This cocoa powderย chocolate mousse is rich, creamy, and full of dark chocolate flavor,ย made with high-quality cocoa powder instead of chocolate bars! It's the perfect chocolate dessert when you're craving something sweet but don't want to melt chocolate or deal with raw eggs.
For some reason, I think chocolate mousse is a super fancy dessert that's hard to make. This version is just a rich and decadent but comes together with simple ingredients and a hand mixer- no double boiler or fancy tools required! It uses a combination of cocoa powder, sugar, and coconut oil to create a chocolatey base, replacing the melted chocolate in classic mousse.
Whether you're serving it at a dinner party or making it for the chocolate lover in your family, this easy and quick chocolate mousse is sure to become one of your favorite desserts.
For more decadent chocolate desserts, try this chocolate mousse pie, chocolate ganache cheesecake, or chocolate cherry tart!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy chocolate mousse recipe-ย Classic chocolate mousse involves separating egg yolks from egg whites and tempering chocolate. The final mousse is scrumptious, but it's a lot of work. For this recipe, you just have to mix the ingredients together and make whipped cream!
- No bake-ย Like this strawberry mousse and dulce de leche mousse, you don't need to turn on your oven to make this dessert, making it perfect for Summer chocolate cravings.
Key Ingredients
- Cocoa powder-ย I recommend Dutch-processed cocoa, which has a deeper, smoother flavor than regular unsweetened cocoa powder. I tested this recipe with unsweetened cocoa, and the mousse was much more bitter compared to Dutch!
- Coconut oil- Coconut oil is solid when cold, which helps the mousse set and thicken in the refrigerator. You can also use melted unsalted butter. Make sure to let it cool slightly before adding it to the chocolate mixture.
- Egg- The egg yolk adds richness while the white makes the mousse a bit more fluffy. Make sure it's room temperature so it's easier to mix. Take it out of the fridge 2 hours in advance.
- Heavy whipping cream-ย Half of the heavy cream is heated and added to the chocolate and egg mixture to create a custard. The second half is turned into an airy whipped cream, which makes the mousse fluffy after it's folded in. Half and half or milk won't whip properly.
Ingredient Additions
- Espresso powder-ย Add 1 teaspoon to the cocoa powder mix to deepen the flavor more. It won't taste like coffee!
- Peppermint-ย For a festive twist, add peppermint extract with the vanilla and garnish the mousse cups with crushed candy canes! Start with ยฝ teaspoon and add more to taste.
How to Make It
Step 1: Sift the cocoa powder. Sifting the cocoa into a large bowl ensures that there's no clumps in the mousse. Then whisk in the sugar.
Step 2: Add the wet ingredients. Whisk in the melted coconut oil and egg. While whisking vigorously, slowly stream in the hot water. Don't add it too quickly or it might scramble the egg!
Step 3: Add hot heavy cream. Heat the heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until the edges simmer (don't let it boil). Then slowly stream it into the chocolate mixture and add the vanilla extract and salt. This step gently cooks the egg and dissolves the sugar, creating a custardy base.
Step 4:ย Make whipped cream.ย Whip the remaining heavy cream on medium-high speed until it forms stiff peaks. Make sure to useย cold heavy creamย so it whips faster! You can use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or an electric mixer.
Step 5: Fold in the whipped cream.ย Fold in a third of whipped cream at a time to help keep the mousse light and fluffy. Be gentle so you don't deflate it.
Step 6: Chill the mousse.ย Leave the mousse in the bowl or pour it into serving glasses or mason jars. I used small Bodega glasses from Crate and Barrel!
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to set the mousse.
Once set, top with more whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and fresh berries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Chocolate mousse needs time to set, so it's actually perfect to make a day in advance. Just store it in an airtight container or cover serving glasses with plastic wrap and chill for up to 3 days.
This usually happens if the whipped cream wasn't whipped to stiff peaks or the mousse wasn't chilled long enough. Make sure to give it at least 4 hours in the fridge to fully set.
Graininess can come from overwhipping the cream or overheating the mixture, which can cause the egg to curdle. Whisk constantly when adding hot ingredients and fold the cream gently.
More Chocolate Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Cocoa Powder Chocolate Mousse
Equipment
- 1 whisk
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment
Need Metric or US Customary Measurements?
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Ingredients
- 150 grams cocoa powder
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 114 grams melted coconut oil
- 1 large egg
- 120 milliliters hot water
- 158 milliliters heavy cream for heating
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- 120 milliliters heavy cream cold for whipping
Instructions
- Sift the cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl to remove any clumps. Whisk in the granulated sugar until well combined.150 grams cocoa powder, 200 grams granulated sugar
- Whisk in the melted coconut oil and the egg. While whisking continuously, slowly pour in the hot water. Take your time to avoid scrambling the egg.114 grams melted coconut oil, 1 large egg, 120 milliliters hot water
- In a saucepan, heat โ cup (158 ml) of heavy cream over medium-low heat until it starts to gently simmer around the edges. Slowly stream the hot cream into the cocoa mixture, whisking as you go. Then stir in the vanilla extract and salt.158 milliliters heavy cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ยผ teaspoon salt
- With a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or hand mixer, whip the remaining cold heavy cream in a separate bowl on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.120 milliliters heavy cream
- Gently fold in one-third of the whipped cream with a rubber spatula. Then fold in the remaining whipped cream in two additions, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
- Spoon the mousse into individual serving jars or glasses, or leave it in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until fully set.
- Before serving, top with more whipped cream and chocolate curls!
Izzy
I loved this! thank you so much!