The Best Things to Make With Chocolate

The Best Things to Make with Chocolate - Pinch of Nom Slimming Recipes

No one should have to live without chocolate. From breakfasts, to snacks, to desserts, if there’s an opportunity to drizzle, sprinkle or dust chocolate over our food, we’re 100% going to do it. 

The beauty of counting calories or following a diet plan like Weight Watchers is that you get to enjoy all your favourite foods, in moderation, and still lose weight. Tucking into something chocolatey and indulgent is guaranteed to put a smile on your face – and if the recipe is slimming friendly, even better!

So, calling all chocoholics – this is our roundup of the best things to make with chocolate (and every single recipe is guaranteed to make your mouth water). 

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1. Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you fancy something chocolatey you can nibble on while you enjoy your cuppa, look no further. These Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are chocolate on chocolate – the very best combination. 

We’re talking cocoa-infused biscuit, with plenty of chocolate chips thrown in to make sure you get a truly satisfying hit of chocolatey goodness. If that’s not enough to tempt you, each cookie is only 40 calories – plus you can whip up a batch in well under half an hour. 

A batch of Pinch of Nom's Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are scattered on a serving board with two cups of tea.

2. Millionaire’s Shortbread

On the list of decadent desserts, we think a good Millionaire’s Shortbread has got to be somewhere near the top. It’s got crumbly shortbread and sticky caramel but, most importantly, it’s got that luscious chocolate topping. What more could you want?

This is a great way to make a little bit of leftover milk chocolate stretch a lot further. Layer up the biscuit and caramel (made from our clever hack of melting creamy toffees) and then get ready to drizzle. There’s nothing more drool-worthy than melted chocolate…

Squares of Pinch of Nom's Millionaire's Shortbread are drizzled with a sticky caramel topping, and scattered across a blue and white striped tabletop.

Make sure you pick up some creamy toffees for the caramel layer – hard butter toffees won’t work for this! You can find Werther’s Creamy Toffees in most supermarkets or online. 

3. Nutella Baked Oats

Go on, you deserve a little treat. Breakfast in bed is good, but Nutella Baked Oats takes it to another level. Dreamy and decadent, there’s no better way to start off your day. Just imagine digging your spoon in and scooping up that melty chocolate centre…

There might not be any chunks of actual chocolate needed for this one, but you’ll be impressed how far a dollop of nutty chocolate spread goes. At 542 calories per serving, it’s a little more indulgent than most of our recipes, but so very worth it for a special occasion. 

A portion of Pinch of Nom's Nutella Baked Oats is served in a small oven dish. A section of the oaty topping has been removed in the middle to reveal the gooey, chocolatey centre. There's extra chocolate spread in a small dish to the side with a spoon, waiting to tuck in.

4. Chocolate Orange Trifles

If you like your chocolate with a zesty twist, you’ve just found your new favourite sweet treat! Our Chocolate Orange Trifles layer up chocolate-topped Jaffa Cakes, zingy orange jelly, chocolate custard and light aerosol cream – and don’t forget to top with a segment of yummy chocolate orange. 

This is the ultimate chocolate-lover’s trifle, and you’re not going to believe how slimming-friendly it is. Each individually portioned-up trifle is just 169 calories. The perfect end to any meal, once you’ve tasted them, you’ll be serving these up every week. 

Four of Pinch of Nom's Chocolate Orange Trifles are served in glass trifle dishes on a round serving board. There are spoons to the side waiting to tuck in. Each trifle is topped with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and Terry's Chocolate Orange segments.

5. Chocolate Lava Mug Cakes

When you need a chocolate fix in a hurry, your microwave can turn a handful of simple ingredients into these Chocolate Lava Mug Cakes. In less than 5 minutes you could be scooping up that heavenly gooey chocolate centre – anyone else drooling?

These are super easy to make. Even if you don’t fancy whacking them in the microwave, you can whisk up a batch and bake them in the oven for 8 minutes. You’re looking for them to be just set on the top, and melty in the middle. 

Four of Pinch of Nom's Chocolate Lava Mug Cakes are served on a grey tabletop in small glass ramekins, topped with juicy red raspberries and dusted with cocoa powder.

We love to serve these in individual ramekins that really make them look special. You can pick up a set of 4 like these ones from Amazon. 

6. Chocolate Sponge Pudding

We’ll warn you now, this Chocolate Sponge Pudding is guaranteed to be a hit you’ll want to make again and again. Don’t be fooled by the low calories, this old-school sweet treat delivers on intense chocolatey indulgence.

You won’t believe how simple it is to make either, with most of the ingredients likely to be waiting in your kitchen cupboards already. If that’s not enough to convince you that this recipe is easy-peasy, there’s a microwave method for when you’re feeling far too hungry to wait for it to bake in the oven! You’ll find the recipe steps for the Microwave Chocolate Sponge Pudding right here.

A table is set with a white and multi-coloured striped tablecloth. In the centre, a light blue patterned plate is filled with a dome-shaped chocolate cake, with chocolate sauce poured over the top and running down the sides. A slice has been cut from the front of the cake and served on a small white plate that can be seen in the bottom left of the photo. This is Pinch of Nom's slimming-friendly Chocolate Sponge Pudding.

 

7. Chocolate Rice Crispy Bites

If you can’t resist a chocolatey crunch, these Chocolate Rice Crispy Bites are just the ticket. They pack a serious chocolate punch, made from Coco Pops, mini Mars bars AND white chocolate chips (although you could use milk chocolate or dark chocolate if you prefer). 

