For a decadent and indulgent chocolate dessert, make Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse. A plant-based treat made from coconut cream. You don’t need egg yolks and heavy cream to make this rich yet luscious and airy dessert! Made extra delicious with dairy-free Cashew Cream and flaky sea salt.

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Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse

A traditional Chocolate Mousse is a very special treat. But Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse is also very good — without the addition of heavy cream and egg yolks.

Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse is a lighter, healthier option for dessert. Less saturated fat and lower in calories, it still feels like such an indulgent treat! All that intense dark chocolate flavor. With a texture that’s light, airy, creamy, and pudding-like.

A swipe of cashew cream adds richness and another layer of flavor and texture. You won’t even miss the whipped heavy cream! A sprinkle of flaky sea salt makes it complete.

The mousse base is inspired by Ful-filled’s Two Ingredient Chocolate Pots de Creme. I was intrigued by the transformation of a classically decadent dessert into a plant-based one. With a few additions to intensify the chocolate flavor. And cashew cream to add that silky, airy finish.

Ingredients:

• Coconut Cream. At room temperature, coconut cream is completely solid. Do not use Coconut Milk — it will make the mousse runny. The added fat of coconut cream will help the vegan mousse set.
• Coffee Powder + Vanilla. The flavor boosters bring out the intensity of the chocolate.
• Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. For a dark chocolate flavor, add bittersweet chocolate. But if you prefer, milk chocolate is also a nice option. To make it completely vegan, look for dairy-free chocolate chips as they often contain modified milk powder.
• Cashew Cream. A vegan alternative to whipped cream. So creamy, smooth, fluffy, and light! To make, blend cashews with vanilla, maple sugar, and water.
• Flaky sea salt. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt, right before serving, enhances all the flavors. I use Maldon.

What is Cashew Cream?

Cashew Cream is a non-dairy, plant-based substitute for whipped cream. Raw cashews are soaked in water and then blended with maple syrup and vanilla until light, airy, and fluffy. The texture is unbelievably silky and creamy. It even looks like whipped cream!

Since Cashew Cream is made without dairy, it’s a good alternative for lactose-intolerant friends and family. Easy to digest and full of protein, fibre, and healthy fats — it’s also very tasty.

Cashew Cream also stores a long time in the fridge, about 1-2 weeks.

Instructions:

1. Make mousse. Heat coconut cream until steaming. Do not let it come to a boil! Remove from heat and add dairy-free chocolate chips, instant coffee powder, vanilla, and salt. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk, making sure all chocolate chips are fully melted.
2. Pour into cups. Pour chocolate coconut cream into individual cups or glasses. Cool completely at room temperature. Transfer to fridge and chill overnight.
3. Make Cashew Cream. Add raw cashews, water, maple syrup, and vanilla to a high-powered blender. Blend on high speed until creamy and thick, about 3 minutes.
4. Serve. Remove chilled chocolate mousse cups from the fridge. Add a dollop of cashew cream and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt over each cup. A dusting of cocoa powder is optional. Enjoy!

PRO Tips:

• Melt Chocolate Chips COMPLETELY. The method requires a gentle melting of the chocolate chips. Whisk to ensure the chocolate is fully melted — with no chunks sticking to the bottom.
• Make ahead. These mousse cups can be placed in the fridge 2-3 days in advance for an easy make-ahead dessert.
• Use a good blender to make the Cashew Cream! Many recipes recommend soaking cashews 1-8 hours. However, using a good blender makes the soaking time unnecessary. For reference, my 20-year-old Osterizer blender quickly blitzed the unsoaked raw cashews. And produced a fluffy and airy texture in 3 minutes!
• Blend Cashew Cream longer than you think. The texture should be light, fluffy, and creamy — without a hint of graininess!

Variations:

• Spicy Chocolate Mousse. For a spicy chocolate mousse (similar to Mexican Hot Chocolate Pie), add 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cayenne, and 1/4 tsp ground ginger to the coconut cream.

More dessert recipes:

• Chocolate Almond Espresso Cake
• Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Salted Dark Chocolate Oat Bars