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This chocolate soufflé for one is a classic French dessert made with seven ingredients and baked in a single ramekin. It rises tall, bakes in 10 to 12 minutes, and has a light texture with deep chocolate flavor.
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Equipment: 10-ounce ramekin, hand mixer, double boiler or microwave-safe bowl
- Cook Method: Baked
- Servings: 1
- Difficulty: Intermediate
This individual chocolate soufflé bakes in a single 10-ounce ramekin and rises above the rim with a light, airy interior and a delicate set top.
Why You’ll Love This Single Serving Chocolate Soufflé
A chocolate soufflé is a French dessert made from melted chocolate, eggs, and whipped egg whites that rises tall in the oven and comes out with a delicate set top and a soft, mousse-like center.
A soufflé is one of the easiest desserts to make. There’s no flour to measure, no custard base to cook, and no need to temper the chocolate. It comes together quickly, is made with a handful of simple ingredients, and is a wonderful flourless chocolate dessert.
The lift comes entirely from the whipped egg whites, which fold into the melted chocolate and carry air through the batter. That air climbs the buttered, sugared sides of the ramekin in the oven and gives you the tall, dramatic rise. A soufflé is at its best in the first few minutes out of the oven, so I plan mine to come out right when I’m ready to enjoy it.
Most chocolate soufflé recipes make four to six servings, which is more than anyone cooking for one needs. I wanted a version built for one ramekin, so I tested different sizes and landed on the 10-ounce. The smaller ramekins overflowed before the center set, and larger ones left the soufflé sitting low without much of a rise. Every measurement is built around it so the rise and bake time are consistent every time you make it.
If you enjoy rich, chocolate deserts, our chocolate lava cake for one, flourless chocolate cake for one, and chocolate pot de crème for one are worth a look. Same single-ramekin format, same deep chocolate flavor.
Ingredients
This single serve chocolate soufflé is naturally gluten free since it is made without flour. If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Semisweet Chocolate: Use a good quality chocolate bar like Ghirardelli or Baker’s. Bar chocolate melts more evenly than chips because chips contain stabilizers that make them thicker when melted and harder to fold into the egg whites.
Butter: Butter adds richness to the chocolate base and is also used to coat the inside of the ramekin. Salted or unsalted butter both work in this recipe.
Egg and Egg White: This recipe uses one whole egg plus one additional egg white. The yolk goes into the chocolate base for richness and flavor, and both whites get whipped together to create the foam that lifts the soufflé. Save the leftover yolk for one of our egg yolk recipes for one.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla deepens the chocolate flavor in the soufflé. Use pure vanilla extract rather than imitation for a cleaner taste.
Cream of Tartar: An acid that stabilizes the egg whites during whipping so the foam holds its structure when you fold it into the chocolate.
Granulated Sugar: Sugar sweetens the soufflé and strengthens the egg white foam when added gradually during whipping. A small amount also coats the inside of the buttered ramekin, which helps the batter climb the sides as it rises instead of sticking.
How To Make A Chocolate Soufflé For One
These photos and steps show how to make this individual chocolate soufflé. See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full instructions.
Before You Begin: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) so it is fully hot when the soufflé is ready to bake.
- Melt the Chocolate and Butter: Melt the butter and chopped chocolate using a double boiler or microwave-safe bowl. For a double boiler, set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. If using the microwave, heat in 20-second intervals, stirring after each. Stir until smooth, then let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
- Separate the Egg and Add the Yolk: Separate the egg, placing the yolk in a small bowl and the white in a clean mixing bowl. Whisk the egg yolk with the vanilla, then stir it into the cooled chocolate mixture. Set aside.
- Whip the Egg Whites: Add the additional egg white and the cream of tartar to the bowl with the egg white. Using a hand mixer on high speed, beat until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. With the mixer still running, slowly add the sugar and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- Fold the Batter: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Take your time and avoid overmixing to keep the batter light.
- Prepare the Ramekin: Brush the inside of a 10 ounce ramekin with softened butter. Sprinkle granulated sugar inside and rotate the ramekin until fully coated. The sugar coating helps the soufflé rise straight up and prevents sticking.
- Fill the Ramekin: Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekin and smooth the top with a knife or spatula. Run the tip of a knife around the inside rim to create a clean edge between the batter and the ramekin. This helps the soufflé rise upward evenly as it bakes.
- Bake the Soufflé: Place the ramekin on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The soufflé is done when it has risen above the rim of the ramekin, the edges are set, and the center gently jiggles when the pan is lightly tapped. Avoid opening the oven while baking.
- Serve Immediately: Remove from the oven and serve right away while the soufflé is tall and warm.
Expert Tips
Use room temperature eggs. Room temperature egg whites whip faster and hold more air than cold whites, which helps the soufflé rise higher.
Make sure your mixing bowl is clean and dry. Any grease, water, or residue in the bowl can prevent the egg whites from whipping to stiff peaks.
Watch the egg whites closely. Stop mixing as soon as stiff, glossy peaks form. Overwhipped whites turn dry and grainy, which makes them harder to fold and can result in a cracked top.
Fold gently. Fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Overmixing pushes the air out of the batter and results in a flat soufflé.
