Name: Chilis Lava Cake at Home
Yield: 7

Chilis Lava Cake is a warm, fudgy chocolate cake with a gooey center, finished with vanilla ice cream and a crackly chocolate shell.

Author’s Notes

The Dessert That Started a Full-On Lava Cake Frenzy

This is one of the most hyped desserts I’ve ever made, and it all started when my husband asked for a lava cake like the one from Chili’s for Christmas.

When he wrote his Christmas wish list, buried among about 15 ideas was “Chilis lava cakes, but from-scratch.” Immediately, I started testing.

By Christmas Eve, I felt the recipe was reliable. We had guests over and everyone loved them, but my oldest said they were the best thing he’d ever eaten.

Once school was back in session, he told his friends, which quickly turned into me making lava cakes for five or six kids a couple weeks later. One friend snapped a photo and texted it to his baseball team, and the next day more kids showed up hoping to try them.

Currently, I’m about six batches deep after perfecting this recipe, and I don’t see it stopping anytime soon. Oh, and according to my husband, these are way better than Chili’s!

All the ingredients in this recipe prepped out for straightforward assembly including the egg yolks, butter, eggs, chocolate, salt, flour, vanilla, and brown sugar.

Ingredients in Chilis Lava Cakes

Ingredient Group	Helpful Tip
Semi-sweet chocolate	Use good-quality chocolate bars since they make up most of the flavor.
Butter	Melt most with the chocolate for a smooth batter, then use the rest to generously grease the muffin tin for straightforward release.
Eggs & egg yolks	Let them come to room temperature so they create a silky, smooth batter.
Brown sugar & vanilla	Use fresh, soft light brown sugar and whisk well so it fully dissolves. If the brown sugar is hard or clumpy, swap in white sugar instead.
Flour & salt	Whisk just until combined to keep the cakes tender. Salt balances the chocolate flavor.

Quick Tip

Lindt chocolate balls are my go-to for the best melty center in these Chilis Lava Cakes. I’ve tested a lot, and haven’t found something that works better.

Chocolate and butter melting together while eggs and brown sugar are whisked for Chilis lava cake.

How To Make Chilis Lava Cakes

Melt & cool: Melt the chocolate and butter until smooth, then let cool slightly.
Whisk base: Whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar until smooth and slightly thick.
Finish batter: Whisk in chocolate, then flour just until combined.
Prep & fill: Grease and dust cocoa on the pan, fill, add centers, and top with batter.
Bake & serve: Bake, flip to release, and serve warm!

How To Top Your Lava Cakes

Chili’s has a signature way of topping their lava cakes with vanilla ice cream, chocolate shell, and a caramel drizzle. Here are a reliable ways to finish these Chilis Lava Cakes at home:

Vanilla bean ice cream for the hot and cold contrast
Magic shell or chocolate sauce for that crackly finish
Fresh strawberries or raspberries to cut the richness and make ’em look pretty!
Whipped cream (instead of ice cream) for a lighter topping
Salted caramel sauce if you’d want a sweet-salty balance

Chocolate and egg mixture whisked together, then poured into muffin tins with chocolate bowls in the center.

the cook’s Recipe Tip

Tools For This Recipe

Check out a reliable kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

I’ve bought and tried nearly every muffin tin out there, and a good one truly makes all the difference when it comes to clean release. This muffin tin is my forever favorite.

Storage

Chili Lava Cakes are best served fresh and warm. If needed, let them cool completely, then wrap tightly and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in the microwave just until warmed through.