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
Updated on 02/1/22
Tested by
Laurel Randolph
Photo of Laurel Randolph
Tested by Laurel Randolph
A fervid lover of the culinary arts and all things Instant Pot, Laurel has been writing about food for 10 years. One of her cookbooks was the #2 cookbook of 2017.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Avocado Chocolate Mousse in bowls

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Prep: 14 mins
Cook: 18 mins
Chill: 60 mins
Total: 92 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
×
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 with 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. Make sure that the avocados are very ripe to achieve the right texture.

Beyond being a vegan and gluten-free dessert, this mousse also requires almost no cooking—just melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Your prep tool is a 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 mouthfeel you expect from a chocolate mousse. It needs a moment to set up in the fridge and keeps well for days.

This mousse differs in a couple of ways from avocado chocolate pudding: it contains chocolate chips, which add more chocolate flavor, and the chocolate and coconut oil make the mixture fluffier and stiffer once chilled.

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.

"Talk about creamy and decadent! Ripe avocados make this vegan mousse a real treat, and a blender makes it quick and easy. I used dark chocolate chips for a richer flavor. Adjust the maple syrup according to your preferred level of sweetness." —Laurel Randolph

avocado chocolate mousse/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

  • 3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil

  • 3 large ripe avocados, coarsely chopped

  • 1/3 cup maple syrup, or to taste

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

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Avocado Chocolate Mousse ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler over medium heat stirring gently until melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Alternatively, use a microwave on medium-low power, stirring every 20 seconds until melted.

    Chocolate and coconut oil mixture in a double boiler on a burner, stirred with a spatula

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

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

    Avocados, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt in a blender

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

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

    Chocolate moose mixture in a blender

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add more non-dairy milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Taste and add more maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter mousse.

    Non-dairy milk added to the food processor with the chocolate moose

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours. You do not need to cover if you're only storing it for a couple of hours before serving, as it's thick enough that it shouldn't form a skin.

    Avocado Chocolate Mousse in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • Don't leave out the unrefined coconut oil. It is necessary for the mousse to firm up completely in the fridge.
  • Using good, ripe avocados is key here. While a couple of brown spots are ok, don't use any you wouldn't put on toast.

Recipe Variations

  • Vegan: this recipe is vegan provided all the ingredients you use are vegan. To make sure you aren't using any animal products, check the label on the chocolate chips you purchase. There should be no mention of milk, whey, or other dairy products.
  • Keto: to make this recipe keto, you'll need to swap the sweetener. We suggest a keto liquid sweetener like allulose syrup so that the liquid ratio isn't off for the recipe. Use sugar-free chocolate chips, too.

How to Store

  • Any leftover avocado chocolate mousse can be kept in an airtight container for up to three days.
  • We don't recommend freezing, as the mousse texture will lose its signature fluffiness once frozen and thawed.