Chocolate avocado mousse is a rich, creamy dessert made with ripe avocados, cacao, dates, coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla. It is vegan, dairy-free and packed with healthy fats and fibre—perfect for a decadent and nourishing dessert without a hint of avocado flavour.
I’ve made this chocolate avocado mousse recipe too many times to count. Yet I always return to it for a rich and creamy dessert enjoyable on its own or combined into a pie or parfait.
It can be made in minutes when you desire a chocolatey hit. You may also like to try another of my delectable and nourishing desserts.
Why use avocado in chocolate mousse?
Ripe avocado is an excellent choice for desserts such as mousse, ice cream or chocolate ‘cheese’ cake. It is creamy in texture and provides a dairy-free, vegan-friendly option where you typically use cream and butter.
Avocados are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, providing velvety creaminess with less saturated fat than cream and butter. Further, they are packed with fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Thus, avocado provides for a creamy, nutrient-dense dessert.
However, what makes avocados a great choice for making desserts is the subtleness of their flavour, which allows them to take on other flavours—such as chocolate and vanilla.
Does this chocolate mousse taste like avocado? (Spoiler: It Doesn’t)
The avocado in this chocolate mousse gives it a sublimely creamy texture but not flavour. Combined with cacao, the mild avocado taste becomes undetectable. So, no one will know it’s there if you don’t tell them, which is great for those who have an aversion to anything considered healthy.
The avocado simply provides the texture for a thick, creamy chocolate mousse, so much so that you’ll want to lick the spoon and contemplate the flavour and texture between mouthfuls.
For this reason, it’s an excellent dish for practising mindful eating. It calls for turning off distractions and tuning into the sensory experience of eating. I hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients for vegan avocado and chocolate mousse recipe
To make this mousse, you will require these ingredients:
- Avocados: Are what makes this mousse thick, creamy and decadent while offering healthy fats and fibre. Choose ripe avocados, as under-ripe avocados can lead to green flecks of avocado in the mousse, which is undesirable and a real giveaway as to the secret ingredients in this mousse. The avocado should be dark in colour and yield to gentle pressure when held in the palm of your hand. It shouldn’t be mushy—that’s overripe.
- Medjool dates: Add sweetness to the mousse that is balanced nutritionally with fibre and is an intrinsic source of sugars, thus minimising the added sugar in this mousse compared to mousse made traditionally. The dates need soaking to soften them. Otherwise, you can end up with date chunks in the mousse, which tastes okay but is a real giveaway that this mousse is sweetened mostly with fruit. If you can’t access Medjool dates, you could try ready-made date paste, replacing each date with one tablespoon of date paste. Alternatively, you can use the small dry dates you can find in the baking aisle. However, they will need soaking for longer, and your final mousse may contain flecks of date skin. So, it really depends on whether you mind this.
- Cacao powder: Provides an intense chocolate flavour and colour while offering antioxidants, vitamins and minerals such as magnesium.
- Coconut milk: Increases the richness and creaminess of the mousse and mellows the avocado flavour. It is not an essential ingredient, but it does enhance the flavour and texture, as the extra moisture helps blend all the ingredients together for a smooth mousse.
- Maple syrup: Offers sweetness without altering the texture of the mousse. You can use honey, but on refrigeration, it can crystalise and become gritty, like brown sugar. Agave is a great alternative to maple syrup but may not be as accessible. Choosing maple syrup or agave also means that this recipe is vegan.
- Vanilla extract: Balances the flavours, further masking the taste of avocado.
How to make chocolate mousse with avocado?
Not only does this dairy-free mousse come with the health benefits of avocadoes, but it is also easy to make. There is no faffing with melting chocolate or the potential of curdling cream.
First, you need to soak the dates in hot water to allow them to soften.
Then, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Ta-dah, done!
You can also make this mousse in a blender. However, you may need to scrape down the sides more often than with a food processor.
Serving ideas for chocolate avocado dessert
You can serve this mousse immediately. However, it will be thicker, creamier and more decadent after being chilled for about two hours or overnight.
When freshly made, the mousse will be milk chocolate in colour. Once stored in the fridge or freezer, it will change to a dark chocolate colour.
