Sometimes I think chocolate can be made into just about any dessert form. Here we have it as a cobbler, which is usually associated with fruit. While I don’t think that this is a cobbler in the traditional sense, I find that it’s so good that I don’t really care what you call it.
This is another of those recipes that are so simple that you’re almost embarrassed to take the compliments that will inevitably come after serving it. The whole thing can be put together in a matter of minutes. Another added convenience is that the ingredients are all things that most anyone would have on hand.
So, the gist of this dessert is that as it bakes, it makes its own chocolate sauce on the bottom. When you scoop out a serving, right there underneath is some wonderful, warm chocolate goodness to spoon over it. And, don’t forget the ice cream. To me, it’s not optional. It may not be the prettiest thing you’ll ever make, but you’ll probably find that no one will mind.
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 7 tablespoons cocoa, divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 & 1/2 cups hot water
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Stir together 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk, butter, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Pour into an ungreased 8-inch square glass baking pan.
In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and 4 tablespoons cocoa. Sprinkle evenly over batter. Pour hot water over the top. Do not stir.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Let stand for 15 minutes, then serve. Use the chocolate sauce in the bottom of the pan to spoon over servings. Garnish, if desired, with ice cream or whipped cream.
http://www.bakeorbreak.com/2008/06/chocolate-cobbler/
June 18th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
While I’ve never had a cobbler, I have had this! It’s generally called a self saucing pudding, and it’s delish! Great with a dollop of double cream too. Mmmm, I might have to make one on the weekend!
June 18th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
I literally want to jump in that and swim around in the chocolate. Talk about being one big gluttonous girl! I would forgo starbucks for a week to have a big bite of that fresh out of the oven. and that is saying a lot as I am a chocolate fiend!
June 18th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
WOW! This looks amazing.
Such a good idea for a non-traditional cobbler. This is a definite must for an I-need-chocolate-NOW-PMSing weel. 
June 18th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
That look stunning and delicious! You are right
chocolate can be everywhere!! and I really enjoy this thing a lot..:-D
great photos as ever
Silvia
June 19th, 2008 at 12:09 am
That looks so good! And you’re right – ice cream is not optional when it comes to this kind of chocolate cake.
June 19th, 2008 at 3:36 am
I love calling it chocolate cobbler! I’ve only heard it called brownie pudding or hot fudge cake. Whatever you call it, I call it DELICIOUS! I’m definitely making this this week.
And you’re right–it LOVES vanilla ice cream. I’ve never had it without. And it HAS to be hot/warm. Oh dear, I’m afraid I may be making it tonight!
June 19th, 2008 at 5:31 am
Lovely…I haven’t seen something like this before, but it looks divine and I will surely be making it one day soon!
June 19th, 2008 at 7:22 am
This is so good, I’m going to make it for myself. As you know…I don’t bake, so we will see what happens!
This is beyond good. As fond as I am of a good peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream, this tops it big time. The ice cream makes it even better! The way that the sauce is just waiting for you underneath the cobbler is a mini-miracle! I still don’t know how that happens in the cooking process but it is delicious.
I’ll let you know how my attempt at cooking this comes out…if I can do it, anyone can!!
Thanks for bringing this on Sunday! It made Father’s Day lunch complete!
June 19th, 2008 at 8:17 am
I have a similar recipe that I make on occassion!
I can just about eat the whole thing by myself!!
I agree ice cream is a must!
June 19th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Nat, it seems that this dessert is called all kinds of different things. In any case, it’s delicious!
Amanda, I think it would be worth it!
Patti, you may just be right!
Thanks, Silvia!
Angelica, we actually picked up some gelato locally the last time I made this. Very, very good.
Lisa, warm with ice cream. There’s no other way to eat it!
Elizabeth, I hope you like it!
Nan, you can do it!
Cindy, I know what you mean. I just need the pan, some ice cream, and a spoon.
