This vegan chocolate mousse with avocado is a rich and creamy dessert that's perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth. Made with avocado and dairy-free chocolate, this healthy chocolate mousse is not only delicious, but also gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, and kid-friendly.
With just 7 simple ingredients and ready in 15 minutes, it's a perfect dessert for those who want to indulge in something sweet without compromising their dietary restrictions.
Dairy free avocado chocolate mousse is one of my favorite homemade desserts. I make it pretty regularly simply because I am always in the mood for chocolate, and it’s a nutritious way to get my chocolate fix, just like with these fudgy black bean cookies.
This easy recipe for vegan chocolate mousse uses simple ingredients like avocados (but it doesn't taste like avocado), dates, cocoa powder, coconut yogurt, and almond milk. No eggs or cream are used, but we achieve a very similar consistency to classic mousse.
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⭐️ Why This Mousse is the Best
- Taste: Chocolate avocado pudding with deep chocolaty flavor that's enhanced with instant espresso/coffee (the secret ingredient in most chocolate cakes).
- Texture: Smooth, creamy, and silky texture that's akin to classic mousse, but without the eggs and cream. If you want to thin it out more, just add another splash of almond milk.
- Quick & easy: This easy avocado mousse recipe has just 7 simple ingredients and is ready in 15 minutes.
- Healthy: Avocados are a great source of protein, potassium, and healthy fat, and dates are a natural sugar, so you really can't go wrong with this dairy-free and raw dessert. This raw chocolate mousse recipe is lower in calories and cholesterol than classic mousse made with dairy, and doesn't contain any processed sugar. It's nutritious, gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, and kid-friendly!
- Freezer-friendly: This dairy-free chocolate mousse freezes really well - just place it into a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
🥑 Ingredient Notes
- Avocados - High in fiber, a great source of healthy fats and protein, and full of vitamins and minerals. Be sure to use use ripe avocados that are soft to the touch (and dark in color). More ripe avocados to use up? Try my avocado gazpacho!
- Pitted dates - Dates are a great sugar alternative; they're high in fiber and full of magnesium and potassium.
- Cocoa powder - You can use either natural cocoa powder or Dutch cocoa powder here.
- Vanilla extract - Warm, rich notes will help to add flavor (and disguise that avocado taste!).
- Instant espresso or coffee - This is often the secret ingredient in chocolate cakes. It amplifies the taste of chocolate, and won't taste like coffee. You can also use decaf instant coffee if you are sensitive to caffeine.
- Salt - Like all desserts, a little bit of salt is always needed to bring out the flavor of the other ingredients.
📝 Variations & Substitutions
- Milk. Substitute your favorite plant-based milk, like oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk.
- Sweetener. Substitute your favorite natural sweetener for the dates. Ripe banana, dried figs (just be sure to soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes before using), and maple syrup (1 tablespoon) all work well.
- Yogurt. Substitute your favorite plant-based yogurt for the coconut yogurt.
- Extract flavor. Add a pinch of almond extract or orange extract to change the flavor.
🥄 How To Make Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Avocado
Add avocados, dates, cocoa powder, vanilla, coconut yogurt, instant espresso, and salt to a food processor or blender. Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Turn machine off and scrape down sides of bowl using a rubber spatula.
Add almond milk and continue to blend for an additional 2 minutes. (The mixture will thicken after chilling.)
Spoon the pudding into an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, spoon mousse into small cups and top with berries and flaky sea salt (if using).
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- For the best texture, I recommend chilling your vegan chocolate mousse in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
- If you prefer your mousse to be less thick (and more like a pudding), you can thin it out by adding an additional ¼ cup of plant-based milk. It will continue to thicken up in the refrigerator, so I would recommend doing this after letting your mousse hang out in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Be sure to use ripe avocados. You want soft (and dark-colored) avocados that will blend well. To speed up the process, place them in a paper bag for a day or two.
- Adjust the sweetness to your liking. If this is the first time you are using avocados in a dessert, you may want to make it a bit sweeter. You could add a teaspoon of maple syrup or honey here as well.
- Storage: Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Place in a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in your refrigerator overnight. I recommend giving it a quick whirl in your food processor or blender before serving.