To serve simply spoon the mousse into dessert bowls, glass jars or ramekins and enjoy as is or top with:
- Crushed nuts
- Cacao nibs
- Coconut flakes
- Shaved flaked chocolate
- Candied orange slices
- Whipped coconut cream
- A dollop of thick vanilla yogurt
- Fresh berries
- Sprig of mint
Recipe variations: 5 ways to customise your chocolate mousse
You could vary this mousse recipe by adding a pinch of salt to enhance the flavours.
You could also combine instant coffee with the vanilla extract for a mocha chocolate mousse or substitute the vanilla extract with orange extract or a liqueur such as Tia Maria or Bailey’s.
Here are five variations I have made and enjoyed.
1. Jaffa-flavoured chocolate mousse
Add ½ teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons of orange juice to the mousse mixture for Jaffa-flavoured mousse.
2. Chocolate cream pie
Use this vegan mousse recipe as a filling for chocolate cream pie or tarts.
I’ve previously made a base using a mixture of coconut (1 cup / 65 g), walnuts (1 cup / 95 g) and 6 pitted Medjool dates combined together in a food processor. You could also add some cacao to the base.
3. Chocolate strawberry parfait
In a large glass serving bowl, individual serving glasses or glass jars, layer chocolate mousse with strawberry cream or vegan whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
Layer the mousse, cream and strawberries at least twice, and top the final cream layer with crushed nuts and cacao nibs. See recipe for nut-based vegan strawberry cream.
4. Drizzle with berry sauce
Drizzle chocolate mousse with berry sauce made by blending:
- 1 cup soaked goji berries
- 1 cup fresh strawberries / raspberries
- juice ½ lemon
- maple syrup or honey to taste
5. Chocolate mousse avocado ‘egg’
Scoop out the flesh of an avocado to create a mould. Then, coat in a layer of melted chocolate. Refrigerate.
Once the chocolate is hard, break away the avocado skin to reveal a chocolate ‘egg’. It will be shiny as the avocado skin has a little moisture, but it holds together well.
Then, spoon in avocado mousse and top it with half a strawberry.
You could do the same with an Easter egg mould. I just thought it was fun to use the avocado skin, given the mousse is made with avocado.
How to store chocolate avocado mousse
This mousse is best made a few hours before serving so that it can be chilled. I recommend chilling it for 2 hours to overnight before serving.
It will keep in the fridge for a few days up to a week in an airtight container or covered with cling wrap. Typically, avocados brown when exposed to air, but you won’t see this due to the cacao. However, this is the reason the colour of your mousse will be darker (like dark chocolate) after refrigeration.
I don’t normally freeze this mousse, but it can be frozen for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing it in small containers that make up a single serving and letting it defrost for at least 10 minutes before consuming. You could even freeze it in a popsicle mould for a refreshing avocado fudgesicle.
Have you tried this recipe for chocolate mousse with avocado?
I’d love to hear whether you’ve tried this recipe, how it turned out and how you served it.
Share in the comments below or snap a photo and tag @tansy_joyfuleating on Instagram.
Craving more? Try these other vegan chocolate recipes
You may like my recipe for:
Chocolate Avocado Mousse
Ingredients
- 8 Medjool dates, pitted (~ 130 g)
- 2 ripe avocados
- ¼ cup coconut milk (50 g)
- ¼ cup cacao powder (15 g)
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (30 – 45 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place pitted dates in a small bowl and cover with just-boiled water. Let sit for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place all remaining ingredients into a blender or food processor.
- Then add the dates, drained of water.
- Process on medium speed until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides and process further, until all ingredients are evenly combined and smooth.
- Serve as is, or top with crushed nuts, cacao nibs or flaked chocolate, candied orange or fresh berries. Enjoy.
Notes
See serving suggestions and recipe variations in the blog for jaffa-flavoured mousse, chocolate cream pie, chocolate strawberry parfait, berry sauce drizzle and a chocolate avocado mousse ‘egg’.
![Parsnip Cake [Gluten-Free]](https://www.joyfuleatingnutrition.com/joycontent/uploads/2024/12/Parsnip-cake-480x650.jpg)