June 19th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Oooooh, chocolate cobbler…can I make this for lunch? It would be a fun way to celebrate the last day of school, right? Right?
Looks fabulous, and yep–gotta have ice cream with it.
June 19th, 2008 at 10:29 am
This… Is…. Genius!!
June 19th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Holy melted Hersheys, Batman. What a photo!
June 19th, 2008 at 10:59 am
I made something similar to this for my husband on our first Valentine’s Day together. I also baked him cocoa chocolate chip cookies. I’m glad that I married a chocolate lover like myself:)
And you are right, it is delicious!
June 19th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I did not know about the existence of something so luscious, Jen.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:31 am
I was going to make some layered chocolate brownies to serve with ice cream for a dinner tonight, but I think I just changed my mind.
June 19th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Elle, that sounds like a plan!
Thanks, Tarah! I wish I knew who to give credit to for the recipe because they are brilliant!!!
standing still, thanks!
Katie, chocolate helped bring me and Quinn together, too.
Patricia, you must try it!
Jill B, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
June 19th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
This is very much like a lava cake – ooey gooey goodeness full of rich chocolate – I can’t even stand it – so good.
June 20th, 2008 at 6:51 am
How would adding raspberries work? I LOVE the two combined together in any form. Sometimes I will put a chocolate chip in the center of a raspberry and eat them for a little treat. No baking required.
June 20th, 2008 at 9:07 am
giz, I know – I can just barely stand it.
Karen, I’m not sure how raspberries would incorporate into the baking process, but a few sprinkled on top of each serving would be lovely!
June 20th, 2008 at 11:28 am
This is one of my favorite desserts, easy to make and uses ingredients you already have on hand! I have a couple different versions, I make.
June 20th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
YUMMO!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 20th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
This looks and sounds like a phenomenal dessert – easy AND delicious!
I have REALLY been craving chocolate lately, and not just old run of the mill chocolate either. That said, this is definitely being made this weekend! Hips & tummy – you’ve been warned!
June 20th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Rachelle, I love that this recipe uses thing that you keep in your pantry. It’s awful to figure out you’re short an ingredient when you’re ready to make something.
Thanks, Hendria!
Sandie, I hope you’ll like it!
June 21st, 2008 at 7:13 am
Looks gooey and wonderful to me! I ‘d love this with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a couple of raspberries on top
June 21st, 2008 at 10:34 am
Never heard of such a thing… so glad you brought it to our attention. YUMMM!
June 21st, 2008 at 4:03 pm
That looks so moist and chocolaty and good!
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:53 am
Promise; I am not going to dob you in to anyone over the cobbler thing. I just want one thing in return. You see that big bowl at the top of the page? Yeah. Ohhh yeah.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I am delurking to tell you that I ran across your blog recently and just fell madly in love! I made this for my husband and I last night, and while I used dark chocolate cocoa powder and probably cooked the cobbler a bit too long (I was distracted with dishes), it was absolutely divine! It is just sooooo good for how simple the recipe it. I am usually not a huge fan of chocolate, but this is just irresistible. I plan to make this again soon. Thank you for sharing so many inspiring recipes.
June 22nd, 2008 at 10:44 pm
RecipeGirl, sounds good to me!
Kevin, that’s exactly what it is!
Indigo, I’ll see what I can do.
Amy, I’m so glad you and your husband liked it! Thanks for commenting.
June 23rd, 2008 at 2:06 am
I am salivating. Can’t type more as my drool may short circuit the computer!
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:43 am
Oh. My. Gosh. I must make this now!
June 23rd, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Man, you’re photos are just ridiculous. Well I suppose it’s a combo of the recipe and the photo but this cobbler looks outstanding nonetheless.
June 24th, 2008 at 9:25 am
caked crusader, I completely understand.
Ashley, let me know what you think if you make this.
Thanks, Nick!
June 25th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Ohhh man this looks perfect. I can taste it now.
June 26th, 2008 at 6:56 am
Thanks, Nicole!
