Use this as your complete guide for making homemade chocolate ganache. Chocolate ganache is a 2-ingredient recipe with virtually endless uses. For the best tasting ganache, I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate.
Chocolate ganache is a mixture of chocolate and warm cream. Stirred until smooth, silky, and shiny, ganache is a staple in any baker’s kitchen. It’s not only easy and quick, it’s uniquely versatile. Chocolate ganache can be used with so many dessert recipes as a filling, dip, spread, frosting, topping, or layer in a cake. The uses are virtually endless!
It’s not as syrupy and caramel-like as hot fudge sauce, but it does thicken considerably.
Uses for Chocolate Ganache
- Topping for chocolate cupcakes, cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, or no-bake cheesecake jars
- Filling for layer cakes
- Topping for this showstopping chocolate chip cake
- As a frosting for chocolate peanut butter cake or dark chocolate mousse cake
- Swirl in chocolate marble banana Bundt cake
- Topping for homemade brownies, pound cake, vanilla cake, or ice cream
- Swirled throughout chocolate swirl pistachio ice cream
- Filling for chocolate hand pies
- As a layer in crème de menthe pie
- Dip for strawberries and other fruit (serve with a bowl of whipped cream, too!)
- Topping for chocolate cake or flourless chocolate cake
- Frosting for chocolate raspberry cake (and you can even flavor it with raspberry liqueur)
- Layered in trifles
- Filling for no-bake s’mores cake
- Topping for homemade eclairs, crepes, angel food cake, and peanut butter pie
- Filling for striped fudge cookies and peanut butter fudge puddles
- Topping for marble loaf cake (with slightly reduced cream for a thicker ganache!)
- As a layer in peanut butter banana cream pie and peanut butter pie
- Filling inside of Easter cupcakes or your favorite cupcake recipe (see my How to Fill Cupcakes post for exact details on how to do so)
Let’s dive into an in-depth chocolate ganache tutorial. If you don’t care to read through the tutorial, feel free to jump straight to the recipe below.
Chocolate Ganache Video Tutorial
2 Ingredients in Chocolate Ganache
- Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream: Do not use half-and-half, whole milk, or any other liquid because the ganache won’t set up properly. For a non-dairy alternative, use canned coconut milk. See recipe note.
- Pure Chocolate: You can use semi-sweet chocolate (recommended), bittersweet chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate. See recipe note.
When making homemade ganache, you need roughly a 1:1 weight ratio of cream to chocolate. (226g of chocolate for 240g of cream.)
Did you know that chocolate ganache is the base for chocolate truffles? I actually use less cream when I make chocolate truffles. Instead of a 1:1 weight ratio, use 8 ounces of chocolate and 2/3 cup (160ml/g) cream for truffles.
Best Chocolate to Use in Chocolate Ganache
The best chocolate for chocolate ganache is a pure chocolate baking bar, such as Bakers or Ghirardelli brands. (Not sponsored, just a genuine customer!) These are typically sold in 4-ounce (113g) bars in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips. Do not use chocolate chips because they will not melt into the best ganache consistency—save them for chocolate chip cookies instead. If you absolutely must use chocolate chips, make sure they are higher-quality chocolate such as Ghirardelli or Guittard brand semi-sweet chocolate chips.
For traditional chocolate ganache, I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate. This is the most commonly found chocolate in the baking aisle. Semi-sweet chocolate contains 35–45% cacao and is usually sweeter than bittersweet or dark varieties and darker than milk chocolate and white chocolate. If you like it a little darker, bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao) also makes an excellent ganache.
TIP: The best tool for chopping chocolate is a large serrated knife. The grooves help chip away the hard chocolate bar texture.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
- Place finely chopped chocolate into a heat-proof glass or metal bowl.
- Heat cream on the stovetop until just simmering. If it’s boiling, the cream is too hot and could separate or even burn the chocolate. Once you see little simmers around the edges, turn off the heat and immediately pour the warm cream over the chocolate.
- Let the 2 sit for a few minutes before stirring.
- Stir slowly until smooth.
