This silky smooth Chocolate Mousse is made with only four ingredients and three simple steps. No cooking, no fancy techniques, and no eggs.
Behold the easiest Chocolate Mousse in the universe! This recipe comes together so quickly that you’ll be diving into decadent chocolate mousse in no time. You can easily adjust the recipe to feed more or less, based on what you need.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ease: Literally three easy steps. You can do this!
- Basic ingredients: Only four ingredients needed.
- Texture: So creamy, velvety, and smooth.
- Flavor: Incredible chocolate flavor in every bite.
- No bake: No raw eggs and no need to cook or bake this simple dessert.
- Easily change recipe size: This recipe can be scaled up or down based on how much you need.
Ingredients needed
- Chocolate chips
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
Chocolate mousse recipe overview
*Full recipe below in recipe card*
- Melt heavy cream and chocolate chips until sooth and combined.
- Cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes).
- Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the whipped cream into the melted chocolate. Transfer into individual serving dishes (if desired) and chill.
Key technique: How to fold in whipped cream
Folding is a lifting and scooping motion that incorporates batters while maintaining an airy quality. Use a large rubber/silicone spatula to cut through the center of the batter. Bring some batter up from the bottom and flip it over. Repeat scraping down the side of the bowl, into the center, flipping, and repeating.
Recipe tips
Use good quality chocolate chips that you enjoy the taste of. This is the primary flavor of the mousse.
When whipping heavy cream it should be very cold, straight from the fridge.
Allow at least 2 hours for the mousse to chill and firm up before serving.
If you plan on serving this mousse topped with whipped cream you can make extra whipped cream during step 2 of the recipe and set some aside for topping.
Straight from the fridge the mousse will be on the firmer side. Allow it to sit at room temperature for several minutes and it will soften.
Can this be used as a filling for cake or pie?
I’ve received several questions about whether or not this mousse can be used as a filling for cakes or pies. I have tried it and the answer is yes.
Pies: Pour the assembled mousse (before chilling) into a baked and cooled crust. Spread into an even layer and chill for at least 3 hours. The recipe as written makes about 2 and ½ cups of mousse.
Cakes: This mousse does not work as frosting but it can be used as filling between the layers of a layer cake or in the center of cupcakes. I chill the mousse first, allow it to soften at room temp for about 10 minutes, then add it to to the cake. Store in the refrigerator.
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Recipe
Easy Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
- 1 cup chocolate chips , I use semisweet
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream, for melting chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup chilled heavy whipping cream, for whipping
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, heat chocolate chips and ½ cup cream until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. I do this in the microwave in 20 seconds increments, stirring well between each. Set aside to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (this took about 15 minutes).
- In the bowl of a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat ⅔ cups chilled cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form (see note about making extra for topping). Transfer the whipped cream to the refrigerator until the chocolate has cooled to room temperature.
- Using a rubber/silicone spatula, fold* the whipped cream into the melted chocolate. Once fully combined, transfer the mousse into individual serving dishes and chill for at least 2 hours. The colder it is, the more firm it will be. If you'd like it softer you can leave it at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Kathy Jarboe
Absolutely wonderful!!! Have made this several times and plan on the Grands helping me make for Thanksgiving!
Allison
I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Charlotte
Can’t wait. Have to have my chocolate sometimes. This is it I can tell. I’ll let you know. Yum. Thanks.Ill be back!
T
Can this be used as frosting for a cake?
Allison
I’m not sure how it would hold up. You’d have to play around with it.
Karen S Burgess
Simple and tasty. I put in a graham cracker crust and refrigerated to serve for Thanksgiving. YUMMY
Allison
Great idea! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Laurel
I used this recipe to make a chocolate mousse pie and it is absolutely perfect! First time making mousse, and this recipe is no-fail. 10/10.
Allison
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Sally
Will this keep in the refrigerator for a few days without losing consistency.
I was going to put it in a trifle.
Allison
It might thin out over time as the whipped cream loses some volume. One day would be fine, not sure about longer than that.
corena
Hey Allison, What do you think of adding a wee bit of bourbon to this recipe? Would a tbsp ruin it? I plan in refrigerating for half a day and would hope that this would help firm it up.
Allison
Hhhhmmm…not sure. It will thin it out a bit but since it’s such a small amount I *think* it would be ok. Good luck playing around with it.
Hilary B.
I’ve made this recipe before but it didn’t quite turn out properly. I’m sure why it happened. Maybe you could advise?! When I brought the melted chocolate together with the whipped cream, they didn’t come together smoothly. The chocolate kinda seized a bit & there were grainy bits of chocolate. Guessing it could have been a temperature issue somewhere but would love some advice since I’m going to make it again tomorrow for Christmas. Thanks Allison!!
Allison
Yes, it sounds like the chocolate might have gotten too hot when it was melted. What brand of chocolate were you using?
Wendy
The melted chocolate/cream mixture clumped up on me as well in a fairly gelatinous manner. When I tried to fold it into the whipped cream mixture, it didn’t combine very well…and frankly looked quite mucky and disastrous. I decided to continue using the electric mixer on lowest setting with whisk attachment just until fully combined. It turned out chocolaty, light and fluffy!
Wonderful recipe, even when things didn’t go perfectly according to plan! 😉
Allison
Hi, Wendy. Perhaps you overheated the chocolate and it seized. Did you heat it slowly in 20-second(ish) increments?
Maria
Is it 1 1/4 or 1 3/4 for the cream. Directions say 1 1/4 recipe says
1 3/4. Thanks
Allison
It’s 1 and 3/4 divided.
Daniella
Delicious! And really easy to make. I’m glad there’s no egg yolk in it. That makes me a little nervous. This will be my go too. 😁
Allison
That’s great to hear. Thanks for stopping by!
Daye Vaughn
Approximately how many does this make? & How long does this keep?
Allison
It makes about 2-1/2 cups. You can serve between 4 and 6. It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Amy
I was searching for a quick dessert to make for someone who is sick. Thankful that I came across your recipe when searching. I had heavy whipping cream and chocolate chips on hand. What a beautiful, decadent dessert. So happy with how it turned out, I did a little taste test, it was divine.
Allison
Thanks for the kind review, Amy. 🙂