June 26th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Cobbler or not, this is a keeper. I imagine every bite is pure delish. Great pics.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Thanks, Kim! It is, without a doubt, delicious.
June 28th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
jennifer… you should call this blog chocolate heaven… i love the simplicity and richness of this! and the photos show it very, very well!
June 28th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Thanks, Aran!
July 5th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Whoa! Very tempting, chocolate is my favorite. But there is one problem. We have a family history of Diabetes. So I try to avoid sweet foods.
http://www.foodista.com/2008/06/12/mexican-hot-chocolate/
July 5th, 2008 at 6:31 am
Thanks, Mr. Sound. Moderation is everyone’s friend.
July 5th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
I’ve never made a cobbler before. This would be a great one to try out! It looks sinfully delicious. I have got to make this.
July 5th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
TBC, I hope you’ll enjoy it!
July 5th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I made this today, and not only was it really easy, it tastes amazing. The next time I have company, I’m going to pull this out so I can wow them. Thanks and keep those recipes coming girl!!
July 6th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Christy, I’m glad you liked it!
July 6th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Hello, all your beautiful deserts here are so inspiring! The close up photography really makes me want to make more sweets! This chocolate cobbler is just amazing and really satisfying for days that I CRAVE chocolate. Thank you!
July 6th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Thanks, White!
September 8th, 2008 at 5:23 am
Well I guess I cannot visit this site anymore or all those ten mile bike rides and body bar sessions will turn into every sweet gooey melted mixture known to man!
September 8th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
October 17th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Hi!! this looks great! do you think I could make it with soy milk instead of milk??
October 17th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Alexandra, I’ve never used soy milk, but I think you should be able to substitute it for regular milk. Enjoy!
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:40 pm
I just wanted to say that I made this last weekend for a small get-together with friends, and it was an unbelievable hit. Thanks for such a great (and easy!) recipe. Although I must say that the best part of this recipe (that all the ingredients are basically pantry staples) is also the worst part! Now I’m afraid that I’ll make this WHENEVER I have a chocolate graving
August 29th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Hey Jennifer! Just wanted to let you know that I am a HUGE fan of your site! The pictures are gorgeous and I love your ‘first hand’ reviews of these awesome recipes! I baked this chocolate cobbler today and it was SUPER easy! I had all the ingredients and it turned out perfectly! It’s soo delicious and I’m sure it’ll be gone by tomorrow in my house! haha Thanks so much!
January 30th, 2010 at 8:56 am
I made this last night because the picture looked soooo good. I was slightly disappointed. It needed more fat (egg or butter). The cake part was decent, but the sauce tasty very watery. It probably does taste better over ice cream.
January 30th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
I made this two nights ago for some friends…they LOVED it. One of my friends asked for a second serving before I had served everyone else. I plan on making it again this week for the girls at my church
awesome!
March 13th, 2011 at 8:50 pm
I made this tonight and it was a huge hit. The only thing I did differently is that I had a can of evaporated milk in the cupboard that was going to expire. So I used it for the 1/2 cup of milk, and I used the remainder of it in the 1.5 cups of hot water. So I ended up with 1/2 water/1/2 evaporated milk. The result was a really creamy, rich gooey pudding/cake combination. The best part of this recipe is the ingredients list. There was nothing exotic, which meant no trip to the store. Plus it is easy to whip up. Thank you for a terrific recipe!!
June 1st, 2011 at 6:56 pm
This cake is actually a World War II era recipe. Is was developed because traditional cake ingredient were pricey or really hard to cone by. One of me favorites!
July 14th, 2011 at 3:58 am
I know this as Chocolate Pudding Cake. But it doesn’t matter what you call it, it’s delicious no matter what the name is!
December 11th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Hi!! I found this recipe via Pinterest and I hope you do not mind, but I used your recipe on my blog. I fully credited you as my source and provided a link to your blog. Thank you so much for this tasty recipe
September 19th, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Made this for dessert tonight and it was AMAZING! Will Definately make this again.