After you stir the chocolate and warm cream together, use the ganache right away as a fruit dip or drizzle on top of cakes, cupcakes, pound cakes, ice cream, and more. But if you wait about 2 hours and let it cool completely, the ganache can be scooped with a spoon, spread onto desserts, or piped with piping tips.
Piped Chocolate Ganache
If you’re craving a pure chocolate topping for your desserts, choose chocolate ganache. Once it cools and sets, you can pipe it onto your favorites including chocolate cupcakes. Super intricate piping tips aren’t ideal. Wilton 1M piping tip or Ateco 844 piping tip are my favorites for piped chocolate ganache. I used Ateco 844 in these photos.
Whipped Ganache
Let’s take chocolate ganache 1 step further. Did you know that you can beat ganache into a whipped frosting consistency? Think of the whipped buttercream from this vanilla sheet cake, but not as sweet or heavy. Once the chocolate ganache cools completely, whip it on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy in texture, about 4 minutes. Now you have a decadent mousse-like frosting without an onslaught of extra sugar. It’s REALLY good!
You can pipe the whipped ganache, too. I used Ateco 844 piping tip in this next photo.
These 2 Tricks Make Chocolate Ganache Even Easier
Here are my 2 super simple tricks that make ganache even easier to make.
- Chop the chocolate as fine as possible. The finer you chop the chocolate, the quicker it melts with the cream. If the chocolate is in large large chunks, it won’t fully melt. And if the chocolate is not melting, reference Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache below.
- Pour the warm cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit before stirring. After you pour the warm heavy cream over the chopped chocolate, let it sit for a few minutes. During this time, the chocolate will soften and begin to melt which means that you won’t need to over-stir it. I’d rather spend extra minutes doing nothing than extra minutes stirring chocolate that won’t melt. Wouldn’t you?!
Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache
After writing an entire cookbook (Sally’s Candy Addiction) on chocolate and candy, I’ve seen it all when it comes to making chocolate ganache. Seized chocolate? Yep. Grainy ganache. Yep, that too. Here are 3 problems you could encounter and how to fix each.
- Chocolate Isn’t Melting: If the chocolate isn’t melting, it wasn’t chopped fine enough or the cream wasn’t warm enough. Chop the chocolate into very small pieces and warm the cream until it’s just simmering. The microwave doesn’t evenly warm cream like the stove does, so I always recommend the stove. If you’re left with chocolate chunks swimming in cream, do not microwave it. Instead, place the mixture into a double boiler OR place the (heat-proof!) glass bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Do not let the surface of the simmering water touch the bottom of the glass bowl. Stir the ganache constantly over the indirect heat until it’s smooth.
- Chocolate Seized: When chocolate seizes, it creates a gritty and solid mass of chocolate. Simply put, seized chocolate will not melt. Chocolate seizes when it comes into contact with water. Don’t let even a drop of water into the bowl! Here is a wonderful article on overheated and seized chocolate.
- Greasy or Grainy: Use a glass or metal bowl. A plastic bowl could melt or leave you with a dull or grainy ganache. Use real chocolate; cheap chocolate chips result in a grainy ganache. Use a spoon or small rubber spatula to stir the chocolate and warm cream together. Do not use a whisk. The whisk incorporates too much air into the delicate melting chocolate, which could cause the fat to separate and turn greasy.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 and 1/2 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stirring
- Cuisine: American
Description
You only need 2 ingredients and a few minutes to make pure chocolate ganache. For ganache success, I encourage you to read the troubleshooting tips above and recipe notes below before beginning.
Ingredients
- two 4-ounce quality semi-sweet chocolate bars (113g each), finely chopped (see Note about using white chocolate)*
- 1 cup (8 ounces; 240ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Place chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil—that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate, then let it sit for 2–3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate.
- With a metal spoon or small silicone spatula, very slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. The finer you chopped the chocolate, the quicker it will melt with the cream. If it’s not melting, do not microwave it. See Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache in blog post above.
- Ganache can be ready to use as a drizzle or you can let it sit at room temperature to cool and thicken. It will fully cool within 2 hours. Refrigerating speeds this up, but the ganache will not cool evenly. Stir it a few times as it sets in the refrigerator so it remains even and smooth.
