Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Ultra-chocolaty without being too intense. Every bite is pure heaven!
Texture: The brownie itself is chewy, while the chocolate lava just oozes out into a rich, gooey, and luscious surprise.
Ease: Easy, but requires a few dishes and patience (the lava filling needs to be made ahead of time).
Pros: Romantic, totally doable, and better than any dessert at any restaurant.
Cons: None!
Would I make this again? YES YES YES.
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There aren’t enough words in the English language to describe how perfect these lava brownies are.
Beautiful, delectable, delicious, heavenly, indulgent, mouthwatering, scrumptious, wonderful … still not quite sure all those words do it justice.
One of my favorite things in life is lava… molten chocolate lava, that is. As a total chocoholic and lover of all things rich, gooey, and ooey, chocolate lava cakes are MY JAM.
Free Brownie Cheatsheet!
Frustrated with under-baked centers or brownies that turn out too dry and cakey? This cheatsheet has everything you need—from essential tools to foolproof tips plus two crave-worthy recipes—to help you master perfect brownies every time!
These are so rich, chewy, and delightful, and are one of the best things I’ve ever made.
These Lava Brownies are perfect for Valentine’s Day, a dinner party, or really anytime you’re craving something chocolatey and wonderful.
I hope you, my fellow chocoholics, love them as much as I do!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Lava Brownies
How to Get Perfectly Flowing Lava
Be sure to freeze your lava filling until it’s hard, as directed in the recipe. If your filling is not completely frozen, it may melt too fast and absorb into the brownie mixture as the Lava Brownies bake, and your brownies may not have a liquidy, flowing center.
What Type of Chocolate for Lava Brownies?
I prefer a combination of semi-sweet + unsweetened chocolate for this recipe, for the perfect balance of sweetness. I like to use Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips and unsweetened baking chocolate. Feel free to experiment with different types of chocolate to your preference, but just note that the sweetness levels will change.
Tips for Perfect Brownies
- Avoid adding too much flour. Too much flour will make for dry, crumbly, or cakey brownies. I highly recommend using a digital scale to measure, but if you don’t have one, learn how to measure for accuracy here.
- Do not reduce the sugar. Sugar does so much more than simply sweetening in baking – learn more about what sugar really does in baking here.
- Avoid overbaking. Pull your lava brownies from the oven once the brownie is cooked through but the lava is still molten. This provides the perfect lava, without causing your brownies to be hard or dry.
What Type of Pan for Lava Brownies?
This recipe was written to use a jumbo muffin pan, like this one. If your pan is very dark in color, it may bake a little faster, be cautious of overbaking and try shaving a couple minutes off the bake time to start. You can alternatively use similarly-sized ramekins. I have not tried this recipe using a regular or mini-sized muffin pan.
How to Avoid Lava Brownies Sticking to the Pan
If you don’t grease your pan well, your lava brownies may stick to the pan. I typically use Baker’s Joy spray, as I find that it works well to avoid sticking. You can also try using melted butter or melted shortening, brushing it on with a silicone brush, and then coat the insides with granulated sugar or cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.
What to Serve with Lava Brownies
I serve my Lava Brownies with some fresh raspberries, but you could also serve with:
- Strawberries
- Fresh mint
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
- Melted peanut butter
- Whatever your heart desires!
Can Lava Brownies be Made Ahead?
Yes! Once the Lava Brownies are portioned out into the muffin tin, they can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before inserting the frozen lava filling and baking.
How to Store Lava Brownies
Lava Brownies are best served just after baking, but they can be stored in an airtight container and reheated in the microwave before serving.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
See all my Valentine’s Day recipes here!
Lava Brownies
Ingredients
For the chocolate lava:
- 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the brownies:
- 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4 ounces (113 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (94 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Fresh raspberries, for serving
Instructions
For the chocolate lava:
- In a small saucepan, combine the lava ingredients. Stir over low heat until melted. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool for 15 minutes. Cover and freeze for 1 hour, or until fudge-like consistency. Divide into 6 equal portions and roll into balls. Place in the freezer until solid.
For the brownies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, butter, and unsweetened chocolate. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Continue heating in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the mixture is melted and smooth, being careful not to scorch the mixture. Allow to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until light and thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. Add the flour and salt, folding gently until combined.
- Divide the batter among the prepared cups.
MAKE AHEAD:
- At this point, the unbaked lava brownies can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before inserting the lava filling balls and baking.
- Place a ball of lava filling into the center of each cup, pressing down slightly to cover with batter. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the brownie is cooked through but the lava is still molten. Let cool for 3 to 5 minutes before turning out onto a tray and serving on individual plates. Serve immediately with fresh raspberries.
- Brownies can be reheated in the microwave to serve later, but are best served just after baking.
This post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated with recipe weight measurements and additional recipe tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
This reminds me of the movie Chef where Jon Favreau has a melt down over a food critic talking about his lava cake being under cooked. All kidding aside, this looks delicious!
I made these, looked great out of the oven, but the wire rack was a bad idea, when I inverted them the centers fell right out. Any ideas?
I just made these for my parents when they came to visit. AMAZING. They loved it so much
Thanks, i’ll try this one 🙂 thank you
Josh- the white stuff is icing sugar, it can be sifted or sprinkled on top of the brownies for decoration. As for checking if they’re cooked, you can gently push a metal skewer through the top of the brownie, if the lava comes out molten and steaming you’re good to go!
There is no way that I would be able to resist one of these gooey lava brownies! I love that they are single serving too so I don’t have to share!
I have a small question, what is the white thing on top of the brownie, and how can i check if the brownie is cooked already and the lava is molten? 🙂 sorry for the newbie question 🙂
Oh man, Tessa, those lava brownies look soo good! Look at that gooey chocolate lava. I can’t wait to give these a try!
I am totally in love with these lava brownies! I am making these!!!
Oh, I want it! I waaaaaaaaaaaant it! Can’t wait till the chocolate is frozen!
Yummi!
I love that they’re lava brownies and not lava cake. Like, be still my heart! Can it be my Valentine?
I thought nothing could be better than brownies. But these? Oh my god! I want some and it’s 6 in the morning. If only I didn’t have to go to work today.