September 20th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
Made it tonight and it was fabulous! Do the leftovers need to be refrigerated?
Thanks!
September 21st, 2012 at 7:28 am
Becky, I would refrigerate the leftovers and reheat before serving. Glad you liked it!
October 19th, 2012 at 3:50 pm
All I have to say is Yum. I made this today and omg it is to die for.
October 28th, 2012 at 8:49 pm
Can I use unsweetened cocoa powder? Will it taste the same?
October 28th, 2012 at 9:29 pm
Brenda, that’s what I used.
October 28th, 2012 at 10:00 pm
I don’t understand your recipe? Do we put 3tbs of. Salt as well?! Your recipe is confusing?
October 28th, 2012 at 10:05 pm
Brenda, the amount of cocoa is specified because it is divided within the recipe – 7 Tbsp total, using 3 Tbsp and 4 Tbsp at separate points in the recipe. The amounts of the other ingredients are in the ingredients list.
October 28th, 2012 at 10:32 pm
Ok yes I got it the 2nd time! My mistake! It’s in the oven now! Can’t wait and thank you!:)
November 22nd, 2012 at 3:29 am
Can u please give me the measurements in grams. Thanks
January 17th, 2013 at 9:26 pm
This was pretty good although it didnt seem very sweet? I’m wondering if I did something wrong. The cake like mixture tasted more dough like rather than sweet chocolate?? Any thoughts?
January 18th, 2013 at 10:14 am
Amy, did you vary from the recipe in any way?
January 22nd, 2013 at 11:51 pm
This is a Betty Crocker quick dessert. Also has the variation of making it a lemon pudding cake. Despite not being an original recipe it makes a wonderful dessert and always a crowd pleaser. I’ve been making either version for over 45 years.
January 27th, 2013 at 2:56 pm
Made this before and it is delicious. Having it for lunch today, can’t wait.
February 3rd, 2013 at 1:51 pm
had this last sunday was delicious.
February 9th, 2013 at 9:55 pm
This recipe began an interest in cooking for me in 1973! I thought it was the most wonderful thing I had ever eaten! Just recently started to see it described as “cobbler”- a real classic. Thanks.
February 13th, 2013 at 4:56 pm
Made this last night. Hubs and I were too full from dinner to eat right away, but had today. I popped it in the microwave for a bit to warm, then put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. It was like the most amazing brownie sundae I’ve ever had! The textures were awesome: the cake was lighter and airier than I expected, and the sauce was thicker, like a pudding. This recipe is DEFINITELY a keeper! Especially since I always have all of the necessary ingredients right in the pantry!
February 27th, 2013 at 9:35 pm
I found this on Pinterest and we love it! It is amazing!!! I love that I will always have the ingredients on hand! Thank you!
March 2nd, 2013 at 11:00 am
Wow I tried it and it was delicious great recipe!
March 8th, 2013 at 6:38 pm
While delicious, I was hoping for a more intense.chocolate taste. Maybe adding more cocoa, or adding melted chocolate in place of, or in addition to the cocoa? Overall, loved the cobbler like texture with the sauce under. Very yummy, especially with ice cream
March 24th, 2013 at 7:54 pm
This is in my oven right now as we speak, although I just read Maura’s comment regarding maybe adding more chocolate and I’m struck with ideas. Maybe white chocolate shavings, melted white chocolate topping? Oh the possibilities.
May 8th, 2013 at 1:56 pm
I made this yesterday and found it to be very delicious! Thank you! However, one thing I noticed was that it didn’t seem very chocolatey. Next time I make it, I might add some melted chocolate to the wet dough and then maybe some on the top once it’s out of the oven. Anyone else experience this issue?
May 19th, 2013 at 10:07 pm
I made this tonight and I have to say looks can be deceiving. This was not very chocolatey tasting. Though the sauce had a nice creamy texture, it was very watery tasting. Easy to make but will not make again, I will look for a different recipe.