- Once completely cool and thick, the ganache can be piped with a piping tip or scooped with a spoon. You can also beat the cooled thickened ganache with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until light in color and texture, about 4 minutes on medium-high speed.
- Cover tightly and store ganache in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Once ganache cools completely, you can cover it tightly and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. To rewarm or thin out again, stir constantly over low heat on the stove in either (1) a double boiler or (2) in a heat-proof bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Don’t let the bottom of the bowl touch the simmering water.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Small Saucepan | Double Boiler | Silicone Spatula | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) if whipping the ganache
- Chocolate: Ganache will only set if the correct chocolate is used. You can use high-quality chocolate chips if needed (I prefer Ghirardelli or Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips), but I recommend using pure chocolate baking bars, in either semi-sweet or bittersweet. You can find them right next to the chocolate chips in the baking aisle. They are sold in 4-ounce (113g) bars. I like Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands. You can use other varieties of chocolate too, such as milk chocolate (aka German chocolate) or dark chocolate. If using white chocolate, reduce the cream to 2/3 cup (160ml). White chocolate is softer, so you need less cream.
- Halve or Double: You can easily halve or double this recipe. No matter how much ganache you are making, you always need equal parts chocolate and cream.
- Dairy-Free Alternative for Heavy Cream: Use full-fat canned coconut milk. Shake the can well before opening. Whisk on the stove as it heats and bring to a simmer. Measure 1 cup (8 ounces; 240ml). Use instead of warm heavy cream.
- Yield: Yields 1 and 1/2 cups liquid/drizzle/scoop-able ganache. This is enough to cover 1 dozen cupcakes. For piped cupcakes, you may want to double the ganache to ensure there is plenty for piping. If whipping the ganache, you’ll have close to 3 cups. This is enough for 1 dozen cupcakes.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hello, can you please tell me the best way to store ganache frosted cupcakes…. I’m using the ganache when thickens at room temp so it is spreadable as frosting (but not beating it)
Hi Kelly, the cupcakes should be okay at room temperature for about 24 hours, then we would recommend refrigerating after that.
Can you substitute chocolate chips for the bars?
Hi Kay, We strongly recommend using pure baking bars for the best results. Chocolate chips contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting properly. If you do use chips, you want to make sure they’re high quality chocolate chips.
Where I live, the highest fat percentage I find in creams is 30%. Can i use that? (I’m filling cupcakes with the ganache)
That would be fine for this ganache, especially if it’s being used as a cupcake filling.
I wanted to let you know that my ganache was a great success! Thank you for all of your helpful tips! I was really nervous that something would go wrong and it would split or wouldn’t melt but it went off without a hitch! I used coconut milk and the ganache didn’t taste like coconut. I did have to add in a lot more mint extract than I expected but I did it very slowly (about 1/8 tsp at a time). The ganache hadn’t thickened up much after close to 2 hours so I put it in the fridge and in about 20 minutes it was spreadable just like frosting! It did start to become more liquid after being out for a while in a warm room but only needed to be popped back in the fridge for about 15 min to stiffen up and then I kept my iced cupcakes in a cooler area. I can’t believe I’ve been making frosting all the years when I could have been making amazing ganache with just 2 ingredients! Everyone was very impressed and really enjoyed them. Thank you so much for all of your help!
Thanks for the quick reply! At what point would you recommend putting in the extract? I’ve read that ganache can go sideways if it’s over-mixed so I’m not sure if I can add a bit after I’ve mixed the chocolate and coconut milk together and then add more if needed and mix again?
Two other quick questions: Can I use a food processor or hand grater to cut up the chocolate? The stores in my area only sell baking chocolate in cubes which are hard to chop (or will a regular high-end pure chocolate bar work as well – like what you find in the candy aisle. If found some that are actually dark chocolate bars with mint extract in them)?
Lastly, if I am icing cupcakes with the ganache, can I leave them sitting on the counter until I serve them? I’m worried the ganache will get too hard if I put them in the fridge.
Thanks for your help! I’m nervous because this is the first time I’m making ganache and it’s for my partner’s birthday!!
Hi Morgan, you can add the extract in step 1 after you have poured the warm cream over the chocolate. You can use a food processor to chop up the chocolate, but you may find it starts to melt quickly if using a hand grater. Pure baking bars are best. They should be fine for up to one day at room temperature, but we’d recommend refrigerating them after that. Use your best judgement and do what you’re comfortable with. Hope it’s a hit!
Hello, can I add mint extract to the ganache? If I wanted to do it dairy free, does the coconut milk make the ganache taste like coconut? I want to make a dairy free dark chocolate mint ganache but I’m not sure about a coconut mint flavour. Thanks very much!
Hi Morgan, You could add a very small amount of peppermint extract (it’s very strong, so start small and then adjust to your taste) with no other changes. The ganache will not have a prominent coconut taste with the coconut milk. Enjoy!
This ganash was perfect for topping off some peanut butter cup mugs! I used a thick layer to top some peanut butter mousse. I did use milk chocolate baking chips, generic brand from my local store, and had zero issues, which was great. I was worried I had messed up at first since I did the classic “Look away for a second” and then the cream started to boil, but I rescued it in time and let it sit a minute to cool down slightly before adding it over the chocolate chips. I did use a whisk, but I stirred it gently instead of whipping. I am very happy with this, and it was my first time making ganash too! I was always hesitant, seemed complicated, but this was very easy and will be a go-to for the future, for sure!
Is there a nondairy alternative to the chocolate?
Hi Donna, if you can find a non-dairy baking chocolate bar or high-quality non-dairy chocolate chips, those should work well here. Let us know if you try anything!
Turned out perfectly. Lovely and shiny. I made a smaller batch, but it’s easy to adjust the recipe.
Hi- I’ve made the dairy free version with full fat coconut milk before and it works great. Do you know if this version can also be whipped like the version with heavy cream?
Hi Sarah, yes, the coconut cream (sold in a can) actually whips up nicely!
Can I use this ganache to dip strawberries in, for garnishing a cake? Or would it be too soft? THANK YOU!
Hi Victoria! This ganache won’t set up hard like pure chocolate would.
Hi! Can you use this chocolate ganache recipe to fill cupcakes?
Yes, absolutely!
I made this with the kids at school for eclairs. It turned out perfect. I ised mini choc semi sweet chocolate chips. They loved it & so easy
Hi! Could this be used to create designs on a dessert plate? Is it runny enough to pipe out of a squeeze bottle to create designs??
Thank you so much!!!
Hi Greg, the ganache does thicken considerably as it cools, so you would want to use it fairly soon after making if using it for designs.
Super simple and super effective! For a more robust and complex flavor, I added a teaspoon of espresso powder.
Sally’s will always be a go-to for baked goods!
Thanks for the info,never made or used Ganach before, huge help…
Thank you so much for your easy to follow, simple recipes Sally! I’m really not good at baking at all but today am making a ganache covered chocolate cake with fresh strawberries. Wish me luck!
Best wishes
Tina
This recipe is great! My only suggestion is to say “8oz” and “226g” of chocolate instead of “two 4 oz” and “113g” and in parentheses say that it is equivalent to “two 4 oz chocolate bars “. I made the same mistake of using 4oz of chocolate twice because of that
Chocolate Ganache : You list 4 oz chocolate to 8 oz heavy cream. Later you said the recipe can be halved or doubled with equal parts of chocolate and cream. 4 oz is not equal to 8 oz
Hi Jack, the ingredients list calls for two 4-ounce quality semi-sweet chocolate bars (113g each)–so 8 oz. total chocolate.
This recipe was DELICIOUS!!! I made it for a filling in a birthday cake. I use semisweet Baker’s chocolate bars and it worked perfectly. It was easy to make and delightfully yummy!
I am hoping to use this ganache as a filling between layers of a cake. I want to carve out the middle of the cake to put sprinkles in. Should I use liquid ganache or whip it? Thanks!
Hi Baker, you can use either way for filling between a cake. It really depends on the consistency you prefer.
I loved making ganache for my step sons birthday cake a few months back. I decided to do it again for an auction cake I’m making. My piping skills are still developing but my taste and ganache are on point, so I hope it helps raise lots of money!
can you dye the white chocolate ganache a color? I am needing a yellow drip over a cake and hoping to use this recipe! thank you 🙂
Hi Katie, you can certainly add food coloring to it. We recommend using gel food coloring (and just a drop or two) so that you’re not adding too much liquid to the ganache. Add it in Step 2 when you’re mixing the heavy cream and chopped chocolate. Enjoy!
Can you use evaporated milk for the chocolate ganache? I’m wanting to make the chocolate peanut butter cake. Thank you.
Hi Nancy, We don’t recommend it. In order for the ganache to properly set, you’ll want to make sure you’re using heavy cream (around 36% fat).
I was just curious – I am trying to do this ganache on a 9″ round, 3 layer cake. How much do I need to make? Is a single batch enough? Also, how do you suggest I “glaze” the cake without wasting ganache and making a huge mess? Thanks! Oh, and I’m doing this tomorrow if there’s any chance you can get back to me ASAP!
Hi Will! We use a slightly scaled up ganache recipe to cover this single layer mint chocolate cake.
Hi Sally, I want to use your chocolate ganache to frost my son’s millennium falcon cake before putting the fondant on. What do you suggest? Should I cool the ganache a little before pouring it on? Or should I cool and make whipped ganache for frosting instead. I’ve never made ganache and am unsure which one would be easier for frosting an oddly shaped cake! Thank you!
Hi SW, If you are hoping to pour it over the cake, you can let it cool slightly at room temperature first so it’s not too hot. If you wish for it to be easily spreadable, you refrigerate the ganache for 30 minutes to thicken up before spreading on the cake like we do on this chocolate raspberry cake.
I am making peanut butter ice cream. What do you think of adding swirls of this ganache after I churn the ice cream?
Hi Dallas, sounds fantastic! Let us know if you give it a try.
Hi Sally! I’m making your classic cheesecake for a friend’s birthday and she asked for chocolate on top so I want to use this chocolate ganache to top it but I’m unsure about when is the correct time to add it to the top of the cheesecake or how hot/cool/cold it (both the cheesecake and the ganache) should be when I add it. This is my first time making cheesecake and I’m excited to try this.
Hi Laura! We’d let the cheesecake pie fully set in the refrigerator before adding the ganache. Enjoy!
Hi Sally! I am wanting to use this as whipped ganache for my daughter’s birthday cupcakes. I’d like to make this ahead of time- can I whip the ganache, put it in the fridge tonight, and still use it to frost the cupcakes tomorrow? Thank you!!
Hi Katherine, we would recommend leaving the ganache un-whipped in the refrigerator overnight, then whipping right before you plan to pipe it on the cupcakes. If you whip it in advance, you’ll need to rewhip it anyways to get it back to a pipeable consistency.
I came across this recipe after talking with a friend about wanting to eat something chocolatey :). A quick google search led me to this webpage’s recipe. With a friends B-day coming up, I decided to make a dry run of this cake a week prior Dec 2nd 2023. I was a tad bit overwhelmed with all the ingredients and then also having company coming on the same day that I (user error) messed up a bit with measurements but then corrected and made a double batch of batter. Long story short, the cake came out decent. Luckily that was the dry run. I then made it again on Dec 8th 2023, I made the cake batter and mousse on the 7th and then I made the ganache and fully assembled everything on the 8th. It made the process just that much easier for me. The cake was absolutely delicious, I took it to a party and it went so quickly and people were raving on how delish it was. I for sure will be making this again and again and again. Sorry for the long story. If you haven’t tried this recipe, DO IT!!!
Hi Mike, thank you for your glowing review! Did you make our chocolate mousse cake? That’s a favorite – so glad it was a hit!
I’m making a peppermint ice cream pie with Oreo cookie crust for the holidays. I would like to add a ganache layer on the top that is fudge like consistency. Will your ganache freeze hard or does it stay pliable and fudge like ?
Hi Mary, the ganache won’t freeze completely hard. It won’t be as soft and fudge-like, of course, as when it’s simply cold and not frozen, but it doesn’t freeze solid either. It’s a nice topping for a frozen dessert.
Thank you for helping me through the process of making the ganache to top off my peppermint ice cream pie. Success!