Vegan 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
Updated on 12/22/21
Vegan Chocolate Mousse
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill: 9 hrs
Total: 9 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 2 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
529 Calories
47g Fat
28g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 529
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 47g 60%
Saturated Fat 40g 200%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 292mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 39mg 3%
Iron 12mg 66%
Potassium 468mg 10%
*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.)

This chocolate mousse is every bit as decadent as a dairy version. It's deep in chocolate flavor, ultra creamy, and has a similar whipped texture to the version made with heavy cream. It's different, though, in the usage of canned coconut milk solids instead of dairy cream and gelatin. We also use cocoa powder instead of any milk chocolate products. Those changes make it vegan, meaning free of any animal products.

If you've worked with coconut milk before, you know how well it can turn into whipped cream—and if you haven't, this mousse is the perfect place to start. This is an easy vegan dessert that can be made a day or two ahead of time. It keeps its form well and is perfect served on its own. The most complex aspect is the chilling involved: you'll need to chill two cans of coconut milk for at least eight hours/overnight ahead of time, and then the mousse will set in the fridge for an hour once made. This mousse is perfect as a vegan dessert whenever you're in the mood for something rich, sweet, and full of deep chocolate taste.

Ingredients

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans full fat coconut milk, refrigerated for 8 hours or up to overnight

  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1/2 cup vegan confectioners' sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Scrape the solid coconut cream from the cans into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (alternatively, use a handheld electric mixer and a large mixing bowl) leaving the liquid coconut milk behind. This should yield slightly less than two cups of solid coconut cream. Reserve the liquid coconut milk for another use.

  3. Sift the cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

  4. Beat the coconut cream until very smooth and soft peaks appear, about 2 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup of cream, cover, transfer to the refrigerator, and reserve for topping the mousse.

  5. With the mixer running on low, slowly sprinkle in the sifted cocoa-sugar mixture into the remaining coconut cream until well combined. Continue beating until stiff peaks form, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla extract until just combined.

  6. Divide the mousse between four dessert cups. Refrigerate for one hour, or until firm. Top each cup with the reserved whipped topping and serve.

Recipe Tips

  • Always choose full-fat canned coconut milk; light won't separate fully into solid and liquid. When opening the can, it can be helpful to pierce a hole in the top through which to drain the liquid, if scooping out the solid is challenging.
  • Occasionally, a can of coconut milk doesn't whip up well. You may want to place one extra in the fridge in case of this.
  • Follow these tips for whipping coconut cream, and working with coconut milk.
  • Sifting the cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar is imperative to ensure the mousse isn't weighed down by any lumps.
  • We used natural cocoa powder, but you can use Dutch-processed for a darker chocolate color and smoother chocolate taste.

Recipe Variations

  • This can be made sugar-free by using a powdered keto sweetener such as confectioner's Swerve. You'll want to add 1 teaspoon cornstarch as well, for binding purposes.
  • For a richer chocolate flavor, you can top with chopped dark chocolate, or fold chopped dark chocolate into the mousse once firmed in the fridge.
  • For a peanut butter chocolate mousse, whip in 2 tablespoons of peanut butter once the mousse has reached stiff peaks.
  • To make a peppermint chocolate mousse, add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract when adding vanilla.
  • The whipped coconut cream has some sweetness, but you can add 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar to make it sweeter.
  • Top with chopped nuts, mixed berries, or this mixed berry sauce.

How to Store

  • Store unused mousse in the fridge, where it will keep for several days. It won't form a skin, so it isn't necessary to cover with plastic wrap; we suggest storing in a tightly sealed container.
  • This mousse may become gritty if frozen, so freezing isn't recommended. If you're curious about freezing, try with a small portion first.