This homemade Chocolate Soufflé has a rich chocolate flavor with a fluffy and moist center. We’re sharing all of our tips to get that iconic soufflé rise in the oven. Watch the video tutorial and learn how to make the best Chocolate Soufflé.

We love classic chocolate desserts like Chocolate Cupcakes, Lava Cakes, or Chocolate Mousse for Valentine’s Day. I have to say this Chocolate Soufflé tops the list as every chocolate lover’s dream. It just melts in your mouth and is hard to believe this is a gluten-free dessert.

Chocolate Souffle topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream

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Chocolate Soufflé Video Tutorial

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What is Chocolate Soufflé?

A soufflé is made up of stiffly beaten egg whites and a thick chocolaty base. The air trapped inside the beaten egg whites is what makes the soufflé rise so beating the egg white properly is critical for success. The air causes the batter to expand in a hot oven, forcing the soufflé up and creating a super light and fluffy texture.

We created this Chocolate Soufflé after trying Chandler’s Steakhouse Soufflé. We even re-created the toppings.

Souffle baked in ramekin cups

Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter – use softened butter to melt into the chocolate and to grease the 8 oz ramekins.
  • Granulated sugar – coats the ramekins and keeps the batter from sticking to the dish. It’s also used to sweeten the soufflé.
  • Bittersweet chocolate – use 60-65% cacao content.
  • Large Eggs – be sure eggs are at room temperature and make sure your mixing bowls are clean and dry, especially for beating egg whites.
  • Cream of tartar – stabilizes the egg whites while beating
  • Vanilla extract – adds a nice layer of flavor.
  • Fine sea salt – balances the flavor and cuts the sweetness.
Ingredients for making souffle with bittersweet chocolate

Tips for the Best Chocolate Soufflé

  • Keep water out of your chocolate bowl – Make sure to keep any steam or water drops out of the chocolate bowl or it can seize and get rough. Keep the bowl clean and dry and use a bowl with a lip over the water bath so steam doesn’t sneak in. 
  • Keep egg white bowl clean, dry and free of any water or oil. Egg whites don’t beat well if there is any fat present. Also be sure your egg beaters are clean and dry.
  • Don’t get any egg yolks in the whites or they won’t whip properly.
  • Beat egg whites properly – follow the process precisely and beat until egg whites hold stiff peaks and look glossy then immediately start folding in thirds into the chocolate mixture. Underbeating will cause your souffle’s not to rise and overbeating will make the whites dry and difficult to blend.
  • To ensure a good rise – run your thumb around the inside rim of the ramekin, creating a little well around the edge which helps force the center to go upwards.
  • Do not open the oven for the first 10-12 minutes.
  • Prep your ramekins – generously butter the insides of your ramekins and brush the butter in an upwards motion up the sides to encourage the soufflé to climb up. Also be sure to thoroughly coat the inside with sugar.
How to butter and sugar your ramekin for souffle

How to Make Chocolate Soufflé

  1. Prep ramekins – butter and coat with sugar and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400˚F (it helps to check with a thermometer).
  2. Melt chocolate and butter in a large rimmed mixing bowl over the steam of a water bath of simmering water. Once melted, cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Add yolks, whisking until just combined then add vanilla and salt.
  4. Beat whites and cream of tartar in a separate large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (2 minutes). While beating, gradually add sugar then increase to high speed and beat until stiff peaks form and egg whites are glossy.
  5. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate mixture until blended to lighten it.
  6. Fold remaining whites in 2 additions, folding gently and scraping from the bottom of the bowl until well incorporated.
  7. Divide between ramekins and run your finger around the inside edge of the dish. Place on a baking sheet and place on the lowest oven rack. Reduce heat to 375˚F and bake 13-16 minutes until puffed.
Step by step how to melt chocolate and beat egg whites for souffle

Pro Tips: When folding egg whites into the chocolate, be sure you are scraping the bottom of the bowl with your spatula to catch any pockets of batter at the bottom. Also, fold gently with the second and third additions of whites to ensure you don’t deflate the batter.

Step by step how to fold egg whites into chocolate sauce to make chocolate souffle

To Serve Chocolate Soufflé

We serve Soufflé restaurant-style with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and Grand Marnier whipped cream which makes every bite irresistibly good and absolutely special-occasion worthy.

