Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large ripe avocados (about 1 cup mashed)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt (about ⅛ teaspoon)
- 2-4 tablespoons milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy), as needed for blending
- Optional: ½ teaspoon espresso powder (intensifies chocolate flavor)
Instructions
- Prepare Avocados: Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into your blender or food processor. Make sure they’re perfectly ripe—they should be soft and creamy, with no hard or stringy bits.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, sea salt, and espresso powder (if using) to the blender with the avocado. Start with 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Blend Until Smooth: Blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed. The mixture should be completely smooth and creamy with no lumps or chunks of avocado visible. If the mousse is too thick and your blender is struggling, add the remaining milk one tablespoon at a time until you achieve a silky, spoonable consistency.
- Taste and Adjust: Stop and taste the mousse. Want it sweeter? Add more maple syrup, one tablespoon at a time, and blend again. Want it more chocolatey? Add another tablespoon of cocoa powder. The beauty of this recipe is how easily you can customize it to your preferences.
- Chill (Optional): While you can eat this mousse immediately, chilling it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to meld and the texture to firm up slightly, creating an even more authentic mousse experience.
- Serve: Spoon or pipe the mousse into serving bowls, ramekins, or small glasses. Top with your favorite garnishes like fresh berries, whipped coconut cream, cacao nibs, shaved dark chocolate, chopped nuts, or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Avocado Selection: Your avocados must be perfectly ripe for the best flavor and texture. If they’re underripe, the mousse will taste slightly bitter and have a less creamy texture.
- Sweetness Level: The amount of sweetener needed depends on how ripe your avocados are (riper = naturally sweeter) and your personal preference. Start with ¼ cup and adjust from there.
- Color Preservation: The mousse will stay bright and dark initially, but may brown slightly after a day or two due to avocado oxidation. Adding a squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 teaspoon) can help slow this process, though the chocolate masks most discoloration.
- Consistency Control: For a thicker, more dense mousse, use less milk. For a lighter, fluffier texture, add more milk and blend longer to incorporate air.
- Make it Keto: Replace maple syrup with a low-carb liquid sweetener like monk fruit syrup or stevia (adjust to taste as these are much sweeter).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: Fusion
- Diet: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About ½ cup (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg