These chocolate molten lava cakes have a creamy peppermint white chocolate filling and are the ultimate delicious, small batch Christmas treat! Try my peppermint bark next time.

Christmas is just a month away.

PLEASE STAY CALM. It’s still in the teens, so there’s still time for cookie making, present buying, caroling, and dressing up in ugly sweaters.

You can still choose an array of cookies to make, change your mind six times, burn a batch, run out of butter and drive to the store three more times because you keep forgetting things, and yet have time to give them out at your workplace cookie exchange before deciding you’ll never do it again.

till the next year.

Luckily, this recipe does not need any dough chilling, cookie cutting, or general human interaction. I mean, the concept is that you make two of these: one for yourself and one for someone else, in which case you’d have another person around who would most likely talk to you.

Until they start eating, that is, since it will just be the two of you murmuring ermehgerdthisissogood to no one in particular between nibbles.

It doesn’t mean you can’t build two for yourself and avoid any social encounters. But be warned: they are wealthy. I’d be truly astonished, amazed, and perhaps little scared if you could fit two of them.

They are wealthy, but not extravagantly so. It has just enough decadence to be cold season suited to help you prepare for your forthcoming winter slumber. Maybe you might go into a short-term chocolate coma.

I make no apologies for it, either.

The secret to making lava cakes is not to overbake them. The last thing you want is a dry lava cake, which defeats the point entirely. When it comes to these white chocolate lava erupting creations, moisture is key.

And I instantly regretted using the term spilling in that context.

Anyway.

Ingredients for lava cakes

White Chocolate Peppermint Filling:

• 2 oz. chopped white chocolate
• 2 tbsp. thick cream
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) mascarpone or cream cheese
• 1 tbsp. powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon peppermint essence

Chocolate Cakes:

• butter cupunsalted
• 2 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
• sifting cuppowered sugar
• 1 egg + 1 yolk
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (gluten-free flour may be used)
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 1 tsp salt
• candy canes, chopped peppermint bark for decoration, powdered sugar dusting Optional garnishes: peppermint powder

Let’s go over some process shots so you know what to look for.

Spray the insides of each ramekin with nonstick spray and sprinkle with cocoa powder.

The batter will then be divided between the two ramekins (aff link). I suggest keeping it equal, but if you want to be passive hostile against the person who will be eating the other, fill one little more than the other. I’m not going to tell if you don’t.

Now divide the peppermint white chocolate equally between the two. Drop it in the centre of each and don’t worry about how it settles. As long as you’re careful with it when you place the pan in the oven, it will naturally sink to where it needs to be.

When the sides are set but the middle is still jiggy and wet, remove them from the oven.

You’ll have sparkling white chocolate pouring out of the center, and as far as I know, it won’t spew (now was the time for that phrase) up and into your face, but be cautious. Just in case.

Now comes the crucial part: the first bite.

You’re going to want to take the entire thing up and stuff it in your face, but I guarantee you won’t. Burns and melting white chocolate everywhere, but most importantly, burns.

It’s white chocolate molten lava, which should be self-explanatory.

Simply dig in with a spoon and marvel as the filling oozes out onto the plate. I like to scoop up some filling with each bite of cake to avoid wasting any of it.

I like to top mine with chopped peppermint bark (or these Ghirardelli peppermint baking bits (aff link), which are very good) and crushed candy canes.

If you want to tone down the peppermint flavor, consider topping it with ice cream, whipped cream, or even just a sprinkle of powdered sugar (like I did with my otherwise naked gingerbread cake roll).

As you can see, I attempted to be salt bae with the crushed peppermint and got a bit carried away. Peppermint bits were all over the table, the floor, my shoes, and the animals.

Therefore, be a bit more restrained than me, and you won’t discover crushed peppermint in strange places with pine needles in February.

In case you were wondering, I own and like these little ramekins (aff link). They’re ideal for these small lava cakes, but you’ll find yourself using them for a variety of other things as well!

Need more lava cake in your life?

• Oreo Lava Cakes from Kirbies Cravings
• Minimalist Baker Vegan Chocolate Lava Cakes
• Chocolate & Carrots Raspberry Molten Lava Cakes
• Top With Cinnamon Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Lava Cakes