Smooth, airy, and light vegan chocolate mousse made with coconut cream. This easy chocolate recipe is a silky, decadent, melt-in-your mouth kind of dessert. The best part is that it requires just 4 ingredients and takes only 5 minutes to make!
Get ready for the velvety taste of chocolate with this easy vegan chocolate mousse. This delicious vegan dessert is perfect for a date nigh at home, or you can double/triple the recipe for a dinner party.
I just love the simple and clean ingredients that are used to make this dessert. While I'm not vegan, I do love a good dessert made from simple vegan ingredients. If you're in the same boat I am and want to try more vegan desserts, check out my healthy Samoa recipe, vegan fruit tarts, carrot cake energy balls, chocolate turtles, and dark chocolate peanut butter balls.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Chocolate - What's not to love about a rich and creamy chocolate dessert!? Just like my fudgy oat flour brownies, this recipe will satisfy your chocolate cravings!
- No refined sugar - You won't find any refined sugars in this recipe. This vegan chocolate mousse is lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup.
- Easy - Traditional chocolate mousse requires many steps, but this vegan mousse only requires some quick mixing of coconut cream and a few other ingredients and you're done!
- 4 ingredients - Yep, that's right... just 4 ingredients for this recipe.
- Dietary needs - Made with all gluten free, vegan, and Paleo friendly ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below. Here are some specific notes to help with selecting ingredients.
- Canned coconut cream - I strongly recommend using coconut cream over coconut milk. If you can't find coconut cream, you can substitute it with full-fat coconut milk. Ensure you do not use "light coconut milk." Additionally, remember to chill the can in the fridge overnight before using.
- Cacao powder - I always use cacao powder, and not cocoa. Cacao is made from cold-pressing the bean (think less processing), which keeps the enzymes and higher antioxidant content, making it a better choice than cocoa. Cocoa is treated with high temperatures (think more processing), which diminishes the nutritional value and reduces enzyme content. That said, you can substitute with cocoa if that's what you have.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Carefully open the can of coconut cream, trying not to shake or mix the can. Using a spoon, scoop the solid cream from the top of the can and place in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Step 2: Using a hand-mixer, beat coconut cream on medium-high until light and fluffy and light peaks form (about 20 seconds).
Step 3: Add the cacao, vanilla, and maple syrup. Beat on low-speed until cacao is mixed in and then increase to medium-high and beat until thick and creamy (about 30 seconds).
Step 4: Equally divide chocolate mousse between two small dessert bowls. Place back in fridge and allow to chill for a minimum of 15 minutes before serving. Top with coconut whipped cream, fresh fruit, and/or chocolate shavings.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Mousse
Use a quality canned coconut cream. Some brands are slightly grainy and won't be as smooth. Thai Kitchen and Let's Do Organic (although I recommend you buy this one at a local grocer so you aren't paying $8 for a can of coconut cream!) are by far is the best ones I've tried. Good and Gather (Target brand) is super grainy; don't use this one.
Chill the canned coconut milk in the fridge overnight. This allows the cream to fully separate from the water so that you can scoop the cream from the can.
Avoid overbeating the coconut cream. Beat just until the coconut cream reaches a light and creamy consistency. Overbeating may result in the coconut cream curdling, and you don't want that!
You can try switching up the flavor by adding in ½ tsp. of espresso powder (or most to taste) or ¼ tsp. mint or peppermint extract (or most to taste).
FAQs
Yep... all ingredients used are naturally gluten free.
There is a slight coconut flavor to the mousse. However, you can always add additional cacao powder and/or maple syrup to mask the slight coconut flavor.
Choose coconut cream is thicker and made from more coconut meat and less water. I recommend coconut cream for this recipe.
It's probably due to the brand of coconut cream you used. You need to ensure you are using a good quality can of coconut cream such as Thai Kitchen or Let's Do Organic (I've never had issues when using these).
Making Ahead and Serving
This vegan chocolate mousse can easily be made ahead and stored in the fridge before serving. I recommend serving within 24 hours of making for optimal freshness.
Serving: I love serving this in these little glass dessert bowls. You can also use small ramekins.
Toppings: Try topping with some coconut whipped cream (or other whipped cream), fresh fruit (raspberries or strawberries go great with chocolate), sea salt flakes, and/or some freshly chopped dark chocolate.
