soufflés
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If you’ve ever wanted to master a chocolate soufflé recipe, this is the one to try! Light, airy, and rich with deep chocolate flavor, it’s an impressive yet surprisingly simple dessert.
Many years ago, when I was an apprentice at L’Auberge Chez François, one of my nightly tasks was prepping the chocolate soufflé dishes for evening service—there were always a lot, since soufflés are the kind of dessert people tend to order at restaurants rather than make at home. They have a reputation for being fussy—there’s the fear of them collapsing, or the myth that even a loud noise can ruin them—but the truth is, they’re much easier to make than you’d think.
As long as you have the right ramekins, which you can find at any kitchen store or order online, and follow a few key techniques—properly prepping the soufflé cups, gently folding the egg whites, and serving them fresh from the oven—you’ll have tall, airy, and deeply chocolate soufflés that will impress everyone at the table (including yourself!).
If you’re in the mood for something savory instead, try my classic cheese soufflé—light, fluffy, and just as easy to master.
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Soufflés
- Butter: Used to grease the soufflé molds for a crisp outer coating and in the batter to create a rich, smooth base.
- Sugar: Coats the soufflé molds to help the soufflés rise evenly and sweetens the egg whites for structure and balance.
- All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the chocolate base, helping create a stable structure for the soufflé.
- Cocoa Powder: Enhances the chocolate flavor, adding depth and richness to the batter.
- Whole Milk: Adds moisture and helps create a smooth, creamy base for the soufflé.
- Liqueur, Rum, Or Bourbon (Optional): Adds complexity and depth of flavor, complementing the chocolate. If omitted, replace with more milk.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor with warm, aromatic notes.
- Bittersweet Chocolate: Provides deep, rich chocolate flavor.
- Egg Yolks: Contribute richness and help thicken the batter, giving the soufflé a creamy, custard-like texture.
- Egg Whites: Whipped into peaks, they create the light, airy structure that makes the soufflé rise.
- Confectioners’ Sugar (Optional): A light dusting adds a touch of sweetness and a pretty finishing touch.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Set your oven to 375°F and position a rack in the middle. Meanwhile, grab your 6-ounce soufflé molds and generously butter the bottoms and sides. Next, sprinkle a little sugar into one mold, tilting and rotating it so the sugar sticks to the butter. Tap out the excess into the next mold and keep going until they’re all coated. If you have any leftover sugar at the end, just discard it.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and let it cook for about a minute until it’s bubbling and smooth. Stir in the cocoa powder, then slowly whisk in the milk, liqueur (or extra milk if skipping the liqueur), vanilla, and salt. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble, which should take about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate until smooth. Quickly whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until they are fully incorporated. Set the mixture aside while you whip the egg whites.
In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they start to look fluffy and hold soft peaks—this takes about a minute. Slowly add the sugar and keep beating for another 2½ minutes or so, until you’ve got medium peaks. You’re looking for them to hold their shape but still droop slightly at the tip—try not to overbeat, or they’ll be too stiff to fold in smoothly.
Whisk about a third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it up. Then, switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold the lightened chocolate mixture into the rest of the egg whites. Fold just until combined—you want to keep as much air in the batter as possible, so don’t overdo it!
Spoon the batter into the molds, filling them just shy of the top—about ⅛ inch below the rim. Give the rims a quick wipe to keep things neat, then place the molds on a baking sheet. Pop them in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until they’re beautifully risen, set on the outside, and still have a little wobble in the center. Some might rise perfectly straight, while others lean a little—either way, they’ll taste amazing!
Using two spatulas, carefully lift the soufflés onto serving plates. If you’d like to dress them up, give them a light dusting of powdered sugar. Then, serve them right away—soufflés wait for no one!
Chocolate Soufflés
Ingredients
For Greasing the Soufflé Molds
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Soufflés
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons liqueur (such as orange or coffee liqueur), rum, or bourbon (optional; see note)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 large eggs, separated
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Confectioners’ sugar (optional, for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Grease four 6-oz (180-ml) soufflé molds generously with the softened butter, making sure to coat the bottoms and sides evenly. Sprinkle the granulated sugar into one greased soufflé cup, rotating it to coat the sides evenly while pouring the excess into the next cup. Repeat until all cups are coated, then discard any unused sugar.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk continuously for about 1 minute until bubbling and smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder, then add the milk, liqueur (if not using liqueur, replace with more milk), vanilla, and salt. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it gently bubbles, thickens, and becomes smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Quickly whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until medium peaks form (the peaks should hold but droop slightly), about 2½ minutes more. Be careful not to overbeat; the mixture should not be too stiff or dry, as that will make it difficult to incorporate into the chocolate mixture.
- Add one-third of the beaten egg whites to the chocolate mixture. Using a whisk, mix gently until evenly combined to lighten the mixture. Then, add the lightened chocolate mixture to the bowl of remaining beaten egg whites and using a rubber spatula, fold gently until fully incorporated.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared molds, filling them about ⅛ inch from the top (you can pour carefully or use a ladle). Wipe the rims clean with your fingers. Place the filled molds on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the soufflés have risen, are set on the outside, and wobble gently when you shake the pan. Some soufflés may rise perfectly straight, while others might be a bit uneven—that's completely normal, so don’t worry! They’ll all taste delicious.
- Using two spatulas, carefully lift the hot soufflé cups to serving plates. Dust with powdered sugar, if using, and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This was easy to make and delicious and not too sweet. Thanks again!
Can you tell me how to adjust baking time & temp to cook in a glass soufflé dish (not individual ramekins)?? Please & thank you!
Hi Kay, I’d reduce the oven temp to 350°F and start checking for doneness at 25 minutes. I suspect it’ll take between 25 and 30 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
Hello! Could you make this in one larger soufflé dish?
Yep!
Hi Jenn! I’ve made many roux with gluten free AP flour – I usually use half the amount of regular flour to make it work. Not much color change as wheat flour does but it does the trick – thickens volutes/sauces, sometimes over thickens depending on conditions. Do you think it would do the same job in a souffle? Can’t wait to try this out 🙂
Hi David, I haven’t tried it, but I think it should work. Hope you enjoy!
This looks delicious, and I’d like to try it. In the past I’ve made a similar recipe that I could prepare in the morning, then bake as guests were finishing the main course. Will this recipe hold up in the refrigerator to eliminate last minute preparation?
Hi Phyllis, For the best rise and texture, it’s best to bake them immediately but, if necessary, you can leave them at room temperature for up to an hour or refrigerate them for up to 4 (letting it sit at room temp for 20 to 30 minutes before baking). Alternatively, you can store the chocolate-yolk base in the fridge and whip the egg whites fresh just before baking. Please LMK how they turn out if you make them!