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Chocolate Avocado Mousse (Paleo + Vegan!)

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Chocolate Avocado Mousse – This velvety vegan chocolate mousse recipe has all the gorgeous flavor you’re looking for and an ingredient list you’re going to love! (Paleo, vegan, dairy-free)

Close up overhead view of small white bowls of avocado chocolate mousse topped with fresh berries and shaved chocolate

This might be one of the crazier recipes I’ve ever posted on One Lovely Life. But stick with me!

If you’ve been here a minute, you’ll know that avocados are my love language, and I will put them in or on anything possible. Because AVOCADOS.

But do I tuck them into sweets? Basically never.

Mostly because a lot of the healthy desserts that people tout that use avocado just never live up to the hype for me.

So, I’m just as surprised as anyone that I’m publishing a SWEET avocado recipe and telling you that it’s REALLY delicious. Like, I made it half a dozen times in two weeks and eaten every last bite delicious.

This Chocolate Avocado Mousse has an intensely chocolate flavor, decadent texture, and works on its own as a pudding or as an incredible fruit dip. It’s vegan chocolate mousse at its finest, and rivals even my amazing vegan chocolate pudding.

Here’s all you’ll need to get started…

overhead view of small white bowls of avocado chocolate mousse topped with fresh berries and shaved chocolate Close up front view of small white bowls of avocado chocolate mousse topped with fresh berries and shaved chocolate

HERE ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR MY CHOCOLATE AVOCADO MOUSSE RECIPE:

RIPE AVOCADOS. My avocado chocolate mousse recipe starts with ripe avocados. You don’t want anything hard or underripe here, since the texture and flavor won’t work well for mousse. You definitely want some give in the texture. (A few spots or bruises won’t hurt anyone either, making this a great way to use less-than-perfect avocados!)

UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER. It’s incredible just how much chocolate flavor you can pack into a recipe like this using just unsweetened cocoa powder. I recommend traditional unsweetened cocoa powder for chocolate avocado mousse (rather than Dutch-processed or dark cocoa powder) for the best flavor.

PURE MAPLE SYRUP. To sweeten this vegan chocolate mousse, I use pure maple syrup. The neutral flavor and trace minerals make it a great choice! The exact amount you’ll need will vary based on the size and ripeness of your avocados, so trust your tastebuds!

ALMOND MILK. Then, to thin the mixture out and help it blend, you’ll add a little of your favorite milk. We typically use almond milk for its neutral flavor, but feel free to use your favorite!

VANILLA. Vanilla plays a key role in the flavor here. I love Mexican vanilla for it’s delightful flavor. So good with the chocolate!

SALT. Salt might seem strange, but it really balances the flavor here and you’ll notice a big difference if you leave it out. If, after chilling, your mousse is tasting a bit flat, it might just need a tiny pinch more of salt! (Depending on the size/ripeness of your avocados.)

Once you’ve mixed everything together, you’re ready to serve and eat this vegan chocolate mousse! (Hooray!!!) Here are some of our favorite ways to top and serve it…

overhead view of small white bowls of avocado chocolate mousse topped with fresh berries and shaved chocolate front view of small white bowls of avocado chocolate mousse topped with fresh berries and shaved chocolate

WHAT GOES WELL WITH VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE? HERE ARE SOME FUN TOPPING IDEAS!

  • Coconut Whipped Cream (or Traditional Whipped Cream if you don’t have dietary restrictions)
  • Fresh Berries–strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries. They’re all good!
  • Shaved or Chopped Chocolate. I will never say no to more chocolate. So pretty and delicious here!
  • Cacao Nibs. If you want a little crunch without added sugar. (Be aware: cacao nibs are unsweetened + can run bitter if you’re not used to them!)
  • Toasted Hazelnuts. Sort of gives this a Nutella vibe!
  • Sliced Almonds. I love almonds and chocolate.
  • Drippy Peanut Butter. If you’re a chocolate peanut butter fan, a bit of drippy natural peanut butter drizzled over your chocolate avocado mousse is divine!
  • Fresh Mint. A leaf or two of fresh mint looks so pretty!
  • A Few Flakes of Sea Salt. I love Maldon salt flakes. The best!

