Make this Chocolate Parfait for an easy Valentine’s Day treat. Layer a rich chocolate ganache with whipped cream, berries and cookies for a simple dessert.
No-bake
15 minutes
You’ll Learn: If you can use canned whipped cream or not
Worth It: A reliable family favorite that even picky eaters love
Bonus: Easy swaps to fit your tastes
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A quick treat – Whether it is for a planned dessert or to satisfy a spontaneous sweet tooth, this chocolate parfait is a great option when you want to make something quick. With its short prep time, you will have a delightful dessert in just 15 minutes.
- Festive holiday dessert – While I love cakes, cookies, and truffles just like most everyone else, it is nice to switch it up sometimes, especially with a no-bake option. This chocolate parfait is a fun alternative to the usual Valentine’s Day sweets.
- Crowd-pleasing recipe – This chocolate parfait is sure to be a hit for both kids and adults alike. Since you can customize the cookies and fruit toppings to your liking, you can make a dessert the whole family will love.
Serving suggestions
If you are looking for an entire Valentine’s Day menu, you can serve a whole home-cooked spread starting with some Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus, followed by some Air Fryer Flank Steak with a side of Mashed Red Potatoes. A Cranberry Kentucky Mule would be a great drink to pair with dinner and then you can serve these chocolate mousse parfaits for dessert.
For other Valentine’s Day treat ideas, try these Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies or these Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies.
Ingredients
- Chocolate Bars – You can use any chocolate bars of your choosing for this chocolate parfait recipe. These will be melted to make the chocolate mixture which has a chocolate pudding type consistency.
- Heavy Cream – Heavy cream makes both the chocolate mixture and the whipped cream layer the perfect amount of rich. Just make sure the heavy cream is very cold for the whipped cream portion.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – This helps balance out the sweetness of the overall recipe.
- Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar helps boost the sweetness of both the chocolate and cream layers.
- Salt – Just a little bit of salt helps balance out the sweetness and keeps the dessert from getting bitter.
- Vanilla Extract – The vanilla helps bring out all the flavors in this delicious dessert.
- Crushed Oreos – As a big oreo fan, the crushed oreos are one of my favorite parts of this chocolate parfait.
- Raspberries or Strawberries – Some fresh fruit on top completes this treat.
Ingredient Substitutions
It is very easy to make this recipe gluten-free. There are several gluten-free oreo type cookies out there that taste almost identical to regular oreo cookies.
If you want to experiment and try out another cookie for the cookie crumbs instead of Oreos, feel free to. Chocolate chip cookies are another tasty option.
Save time by using cool whip instead of homemade whipped cream for the whipped cream layer. I do not recommend using whipped cream from a can because it will not be thick enough when you assemble the parfait
There is no particular chocolate bar that you have to use for this recipe. I used dark chocolate but feel free to switch it up to milk chocolate if you prefer.
If you are strictly a chocolate lover and want to skip the fruit, you can omit the fruit garnish. You could also top this dessert with another type of fruit or even chocolate chips or more oreo crumbs.
How to make
Step 1: Prepare the chocolate layer
To prepare the chocolate layer, break the chocolate bars into small pieces in a heat-safe mixing bowl. Heat 1 cup heavy cream in a saucepan on the stove until it just begins to boil and pour very hot cream over the chocolate bar (Image 1). Whisk until the chocolate is melted and a smooth ganache remains (Image 2).
Next, sift 2 tbsp cocoa powder and 2 tbsp powdered sugar through a fine mesh strainer to sift out the clumps and fold into the ganache with a flat spatula (Image 3), fold in the salt and place in the fridge to cool while you prepare the whipped cream.
Step 2: Make the whipped cream layer
To make the whipped cream layer, whisk 1 cup heavy cream with ½ cup powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously with a hand whisk, hand mixer, or an electric mixer (Image 4).
Mix until soft peaks form in about 2 minutes. Careful not to over stir the whipped cream. You can also make the whipped cream in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
Step 3: Assemble and serve
To assemble the parfaits, first start with a layer of the cooled ganache in a jar or cup, then the whipped cream, either crushed Oreo crumbs or berries, and continue layering until the cup is filled (Image 5). You should be able to make 3 servings.
Storage
This chocolate parfait is best if enjoyed immediately! You can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days, but the chocolate layer will be thicker when fully chilled.
Check out these other sweet treat Recipes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Chocolate Parfait
Ingredients
Chocolate Layer
- 2 dark chocolate bars 6-7oz total
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Whipped Cream Layer
- 1 cup heavy cream – very cold
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- Splash of vanilla extract
Fillings
- Crushed oreos
- Fresh raspberries or fresh diced strawberries
Instructions
- To prepare the chocolate layer, break chocolate bars into small pieces in a heat safe mixing bowl. Heat 1 cup heavy cream on the stove until it just beegins to boil and pour very hot cream over the chocolate bar. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and a smooth ganache remains. Sift 2 tbsp cocoa powder and 2 tbsp powdered sugar through a fine mesh strainer to sift out the clumps and fold into the ganache with a flate spatula, fold in the salt and place in the fridge to cool while you prepare the whipped cream.
- Whisk 1 cup heavy cream with ½ cup powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously with a hand whisk or use an electric mixer. Mix until soft, smooth peaks form about 2 minutes. Careful not to overmix the whipped cream
- Assemble the parfaits first with a layer of the cooled ganache, then the whipped cream, then either crushed oreos or berries, continue layering until the cup is filled. You should be able to make 3 servings.
- Best if enjoyed immediately! You can store in the fridge for up to 4 days, but the chocolate layer will be thicker when fully chilled.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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