Cocoa

This sweet and spiced chai is a cross between gingery masala chai and rich hot cocoa—the best of both cozy drink worlds.

This light, coffee-flavored cake is a fun twist on the decadent classic, with layers of Kahlúa-soaked ladyfingers set between a sweet mascarpone filling.

All the gooey goodness that chocolate pecan pie lovers crave, but with a cocoa crust, bittersweet morsels baked right into the custard, and fluffy chocolate cream.

Sick of summer squash? Not with this ultra-moist, fudgy chocolate zucchini bread.

This one-bowl red velvet cookie is rich, chewy, and ready in minutes (the inevitable red-stained fingers are 100% worth it).

Fresh orange juice, luxurious cocoa powder, and crunchy benne seeds transform fish fillets in Nicole A. Taylor’s genius recipe.

Buttermilk adds a great tang to this mildly sweet, smooth, and custardy pie with a deep chocolate flavor from chef Deborah VanTrece.

This gluten-free cake is decadent and moist, with a surprising soufflé-like texture.

If you like the sound of a choco-coconut concha, give the classic Mexican sweet bread tropical twist by using virgin coconut oil.

Why have a chocolate- or vanilla-flavored concha when you can have both in this New York–inspired twist on the classic Mexican sweet bread?

Here's the cookie to bake when you want to impress your friends at the cookie swap but you're not about to spend hours cutting out reindeers and piping royal icing. 

This chia pudding is delicious on its own—and even better when layered with maple yogurt as a parfait.

Meet your new favorite birthday cake.

These two-biters are just fudgy and chocolaty enough to satisfy a sweet tooth craving. Consider them an indulgent energy bite: Keep 'em in the fridge, then grab one when the craving hits.

This recipe as a cross between your very favorite banana bread and a chocolaty blackout cake.

Three layers of super moist cake + two layers of creamy pudding = a chocolate lover’s dream.

This delicious 'fudgsicle' recipe basically produces really fudgy chocolate ice cream...on a stick.

Cold minty-chocolate-y goodness in every slice.

Non-Dutch-process cocoa powder is sometimes labeled “natural,” and since all of the chocolate flavor depends on what kind you use, quality matters for these devil's food cupcakes. Get the recipe for vanilla cream cheese frosting here.

Chocolate can burn, which would ruin an otherwise impeccable sauce. Make sure to stir all the way down to the bottom of the pan after adding the chocolate and cocoa. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.