Avocado Chocolate Mousse Recipe

By
Ariane Resnick
headshot for ariane resnick
Ariane Resnick
Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef, certified nutritionist, and bestselling author who takes great joy in shattering the image of what, and how, nutritionists eat.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Published on 12/20/21
Mousse Before Fridge Firming
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 2 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
412 Calories
31g Fat
35g Carbs
4g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 412
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g 40%
Saturated Fat 11g 56%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 106mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 11g 38%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 13mg 67%
Calcium 51mg 4%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 756mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

If you're in the mood for chocolate mousse but you don't want to take the leap into lots of heavy whipping cream, this mousse with a hidden star ingredient is a great alternative. It features ripe avocados, but you'd never know—they blend into the melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and other ingredients seamlessly, providing a rich and creamy texture to the mousse. That the avocados are very ripe is imperative for the texture to be what you're looking for here.

Beyond being delightfully healthful as a vegan gluten-free dessert, this mousse also requires no cooking. Your prep tool will be a food processor or blender, and once chilled, the mousse will be everything you expect from the regular version of the decadent dessert: fluffy, deep in chocolate flavor, and high enough in fat to provide the same mouth feel you expect from a chocolate mousse. It needs a moment to set up in the fridge, and once firm, will keep well for days there. Unlike chocolate pudding made from avocados,

You can layer this with vegan whipped cream for a parfait, top with chocolate chips or shaved chocolate, or add an assortment of berries. No matter how you spoon it up, this mousse can fool even the most serious chocoholics.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

  • 3 large ripe avocados, coarsely chopped

  • 1/3 cup maple syrup

  • 1/4 cup non-dairy milk, more as needed

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

  • 3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, more as needed

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, stirring gently until melted. Alternatively, use a microwave on medium-low power, stirring every 20-seconds until melted.

  3. Add the melted chocolate to a blender or food processor with the avocados, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, cocoa powder, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt.

  4. Blend or process until completely smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed, 2 to 3 minutes.

  5. If the mixture is too thick add more milk or coconut oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, continuing to process until it reaches desired thickness.

  6. Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours. You do not need to cover it during this time, as it's thick enough that it shouldn't form a skin.

Recipe Tips

  • Unrefined coconut oil is necessary in order for the mousse to firm up completely.
  • Avocados are key here. While a couple of brown spots are ok, don't use any you wouldn't put on toast.

Looking to make this recipe keto or to ensure it's vegan?

Vegan: this recipe is vegan provided all the ingredients you choose for it are. To make sure you aren't using any animal products, check the label on the chocolate chips you purchase. No mention of milk, whey, or other dairy product should be on there.


Keto: to make this recipe keto, all you'll need to swap is the sweetener. We suggest a keto liquid sweetener like allulose syrup, so that the liquid ratio isn't off for the recipe. Similar to ensuring the recipe is vegan, you'll want to double-check your chocolate chips to see that they're sugar-free.

How to Store

Once ready to eat, any leftovers of this mousse can be kept in an airtight container for up to several days. Because avocados can go back quickly, this mousse shouldn't be kept for longer than that. We don't recommend freezing, as the mousse texture will lose its signature fluffiness once frozen and thawed.