  • Chocolate Sauce (recipe below)– drizzled over the top of the soufflé. You can also make a hole in the center with a spoon and pour chocolate into the soufflé.
  • Whipped Cream (recipe below) – Spooned over the chocolate sauce. Adding grand mariner adds as the restaurant does will add wonderful flavor but if you don’t have that on hand, you can replace it with 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
  • Vanilla Ice Cream – you can add a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream over the chocolate sauce instead of the whipped cream.
  • Powdered Sugar – you can keep it simple and just dust with a little sugar to serve.
Toppings of chocolate and whipped cream to serve a chocolate souffle

Pro Tip: Since a soufflé looks best fresh out of the oven (it sinks down as it cools), you should have all of your toppings planned and ready to serve as soon as the soufflé comes out of the oven.

Spoonful of chocolate souffle with whipped cream

Make-Ahead

You can make the soufflé ahead of time, add to the ramekins, and refrigerate, although I have found that they are less likely to rise out of the cup if refrigerated. The texture inside is still wonderful when baked and sometimes it’s a necessary compromise if you don’t want to be making dessert and baking it right away in front of company.

  • To Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day. Make sure your cover is not touching the surface of the soufflé or it will stick.
  • Freezer – it is not recommended to freeze soufflés either before or after baking.
  • When ready to bake: put chilled ramekins into a fully preheated oven directly out of the refrigerator. You may need to bake an extra minute.
Red ramekin with chocolate souffle and toppings ready to serve

Many people find a chocolate soufflé intimidating, but you can do this! Watch the video tutorial above, have everything measured out and at the right temperature before starting the recipe and you’ll do great. Even if you don’t get the perfect rise your first time, or they crack on top, you’ll love the taste and texture of it.

More Chocolate Desserts

If you love this Chocolate Soufflé or want some more ideas for Valentine’s Day, you’ll love these chocolate desserts:

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Chocolate Soufflé Recipe

5 from 39 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
Chocolate Souffle topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream
Homemade chocolate soufflé with rich chocolate flavor with a fluffy and moist center. It’s delicious served with chocolate sauce and Grand Marnier whipped cream (recipes below).
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 people

For the Chocolate Souffle:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more to coat the ramekins
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more to coat the ramekins
  • 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, 60-65% cacao, broken into small pieces or chopped
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 large eggs, room temperature, separated
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Whipped Cream Ingredients:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp Grand Marnier or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup whipping cream
  • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, 1/4 cup chips or chopped bars

Instructions

Prep for Soufflé:

  • Preheat the oven to 400˚F with a rack in the lowest position of the oven. Be sure it’s fully preheated (an oven thermometer helps to make sure).
  • Brush the bottoms and sides of six 8-oz ramekins with softened butter, brushing the butter in an upwards motion on the sides of the ramekins to encourage rise. Coat the inside of the ramekins thoroughly with granulated sugar, turning the ramekin to coat the sides and tapping out the excess.
  • Add 2 cups of water to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer on the stove and adjust the heat to keep it at just a simmer.

How to Make Chocolate Soufflé:

  • In a large rimmed heatproof mixing bowl, combine chocolate and 8 Tbsp of softened butter. Place the bowl over the simmering water (it should just be over the steam and not touching the water) and stir occasionally with a spatula just until melted and combined. Remove from heat right away and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly then whisk in 6 yolks, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/4 tsp salt until combined.
  • In a clean large mixing bowl, add 6 egg whites and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (2 minutes). With the mixer on, gradually add the sugar then increase to high speed and beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy and shiny (2 to 2 1/2 minutes).
  • Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Fold scraping from the bottom of the bowl and turning the bowl as you go, just until incorporated and no streaks of whites remain.
  • Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared ramekins (using an ice cream scoop keeps this process tidy and easy).
  • Just before putting it into the oven, Run your thumb around the inside rim of the ruffle, creating a little border about 1/4” deep at the edges to encourage the center of the soufflé to rise.
  • Place on the bottom oven rack then immediately reduce heat to 375˚F and bake without opening the door for 13 -16 minutes. Once they have risen, they can be removed from the oven. Don't over-bake or they may crack on top.

To Make Whipped Cream:

  • Beat cream together with sugar and grand mariner on medium speed until soft peaks form then increase to high speed and beat until medium/stiff peaks form.

To Make Chocolate Sauce:

  • In a small saucepan, combine cream, sugar, and vanilla. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves then reduce heat to low and add chocolate, stirring until melted. Serve warm.

Notes

*Nutrition label is calculated for each serving of the chocolate soufflé only and does not include the optional toppings of whipped cream and chocolate sauce. 