Storing
This recipe makes enough for 2 servings, so I doubt you'll have a lot of leftovers, but anything left over can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.
More Chocolate Recipes
If you make this recipe, please let me know what you think! I would so appreciate you leaving a star rating and/or comment below. And don't forget to share a photo on Instagram or Facebook and mention @CleanPlateMama!
Eat Clean.Be Well!
-Sara
Vegan Chocolate Mousse
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Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 hand-held mixer
Ingredients
- 1 can coconut cream, chilled overnight in the fridge (see notes)
- 3 tbsp. cacao powder
- 3 tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Open the can of the chilled coconut cream and scoop the thick cream from the top of the can into a medium-size mixing bowl. Discard the liquid (or you can save and use in a smoothie).
- Beat coconut cream on med-high until light and fluffy, about 20 seconds (don't overbeat).
- Add cacao, maple syrup, and vanilla. Beat on low just until cacao is mixed in and then increase speed back to medium-high and beat until thick and creamy (about 30 seconds). Taste and adjust; if needed, you can add addition cacao or maple syrup to make more chocolate-y and/or sweeter.
- Place mousse back in refrigerator for a minimum of 15 minutes to allow to set/further chill. You can either divide the mousse now into two separate dishes, or after it's chilled.
- Top with coconut whipped cream (or any other whipped cream), fresh fruit, sea salt flakes, and/or chocolate shavings. Enjoy!
Notes
- The brand of canned coconut cream matters - Some brands are slightly grainy and won't be as smooth.. Thai Kitchen and Let's Do Organic are by far is the best once I've tried. Do not use Good and Gather (Target brand) - that one is very grainy!
- You need to ensure the coconut cream has chilled in the fridge so that you are able to scoop the thick cream from the top of the can.
- You should get roughly 1 cup of cream from the can of coconut cream - the other ingredient amounts are based off of this.
- Do NOT overbeat the mousse. Once creamy and ingredients are fully mixed, it's good to go.
- Here is my coconut whipped cream recipe.
Nutrition
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Sue says
This is surprisingly good! On reading it I was a little sceptical as often vegan recipes end up disappointing. Making it is very quick. The consistency was perfect- soft but set. Lovely and chocolatey delivering a good chocolate “hit”. I would not have guessed the base is coconut It is very satisfying without being as rich as the double cream, egg and chocolate version. I would highly recommend this, thank you. Sue. 12th July 2025.
Sara says
Hi Sue - So appreciate you leaving a review and letting me know what you thought of this recipe! So happy to hear you enjoyed it and were surprised at how easy and tasty a vegan dessert can be 🙂 Hope you enjoy again soon!
Lynn says
I made this for my vegan trifle "Death By Chocolate" vegan dessert for Christmas and all 11 guests loved it.
I need to make it again for a child who cannot eat coconut.
Can this recipe be made with heavy whipping cream instead of the coconut cream?
Tks!
Sara says
Hi Lynn - So happy to hear this dessert was a hit at your Christmas celebration! Regarding using whipping cream, I think that will work just fine! Standard whipping cream might not be quite as thick, but if you whip long enough to thicken and then mix in the cacao and maple syrup just until combined, I think this would work out just fine! Please let me know how it goes.
Harry Brown says
Sounds delicious. Love chocolate. Can’t wait to try it.
Beth Miller says
I used Let’s Do Organic heavy coconut cream, refrigerated it overnight, and it was solid as a rock. I put the can in a large bowl and poured boiling water around it. When I could get it out of the can in chunks, I put it in the mixing bowl and let it sit for a while. I added some of the water back because some had melted into it and it seemed too dry. I followed the rest of the directions. It tastes great, but there was a little less of it than I expected. I had 2 cans in the fridge because I didn’t know how much it would yield. Should I leave the second can in the fridge, or remove it and put it in the cupboard for future use?
Sara says
Oh, I have never had that problem with the coconut cream - did you have it on the top shelf by chance? I know that even when I have lettuce, or produce on my top shelf, sometimes it will slightly freeze as it's much colder up there 🙂 Glad to hear you were able to get it to a consistency where you could mix it. As far as the other can, you can for sure store it in the fridge, especially if you think you'd need it for a recipe that requires the solid cream from the top. If not, you can take out and store in the cupboard as well - either way works!