Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Avocado Mousse

If you ask me, chocolate mousse doesn’t need heavy cream to be amazing.

This creamy dessert combines rich chocolate and peanut butter with a surprising secret ingredient – ripe avocados. The natural fats in avocados create that smooth, mousse-like texture we all love, while adding some good-for-you nutrients too.

It’s blended until silky with cocoa powder, a touch of maple syrup, and just enough peanut butter to make it taste like a grown-up version of your favorite candy bar. A pinch of sea salt brings all the flavors together perfectly.

It’s a clever treat that satisfies chocolate cravings while being a bit more wholesome than traditional mousse – perfect for any day of the week.

What Kind of Avocado Should I Use?

For a creamy mousse, you’ll want to use Hass avocados that are perfectly ripe – they should yield slightly when gently pressed with your thumb. While other varieties like Florida avocados can work, Hass avocados have a higher fat content that creates an extra smooth, velvety texture in desserts. You’ll know your avocados are ready to use when they’re dark green to almost black in color and feel slightly soft but not mushy. If your avocados are still firm when you’re ready to make the mousse, you can speed up ripening by placing them in a paper bag with a banana for 1-2 days at room temperature.

Options for Substitutions

This healthy dessert recipe is pretty flexible with substitutions, though some ingredients are key:

• Avocados: Avocados are essential for the creamy texture and can’t really be substituted. Just make sure they’re perfectly ripe – they should yield slightly when pressed.
• Peanut butter: Not a peanut butter fan or have allergies? Try almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter instead. Each will give a slightly different but equally good flavor.
• Cocoa powder: Dutch-process or regular cocoa powder both work well. In a pinch, you could use carob powder, though the taste will be different.
• Maple syrup: Feel free to swap this with honey, agave nectar, or date syrup. Start with a smaller amount and adjust to taste, as sweeteners vary in intensity.
• Vanilla essence: Vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even the seeds from a vanilla pod will all work here. You can skip it if you don’t have any, though it does add nice depth.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest challenge when making avocado mousse is using avocados that aren’t perfectly ripe – they should yield slightly when gently pressed, as underripe ones will leave green chunks and won’t blend smoothly. Another common mistake is rushing the blending process – take your time and scrape down the sides of your food processor several times to ensure every bit is silky smooth with no green streaks. To prevent your mousse from developing a bitter taste, start with less cocoa powder and gradually add more while tasting – different brands of cocoa can vary in intensity, and too much can overpower the other flavors. For the creamiest texture, let your mousse chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving, and if it becomes too firm, simply let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before enjoying.

What to Serve With Chocolate Avocado Mousse?

This rich and creamy dessert is perfect on its own, but there are some fun ways to dress it up! Fresh berries like raspberries or strawberries make a great topping and add a nice pop of freshness to balance out the chocolate and peanut butter flavors. For some crunch, try sprinkling chopped peanuts, cacao nibs, or even a few mini chocolate chips on top. If you’re serving this for a dinner party, you can make it feel extra special by adding a dollop of whipped coconut cream or a light dusting of cocoa powder on top.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This creamy mousse keeps really well in the fridge! Just pop it in an airtight container and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap (this prevents that pesky brown layer from forming). It’ll stay fresh and tasty for up to 3 days.

Make Ahead: Planning a dinner party? You can whip up this mousse a day before – it actually gets even better as the flavors have time to meld together. Just give it a quick stir before serving to make it smooth and creamy again.

Serve: Take the mousse out of the fridge about 10 minutes before serving to let it soften slightly. This brings out the chocolate and peanut butter flavors even more. If you notice any separation, just give it a quick stir and it’ll be good as new!

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	0-0 minutes
Total Time	20-35 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 600-700
• Protein: 10-15 g
• Fat: 45-50 g
• Carbohydrates: 40-50 g

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 to 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• Pinch of sea salt

Step 1: Blend the Ingredients

Start by placing all of your chosen ingredients into a food processor.

Process everything together until the mixture is completely smooth and well combined.

Ensure no lumps remain for a creamy consistency.

Step 2: Chill the Mixture

Transfer the smooth mixture into a serving bowl or individual serving dishes.

For the best results and enhanced flavor, chill the mixture in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

This will allow the flavors to meld and the texture to firm up slightly.

Step 3: Garnish and Serve

Once chilled, take out the dish and get ready to serve.

Garnish your creation with chocolate shavings, chocolate chips, whipped cream, or a drizzle of additional peanut butter for added flavor and a touch of elegance.

Enjoy your delicious creation as a delightful treat!