🍓 Topping Suggestions
- Toasted nuts - Top it with toasted walnuts, hazelnuts, or pecans. And, if you love the flavor of hazelnuts and chocolate, be sure to try my vegan nutella!
- Mixed berries
- Flaked coconut
- Cinnamon
- Coconut whipped cream
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Avocado is often used as a replacement for butter, eggs, or both, in vegan desserts. It is a healthy fat with a thick and creamy texture, so it makes for a great alternative to both ingredients. It's also a healthier alternative, as it is high in fiber, protein, and contains a ton of nutrients like potassium and magnesium. Avocado pudding is dairy-free, gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, and vegan!
The avocado flavor in this mousse is very subtle. For the most part, the flavor is disguised by the cocoa powder, dates, and vanilla extract. It's a delicious trick for them to be used and covered up with more dessert-like ingredients!
In this recipe, we add avocados, dates, cocoa powder, vanilla, coconut yogurt, instant espresso, and salt to a food processor. Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth, then add almond milk and continue to blend for an additional 2 minutes.
Spoon the mousse into an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
This dairy free and healthy chocolate mousse alternative is made with avocados, dates, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, coconut yogurt, espresso powder, and almond milk.
🍫 Related Recipes
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Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Avocado Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 2 medium-size ripe avocados
- 6-8 pitted dates, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and roughly chopped
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup coconut yogurt
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee (decaf works as well)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- ½ cup fresh berries (optional garnish)
- flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Add avocados, dates, cocoa powder, vanilla, coconut yogurt, instant espresso, and salt to a food processor or blender. Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Turn machine off and scrape down sides of bowl using a rubber spatula.
- Add almond milk and continue to blend for an additional 2 minutes. (The mixture will thicken after chilling in the refrigerator.)
- Spoon the mousse into an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, spoon mousse into small cups and top with berries and flaky sea salt (if using).
Notes
- For the best texture, I recommend chilling your mousse in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
- If you prefer your mousse to be less thick (and more like a pudding), you can thin it out by adding an additional ¼ cup of plant-based milk. It will continue to thicken up in the refrigerator, so I would recommend doing this after letting your mousse hang out in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Be sure to use ripe avocados. You want soft (and dark-colored) avocados that will blend well. To speed up the process, place them in a paper bag for a day or two.
- Adjust the sweetness to your liking. If this is the first time you are using avocados in a dessert, you may want to make it a bit sweeter. You could add a teaspoon of maple syrup or honey here as well.
- How to store: Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Place in a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in your refrigerator overnight. I recommend giving it a quick whirl in your food processor or blender before serving.
Shivaraj
Hi Meryanni
Great one! Yet to be tried though...
Is there any significance in using a non dairy milk as for as the taste or consistency is concerned? Is it only for lactose tollerence issue? I mean, what if I use a normal skimmed milk?
P.S : BTW, we see that coconut becoming more and more common ingredient in your food formula...We have loads of Indian dishes on Coconut...both Sweet and Spicy ????????????
Thanks
Shivaraj
Gastronotherapy
Hi Shivaraj! No difference in taste that I can tell, it's more about just being a vegan recipe. And yes to coconut being used more in my household - Kiran definitely appreciates it! 🙂
veenaazmanov
Avocado is one of my favorite fruit. This recipe sounds unique and interesting and I love the combination of toppings too. Delicious.
Gastronotherapy
If you love avocado, you will absolutely love this healthy dessert!
Denay DeGuzman
My daughter assembled this yummy pudding, and the whole family enjoyed it! So incredibly delicious.
Gastronotherapy
So happy to hear that! Thanks for leaving a comment!
Seema Sriram
These look so heavenly. I just happen to have some coconut yogurt so m going to get an avocado to try this right away.
Gastronotherapy
Let me know what you think, Seema!
Beth
Yummy! My family just loves this pudding and we love the combination too! Rich and very delicious! I’ll be making this over the weekend!
Gastronotherapy
So happy to hear that! I make it often! 🙂
Maria
I'm a big fan of chocolate but I never knew it could be paired with avocado. Let me try this recipe for my kids, I think they'll like it too.
Gastronotherapy
I think you could easily fool them! 🙂