These four ingredient Chocolate Mousse Cups whip up super quickly and easily. It’s light as a feather with a rich dark chocolate flavor that you’ll love! And PS- it only takes 20 minutes to make!
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Why You’ll Love this Easy Chocolate Mousse:
One fateful Valentine's weekend, I wanted to make something chocolatey and decadent for my husband. So I followed my heart (and my belly) and threw together this recipe with ingredients I had on hand and it quickly became one of our favorite easy desserts!Now a snobbier foodie might tell you that this isn’t a true chocolate mousse recipe because it doesn’t include eggs. And to that I say: fair enough. But at the end of the day this super quick and delicious eggless alternative brings all the smooth, light-as-a-feather decadent chocolate goodness without the salmonella concerns. Here’s what I love about it:
- Only 4 ingredients
- Decadent flavor without all the hassle
- It’s SO easy to make
- Perfect to make ahead
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Chocolate Chips- I prefer dark chocolate chips for this recipe, although semi-sweet morsels will work too. If you can, splurge and get the higher quality chocolate chips.
- Heavy Cream- Don’t substitute milk or half- and-half for this. It’s that fat content in the heavy cream that whips up into the perfect texture.
- Kahlua- I know not everyone loves the idea of throwing in a little booze, but it’s a super small amount- so small that I serve this to my kids without concern. The coffee flavor really brings out the best in the chocolate flavor. You could substitute cold brew or cooled coffee if you really need to, but I think Kahlua is best.
- Vanilla- I use pure vanilla extract for this but you could also use the same amount of vanilla bean paste. Or if you’re feeling really fancy, scraping in the contents of a vanilla bean.
How To Make This Simple Chocolate Mousse Recipe
Step 1- Melt chocolate.
Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler over low heat, stirring periodically until smooth. You can also melt them in the microwave (click here for my blog post on how to melt chocolate in the microwave).
Step 2- Begin whipping the cream, Kahlua and vanilla.
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, begin whipping the remaining ingredients until they’re just beginning to thicken.
Step 3- Add chocolate to the cream mixture and whip.
While the mixer is running, add the chocolate to the cream mixture. You want to do this immediately while it is running so that it gets evenly incorporated and prevents separation.
Keep whipping the mixture until the chocolate is evenly incorporated and forms fluffy peaks. Pipe into cups and refrigerate until serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mousse is a creamy dessert that’s traditionally made with cream and whipped eggs.
Pudding is cooked and then chilled. It tends to be a bit thicker and denser due to cooking. Mousse is not cooked and has a lighter and fluffier consistency.
These will last for up to 5 days covered in the refrigerator.
Yes- this recipe includes dairy products and needs to be refrigerated until serving.
It may be that the chocolate you used has a lower cocoa butter content, which results in less texture.
Yes and the result is a grainy texture. The best way to fix this is gently mix in a couple tablespoons more of cream.
Helpful Cooking Tips:
- Take your time melting the chocolate- you want to make sure to use lower heat and go slow melting the chocolate. If you use too high heat, the chocolate will seize and get a clay-like texture and you’ll have to start over with new chocolate.
- Use higher quality chocolate. It tends to melt better and will result in a smoother mousse.
- Start with chocolate in very small pieces. If you’re using chocolate in bar form chop the chocolate so that it’s in small pieces before melting. It will melt quicker and easier this way.
- Serve with fruit- I love serving this with raspberries or strawberries.
- Leftovers and Storage- Leftovers last for up to 5 days covered in the refrigerator.
Other Delicious Chocolate Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Chocolate Mousse Cups
Equipment
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons Kahlua (can also use cold brew or cold coffee)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Begin melting the chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. Go slow and stir often until melted. You can also melt it in the microwave.
- While the chocolate melts, begin whipping the cream, Kahlua and vanilla extract until it's just beginning to thicken.
- When the chocolate is fully melted, add it into the cream mixture with the mixer running and continue whipping until fully combined with nice, fluffy peaks.
- Serve right away or refrigerate for up to a week. This tastes great served with fruit.
Video
Notes
- Take your time melting the chocolate- you want to make sure to use lower heat and go slow melting the chocolate. If you use too high heat, the chocolate will seize and get a clay-like texture and you’ll have to start over with new chocolate.
- Use higher quality chocolate. It tends to melt better and will result in a smoother mousse.
- Start with chocolate in very small pieces. If you’re using chocolate in bar form chop the chocolate so that it’s in small pieces before melting. It will melt quicker and easier this way.
- Serve with fruit- I love serving this with raspberries or strawberries.
- Leftovers and Storage- Leftovers last for up to 5 days covered in the refrigerator.
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