Super easy to make, once they’re set and cut into little bites, the only hard part is not eating them all at once! For 30 calories per bite, they’re a sweet, crispy nibble to enjoy with a cup of tea – the perfect mid-afternoon pick-me-up. 

A batch of Pinch of Nom's Chocolate Rice Crispy Bites is served on a bright pink table top, sliced into squares with a few scattered separately, as though someone's already had a nibble. There's a small dish and spoon with melted white chocolate, waiting to add a second layer of drizzle on top.

8. Chocolate French Toast

Whether you make it for breakfast, dessert or a snack, you can’t go wrong with a plateful of this Chocolate French Toast. Filled with nutty chocolate spread, every mouthful is the perfect blend of crunchy cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla-infused toast and gooey melted chocolate. 

You might think that French toast is off the menu when you’re trying to lose weight, but this indulgent-tasting dish comes in at only 269 calories. It cooks in minutes too, so it’s the perfect thing to rustle up whatever time of day your chocolate cravings kick in.

Pinch of Nom's Chocolate French Toast is served on a summery blue plate with a swirl of aerosol cream and juicy, sliced strawberries. There are plates to the side with extra sliced strawberries and cream, and a yellow fork waiting to tuck in.

9. Chocolate Creme Egg Cakes

These Chocolate Creme Egg Cakes aren’t just for Easter! If a Creme Egg is your favourite chocolate treat, imagine how much better it is when you turn it into a deliciously light cake. 

You don’t need any fancy ingredients to make these, and that rich, chocolatey flavour comes from cocoa powder – so no worries if there’s no leftover chocolate in the house. Have fun piping the icing into the centre, you only need a tiny bit of yellow to get the yolk effect!

A table is laid with a cheerful yellow and white patterned tablecloth. Pinch of Nom's Chocolate Creme Egg Cakes are set on a cooling rack, with three of them in a yellow bowl nearby. The chocolate cakes are egg-shaped, with white and yellow icing sugar piped into their middles. Easter eggs and decorations are scattered around the table.

To make these really look the part, you’ll need to pick up a silicone egg cake mould. They’re fairly inexpensive and can be used for lots of different Easter treats, from ice cubes to jelly. 

10. Chocolate Brownies

How could we talk about the best chocolate recipes and not include our famous Chocolate Brownies? If you need a decadent chocolate treat in your life, grab your apron and a wooden spoon. Rich and sticky, you’d never know these were slimming friendly. 

They need less than 20 minutes in the oven, and you’ll want to take them out when they’re set on the top but still nice and gooey in the centre. Serve them hot or cold, on their own or with a swirl of light aerosol cream for the perfect chocolate treat. 

A batch of Pinch of Nom's Chocolate Orange Brownies is served on a bright pink tabletop, spilling from a speckled serving dish. The squares look gooey and squidgy in the middle with chocolate chips poking through.

11. Chocolate Mud Pie

This next recipe is about as chocolatey as a pudding can get! Our Chocolate Mud Pie is a seriously delicious, baked cheesecake-style dessert that’s impossible to resist. There’s no reason to say no to a slice though, not when each piece is only 125 calories!

We love the coffee in this recipe – it really adds depth to the flavours, although you could leave it out if you’d prefer. Make sure you don’t forget the caramelised oat topping; it adds texture, giving the perfect crunch to balance the silky chocolate filling. 

Pinch of Nom's Chocolate Mud Pie is served on a large blue plate. The chocolatey dessert has a border of flaky toasted oats, and two slices have been cut. One slice sits on the plate and the other has been placed on a small, colourful, patterned plate nearby.

12. Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Sometimes less is more, and your treat doesn’t have to be mainly chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth. Adding a chocolatey twist to a classic cake can do the trick, just like in this Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips recipe. 

This is the perfect way to use up any old bananas, and adding in chocolate chips is a total game changer. Bananas and chocolate are a dreamy flavour combo, so you’ll want to save some room for a sweet slice after your dinner. 

Psst….it’s just 67 calories per slice, so we won’t judge you if you go back for a second serving!

A loaf of Pinch of Nom's Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips is served on a cooling tray and baking paper, with two slices already cut. The slices have fallen to reveal the sponge and chocolate chips inside. A small dish of extra chocolate chips waits to the side, and a knife is ready to cut more slices.

13. Chocolate Swirls

It’s impossible to say no to a chocolatey treat that you can make with just 2 ingredients. These Chocolate Swirls are made from light puff pastry and low-calorie chocolate syrup, which means they’re ready to nibble in just 20 minutes. 

They come out of the oven all golden and crisp on the outside, with a melty chocolate centre – perfect for enjoying with your evening cuppa. Best of all, at only 82 calories each, they’re super easy to work into your weekly meal plan. 

A batch of Pinch of Nom's Chocolate Swirls are arranged on a bright pink tabletop spilling from a serving stand.

Tell us! What are the BEST things to make with chocolate?

We’d absolutely love to hear your top tips for curbing chocolate cravings while you’re on a slimming journey. Don’t forget to share them in our friendly Facebook group where we have almost 1 million lovely community members waiting to support you on your slimming journey.

You can always take a quick look in our Gallery if you’re on the hunt for even more inspiration. You’ll want to sign up to a free website account to upload and share your photos (we’ve got a step-by-step guide you can follow that makes it even easier).

If you liked this article, there’s more where that came from. Explore our blog to browse for recipe ideas, kitchen equipment recommendations, money-saving tips and more.

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