I was skeptical the first time someone suggested putting avocado in a dessert. Growing up, avocados were strictly for guacamole or sandwiches in our house. When my friend made me try her chocolate mousse made with avocado, I couldn’t believe what I was tasting.
Turns out, avocados make the creamiest, smoothest mousse you can imagine – and you really can’t taste them at all. The best part? This dessert is something you can feel good about eating. It’s packed with good fats from the avocado, and there’s no heavy cream in sight. Plus, it’s so easy to make that my kids help me whip it up whenever we’re craving something chocolatey.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Avocado Mousse
- Secretly healthy dessert – This mousse is made with nutritious avocados and dark chocolate, giving you a rich, creamy treat that’s actually good for you.
- Dairy-free and vegan-friendly – Perfect for those avoiding dairy or following a plant-based diet, but so creamy that no one will guess it’s made without heavy cream.
- No baking required – Just blend the ingredients together and chill – it’s that simple. No need to turn on the oven or worry about precise temperatures.
- Rich chocolate flavor – The combination of dark chocolate and cocoa powder creates a deep, intense chocolate taste that will satisfy any chocolate craving.
- Customizable toppings – You can dress it up however you like – with berries, nuts, coconut cream, or extra chocolate for a dessert that’s uniquely yours.
What Kind of Avocado Should I Use?
For a silky-smooth chocolate mousse, Hass avocados are your best bet since they have a naturally creamy, buttery texture that blends perfectly. The key is making sure your avocados are fully ripe – they should yield slightly when gently pressed and be dark in color. If your avocados are still firm, let them ripen at room temperature for a few days, or speed up the process by placing them in a paper bag with a banana. You can tell they’re ready to use when the flesh is soft and green without any brown spots, which could add unwanted bitter notes to your mousse.
Options for Substitutions
This healthy dessert is pretty flexible with substitutions, though some ingredients are key to getting that perfect mousse texture:
- Avocados: These are essential for the creamy texture and can’t really be substituted. Just make sure they’re very ripe – they’re the base of this dessert!
- Dark chocolate: You can use any percentage of dark chocolate (60-85%), but going lower than 60% might make it too sweet. In a pinch, you could use chocolate chips, though the texture won’t be quite as smooth.
- Almond milk: Any plant-based milk works great here – try coconut milk, oat milk, or even regular dairy milk if you don’t need it to be vegan.
- Maple syrup: Honey works well as a substitute (if not vegan), or you can use agave nectar. Regular sugar isn’t recommended as it might make the texture grainy.
- Cocoa powder: Dutch-process or regular cocoa powder both work fine. Just avoid hot chocolate mix as it contains added sugars and other ingredients.
- Vanilla essence: Vanilla extract, paste, or powder all work well. You could even try a splash of coffee extract for a mocha twist!
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making
The success of your avocado mousse heavily depends on choosing perfectly ripe avocados – they should yield slightly when gently pressed and be completely free of stringy bits or brown spots that could affect the silky texture. When melting your chocolate, keep a close eye on the temperature – if it gets too hot, it can become grainy or seized, so use short 20-second bursts in the microwave or a gentle double boiler method, stirring frequently. For the smoothest results, blend all ingredients until completely smooth, then blend again – those extra 30 seconds make a huge difference in achieving that classic mousse texture without any green bits showing through. A pro tip is to let your mousse chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight) before serving, as this allows the flavors to develop fully and helps achieve that perfect thick, creamy consistency.
What to Serve With Avocado Chocolate Mousse?
This creamy chocolate mousse is perfect on its own, but adding a few simple toppings can make it even more fun to eat! Fresh raspberries or strawberries are my go-to choice since their tartness balances out the rich chocolate flavor. I love adding some crunch with toasted chopped almonds, pecans, or a sprinkle of cacao nibs. For special occasions, a dollop of coconut whipped cream and a few mint leaves makes this dessert feel extra special without taking away from its healthy-ish appeal.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: This chocolate avocado mousse needs to be kept cold! Pop it in an airtight container in the fridge, where it’ll stay good for up to 3 days. Pro tip: press some plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the mousse before putting the lid on – this prevents that pesky brown layer from forming on top.
Make Ahead: You can whip up this mousse a day before serving – in fact, I think it tastes even better after the flavors have had time to mingle in the fridge overnight. Just wait to add any toppings until right before serving to keep them fresh and crunchy.
Serving Tips: Take the mousse out of the fridge about 5-10 minutes before serving to let it soften slightly – this brings out the chocolate flavor 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 minutes |
| Total Time | 70-75 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 600-700
- Protein: 8-10 g
- Fat: 40-50 g
- Carbohydrates: 60-70 g
Ingredients
- 2 extremely ripe avocados
- 4 ounces 70% dark baking chocolate, melted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- Sea salt to taste
- Optional toppings: whipped chocolate cream or coconut cream, chopped dark chocolate, berries, nuts, etc.
Step 1: Prepare the Mousse Mixture
In a food processor, combine ripe avocados, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla extract, a dash of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Make sure no lumps remain to ensure a silky texture for your mousse.
Step 2: Chill the Mousse
Once the avocado chocolate mixture is well blended, spoon it evenly into 4 small ramekins.
Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap or a lid and place them in the refrigerator.
Chill for at least 1 hour to allow the mousse to set and the flavors to meld perfectly.
Step 3: Garnish and Serve
Take the chilled mousse out of the refrigerator just before serving.
Top each ramekin with a dollop of whipped cream and any other desired toppings, such as fresh berries, nuts, or shaved chocolate.
Serve the mousse immediately and enjoy this creamy, decadent dessert!