Run a knife around the inside rim. After filling the ramekin, run the tip of a knife around the edge to create a small channel between the batter and the ramekin wall. This helps the soufflé rise straight up instead of spilling over the edges.
Brush butter in upward strokes. When coating the ramekin, brush the softened butter from the bottom up along the sides. The upward strokes help guide the batter as it rises.
Do not open the oven while baking. A sudden drop in temperature can cause the soufflé to collapse before the structure has set. Check for doneness through the oven window instead.
Troubleshooting
Why did my chocolate soufflé fall?
All soufflés lose some height as they cool. That’s normal. If yours collapsed quickly or dramatically, the most common cause is opening the oven door before the structure had time to set. Bake the full 10 to 12 minutes without opening the door.
Why didn’t my soufflé rise?
The egg whites are the only source of lift in this recipe. If they weren’t whipped to stiff, glossy peaks, the batter won’t have enough air to rise. Make sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry before whipping, and use room temperature eggs.
Why is my soufflé dense or heavy?
Overmixing when folding the whites into the chocolate pushes the air out of the batter. Fold gently and stop as soon as no white streaks remain.
Why did my soufflé crack on top?
Small cracks are normal. Large cracks usually mean the oven was too hot or the soufflé baked too long. Check your oven temperature with a thermometer and pull the soufflé when the center still gently jiggles.
Why did my soufflé overflow the ramekin?
The ramekin was likely too small. This recipe is designed for a 10-ounce ramekin. Spoon the batter in and smooth the top without mounding it above the rim.
Why is the center of my soufflé still raw?
The oven temperature may have been too low, or the soufflé was pulled too early. The edges should be fully set and the center should jiggle gently, not slosh. Make sure the ramekin is on the center oven rack so heat reaches the soufflé evenly from all sides. Bake the full 10 to 12 minutes and check your oven temperature with a thermometer to make sure it’s reaching 375°F.
Chocolate Soufflé Toppings
A chocolate soufflé is best served right out of the oven while it’s still tall and warm. Keep toppings simple so the soufflé stays the focus.
- A light dusting of powdered sugar is the classic finish.
- A spoonful of our small batch whipped cream adds a cool, creamy contrast.
- A drizzle of salted caramel pairs well with the chocolate.
- The raspberry coulis from our Knickerbocker Glory recipe adds a tart balance.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, a chocolate soufflé is not hard to make. This recipe uses seven ingredients, has no flour, and takes about 25 minutes. The key steps are whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks and folding them gently into the chocolate.
Yes. You can prepare the batter and spoon it into the ramekin, then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to a few hours before baking. Bake straight from the fridge and add a minute or two to the bake time. Serve immediately after baking for the best rise.
Yes. This soufflé is naturally gluten free because it contains no flour. The structure comes entirely from the egg whites.
Yes. Double the ingredients and divide the batter between two 10-ounce ramekins. The bake time stays the same at 10 to 12 minutes.
A chocolate bar is recommended. Chips contain stabilizers that help them hold their shape, which can make the melted chocolate slightly thicker and harder to fold into the egg whites. If chips are all you have, they will work, but the batter may not fold as smoothly.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you try this if you try this chocolate soufflé for one or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen, I’d love to hear what you think. Please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Chocolate Soufflé For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons butter – plus more for greasing the ramekin
- 2 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate bar – coarsely chopped
- 1 large egg – separated and room temperature
- 1 large egg white – room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar – plus a more for the ramekin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Melt the butter and chopped chocolate using a simple double boiler or a microwave safe bowl. If using the microwave, heat in 20 second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Separate the egg, placing the yolk in a small bowl and the white in a clean mixing bowl. Whisk the egg yolk with the vanilla, then stir it into the cooled chocolate mixture.
- Add the additional egg white and the cream of tartar to the bowl with the first egg white. Using a hand mixer on high speed, beat until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until just combined.
- Brush the inside of a 10-ounce ramekin with softened butter. Add about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar and rotate the ramekin until the inside is fully coated.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekin and smooth the top. Run the tip of a knife around the inside rim to create a clean edge.
- Place the ramekin on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the soufflé has risen above the rim of the ramekin, the edges are set, and the center gently jiggles when tapped.
- Serve immediately while the soufflé is tall and warm.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I used fresh ingredients and an oven thermometer to make sure that the temperature was correct. I baked for 11 minutes and it looked OK from the outside. When I stuck a fork into it, it was raw on the inside. It seemed like way too much better for a 10 ounce ramekin.
The amount of batter is correct for a 10-ounce ramekin, but if the inside looked raw rather than just soft, a couple of things could be at play. A chocolate soufflé is meant to have a slightly molten center, but it shouldn’t look wet or batter-like.
Even with an oven thermometer, ovens can have hot spots or uneven heat that affect smaller bakes. Rack position matters too. The ramekin should sit on the center rack so heat circulates evenly around it. If your oven runs cool toward the center or the ramekin was placed lower, that could explain the raw interior. Next time, try baking for an extra 2 to 3 minutes and check that the edges are firmly set while the center only gently jiggles when tapped. That’s the sweet spot for a properly baked soufflé.
Thanks for your reply. I will give it another try.