Nutrition Per Serving

454kcal Calories29g Carbs8g Protein34g Fat19g Saturated Fat2g Polyunsaturated Fat10g Monounsaturated Fat1g Trans Fat207mg Cholesterol166mg Sodium323mg Potassium3g Fiber23g Sugar729IU Vitamin A53mg Calcium3mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Soufflé Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
454
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
34
g
52
%
Saturated Fat
 
19
g
119
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
10
g
Cholesterol
 
207
mg
69
%
Sodium
 
166
mg
7
%
Potassium
 
323
mg
9
%
Carbohydrates
 
29
g
10
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
23
g
26
%
Protein
 
8
g
16
%
Vitamin A
 
729
IU
15
%
Calcium
 
53
mg
5
%
Iron
 
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Keyword: chocolate souffle
Skill Level: Medium/Advanced
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 454

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Albert
    March 17, 2024

    Hello from Malta 🇲🇹

    We made it for 3 people it helped us using the metric for the measures.

    It went up very beautiful and the taste us amazing .

    Where I can show you my photo pls ?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 17, 2024

      That’s wonderful, Albert! I’m so glad it was enjoyed. You can’t attach an image here, but you can tag me on Instagram or Facebook at #natashaskitchen

      Reply

  • Raegan
    February 20, 2024

    Awesome recipe, except for… when i made it i was sooo excited! everything was going perfect, then when the moment came for us to try i was super nervous, Would they like it? we all took a bite.

    I forgot the sugar

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 20, 2024

      Oh no!! I’m so sorry you forgot that! you have to give it another try soon!

      Reply

  • Laurene Brazil
    February 14, 2024

    Awesome recipe! Made it for Valentines Day and was a huge hit!!! I love that you can make it ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to bake it, that saves so much time! I wish I could show you my picture of it!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 14, 2024

      That’s great, Laurene!

      Reply

  • Kacie
    September 7, 2023

    Natasha, I just recently came across your blog and have been loving your recipes! I made the soufflé tonight and although it was a little involved, it was delicious ❤️ One quick piece of feedback- I noticed that because there are so many ads/videos/popups, the page continuously skips around as I’m trying to follow the recipe. It becomes a little annoying and I end up just taking screen shots so I can exit the site. Just thought I’d mention this in case it could be at all improved for a better user experience. Your recipes are great, thanks so much!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      September 7, 2023

      Hi Kacie, thank you for sharing that feedback. It’s very important to us that you have a good experience on the site (in addition to great recipes!). I have sent your feedback to our tech team to investigate further and see if we can come up with a solution to fix that.

      Reply

  • Elyane
    July 26, 2023

    Hi
    Thank you for all these great recipes. I was wondering if I could put fresh berries at the bottom of the ramekin with the souffle on top and then bake.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 26, 2023

      Hi Elyane! I haven’t tested that to advise. Let us know it turns out if you experiment.

      Reply

      • Elyane
        July 28, 2023

        Hi
        I tried it with frozen black sweet cherries at the bottom of the ramekin. I will definitely redo this. The difference in texture is lovely and the fruit compliments the richness of the soufflé. It does need to bake a little longer though!

        Reply

        • NatashasKitchen.com
          July 28, 2023

          That’s great to know. Thanks so much for sharing with us.

          Reply

  • Ciara C.
    December 20, 2022

    Natasha, your recipes are always amazing! I am planning on making this for Christmas Eve. Do you think it would be possible to make the batter the night before and store it in the refrigerator and then the day of pull the batter out and let it sit at room temperature during dinner and then put into ramekins right before you are ready to bake?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      December 20, 2022

      Hi Ciara! See my notes above under “make-ahead” for instructions on this. 🙂

      Reply

    • Ciara Hess
      March 4, 2023

      Hey! We have the same name! And I was wondering if you could just use normal chocolate chips?

      Reply

      • NatashasKitchen.com
        March 4, 2023

        Hi Clara, bittersweet chocolate, 60-65% cacao is best for this recipe.

        Reply

  • Donna
    November 17, 2022

    Hi Natasha, I made the chocolate souffle tonight, I used 1/3 of the ingredients of your recipe because it was just for my husband and myself. I substituted with veggie oil instead of butter which came out perfect. We love it. Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 17, 2022

      That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Donna!

      Reply

  • Faigy
    October 26, 2022

    Hi natasha! I would like to make these with a sugar substitute. Which type do you reccomend and would there be any measurment adjustments?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 26, 2022

      Hi Faigy, I haven’t tried this with a sugar substitute to advise, baking, especially soufflé, is such a science. I wouldn’t want you to waste your ingredients. If you experiment though, let me know how you liked the recipe.

      Reply

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