Close up front view of small white bowls of avocado chocolate mousse topped with fresh berries and shaved chocolate Close up overhead view of small white bowls of avocado chocolate mousse topped with fresh berries and shaved chocolate

FAQ + TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST AVOCADO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

IMPORTANT NOTE: TRUST YOUR TASTEBUDS! The exact amount of sweetener you’ll need this this chocolate avocado mousse will vary based on the size and ripeness of your avocados, so it’ll be really important to trust your tastebuds. I made eight different batches of this recipe and almost always needed just 3-3.5 Tbsp. There were two batches I made using larger, less ripe avocados that meant 4 Tbsp. was a better choice. Trust your tastebuds! Also, you REALLY need to…

LET IT CHILL BEFORE DIVING IN! It’s hard to wait when your avocado chocolate mousse looks this tempting, but I pinky promise, it will taste even better when it’s had at least an hour to chill in the refrigerator. The flavors meld together and develop with some time in the fridge, and it’ll taste more chocolatey and delicious when it’s had time to sit. Don’t skip this step! You don’t add any extra syrup or salt until after the mousse has had time to sit so you really know what you need.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE AND CHOCOLATE PUDDING? Typically, chocolate mousse has a lighter texture than chocolate pudding. Mousse typically has more air whipped into it, and it’s got a lighter, less dense texture. In this case, we’re using avocado in place of cream, but thanks to its naturally velvety texture, we’re still achieving that lighter, whipped texture. If you’re in the mood for a more rich chocolate pudding, I highly recommend our Vegan Chocolate Pudding!

CAN I MAKE THIS WITH ANOTHER KIND OF SWEETENER? Probably! I prefer using maple syrup for chocolate avocado mousse because of its neutral flavor and trace minerals, but you could probably get away with something similar. I find honey has too strong a flavor to work well here, but you could experiment with agave, or a powdered keto-friendly sweetener. Do know your results will vary a bit from mine if you go that route and you may need to play with the amounts of sweetener + liquid to reach the right texture.

Close up front view of small white bowls of avocado chocolate mousse topped with fresh berries and shaved chocolateClose up front view of small white bowls of avocado chocolate mousse topped with fresh berries and shaved chocolate

CRAVING MORE? YOU MIGHT ALSO LOVE:

SHOP OUR FAVORITE TOOLS + INGREDIENTS FOR THIS HEALTHY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE RECIPE: 

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Close up overhead view of small white bowls of avocado chocolate mousse topped with fresh berries and shaved chocolate

Chocolate Avocado Mousse (Paleo + Vegan!)

  • Author: One Lovely Life
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes + 1 hour chill time
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes hands-on
  • Yield: About 2 cups mousse 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Chocolate Avocado Mousse – This velvety vegan chocolate mousse recipe has all the gorgeous flavor you’re looking for and an ingredient list you’re going to love! (Paleo, dairy-free)

*IMPORTANT NOTE: The ingredients are given in a range since avocados can vary so much in size. You’ll need to play with this a bit to get the flavor right where you want it, depending on the size and ripeness of your avocados. My sweet spot is typically 6 Tbsp. cocoa powder, 7 Tbsp. syrup, 7 Tbsp. milk, 2 tsp. vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium ripe avocados (pits removed)
  • 6–7 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 6–8 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
  • 6–8 Tbsp. unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite)
  • 1 1/2–2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/8–1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

  1. Scoop the avocado into a food processor or blender, discarding the skin and pits.
  2. Add 6 Tbsp. cocoa powder, 6 Tbsp. syrup, 6 Tbsp. milk, 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and 1/8 tsp. salt to the food processor.
  3. Puree until the mixture is smooth and velvety, adding additional syrup or milk needed. Taste and add additional syrup, vanilla, or salt as desired.
  4. Transfer mousse to an airtight container and cover.
  5. Chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving, tasting once more once the flavors have had time to develop.
  6. Add additional syrup, vanilla, or salt to adjust flavor, or more milk as needed to loosen the texture.

Notes

*The ingredients are given in a range since avocados can vary so much in size. You’ll need to play with this a bit to get the flavor right where you want it, depending on the size and ripeness of your avocados. My sweet spot is typically 6 Tbsp. cocoa powder, 7 Tbsp. syrup, 7 Tbsp. milk, 2 tsp. vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. salt

  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Food Processor
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Chocolate avocado mousse, vegan chocolate mousse, paleo chocolate mousse, avocado chocolate mousse

 

Comments

    • Emily says

      Great question and honestly, I don’t feel like it does. My husband only likes avocados blended into salad dressing or in guacamole (never likes to eat them plain) and he LOVES this mousse. I’ve made more than a dozen batches in the last few months while testing and only twice could I even detect the avocado flavor. Both times, it was because I used larger, less ripe avocados. And, in both cases, a tiny bit more cocoa powder and syrup totally did the trick making it taste chocolatey. Also–it does taste more chocolatey after chilling in the fridge for a while!

      Reply

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