The best chocolate mousse is made using the classic French method (that is, with eggs and lots of good chocolate!), and my easy chocolate mousse is no exception! With a very short ingredient list and simple method, this rich dessert is so easy to make.
I tested the recipe many times to ensure it yields a firmly set mousse that is still wonderfully light, creamy, and dreamy. I found that melting chocolate in hot heavy cream helps to stabilize it so it sets well, and folding in whipped egg whites gives the mousse its signature airy, fluffy texture. Chocolate mousse is a lovely dessert to serve at dinner parties or make Valentine’s Day extra sweet.
A reader, Ellie, says: “This is my go-to chocolate mousse recipe! Absolutely delicious and the texture is next-level amazing! So decadent but light and fluffy, like eating chocolate clouds.” ★★★★★
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
These are the main ingredients you need to make this classic chocolate mousse. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Eggs — you’ll use both the egg yolk and the egg white (separately) to make chocolate mousse. The yolks add richness, flavor, and stability, while whipped egg white meringue makes the mousse airy and cloud-like.
Sugar — not only does granulated sugar sweeten the mousse, but it also stabilizes it so it sets properly in the fridge. The white sugar is whisked with the egg yolks to help them temper more easily with the hot milk.
Cream — heavy whipping cream is used in two forms in this chocolate mousse recipe. It’s heated to help melt the chopped chocolate to make the chocolate lighter and easier to incorporate with the whipped egg whites. The rest of the cream is whipped to stiff peaks to add creamy, airy lightness to the mousse. See my whipped cream recipe for more information about how to whip cream properly and how to avoid over-beating it.
Chocolate — I recommend using high-quality dark chocolate bars over chocolate chips in this recipe. Bars yield a better texture and melt more easily because they contain fewer stabilizers than chips. I like using semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate (60% to 80% cocoa and less sugar) so the mousse has the right balance of flavor and texture. You can use milk chocolate for a sweeter mousse, but I find semisweet chocolate has the perfect flavor. Do not use white chocolate—the mousse will not set properly in this recipe because white chocolate is much higher in cocoa butter and doesn’t contain any cocoa solids.
Can I use cocoa powder instead of chocolate?
This substitution doesn’t work for this recipe. The mousse relies on the melted chocolate to cool and set for the correct texture. When the chocolate cools, it firms up, trapping air from the meringue and whipped cream, forming a light and airy chocolate mousse. In a recipe like chocolate pudding, cocoa powder works fine because it’s a creamy custard that gets its texture from cooked eggs and cornstarch.
Egg Whites: The Key To An Airy Mousse
Folding a stiff meringue into the melted chocolate is what produces a velvety, airy mousse. The chocolate and cream mixture traps the air from the egg whites when it chills and firms up, creating the mousse’s signature texture.
When beating the egg whites, make sure the bowl is completely clean so the whites can form stiff peaks. A drop of fat can hinder the structure and make it too soft. If you’re nervous about beating the meringue, beat the egg whites at medium speed. This slows the process down to make a more stable meringue. The lower speed takes a little bit longer, but it’s harder to overbeat the meringue, and it will be less likely to deflate.
You will gently fold the meringue into the cooled chocolate mixture, keeping as much of the air as possible. I like to use a silicone spatula, but you actually use a whisk if that’s easier for you! Start with a small amount of the meringue to lighten the mixture, then add more. You will also fold in whipped cream, so be patient and take the time needed to gently fold the meringue into the chocolate. Rushing it can deflate the meringue, leading to a dense mousse. I show you how to do this in my video in the recipe card below!
Can I Use This Mousse For A Cake Or Pie Filling?
I don’t recommend it. I developed this easy chocolate mousse recipe to have just the right texture to be eaten by the spoonful. It is airy and stable in a cup, but too soft and delicate to hold well as a cake or pie filling. You’ll notice in recipes like my French silk pie, the mousse-like filling is prepared differently using additional ingredients to add more structure so it can stand well in a pie.
Pro Tips For The Best Chocolate Mousse
Use room temperature egg whites. Room temperature egg whites beat up faster and make a more stable meringue. The eggs are easier to separate when they are cold, so I like to do that at the start, and let them sit out for about 30 minutes, while the chocolate mixture cools.
Make sure the chocolate mixture cools. You will melt the cream and chocolate together to make a chocolate ganache. But if it’s too hot when you add the meringue, the heat will deflate the egg whites, and you will lose the airy texture of the mousse.
How To Make Chocolate Mousse
Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making homemade chocolate mousse. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. Heat some of the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is steaming, but not boiling. Remove it from the heat.
2. Combine the egg yolks and white sugar in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture lightens in color.
3. Add the chopped chocolate to the hot cream and stir continuously until the chocolate melts completely.
4. Slowly whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar mixture until they’re well combined. Then set the mixture aside to cool for about 30 minutes, stirring every now and then.
5. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and beat on high speed using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. It will look sort of like a fluffy marshmallow when it is done.
6. Fold one-third of the egg white meringue into the chocolate mixture to loosen it. Then fold in the remaining beaten egg whites until just a few streaks of white remain. Set aside for the moment. Whip the rest of the heavy cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form, then fold it into the chocolate mixture.
7. Fill small serving glasses with the fluffy chocolate mousse and refrigerate until set, which takes about 4 hours (or up to 2 days).
8. Serve homemade chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, or enjoy it plain!
Chocolate Mousse Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Mixer
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs separated
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (66g)
- 2¼ cups heavy whipping cream divided (540mL)
- 7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate bars finely chopped
- Optional toppings: Whipped cream, chocolate shavings, fresh berries
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar for about 1 minute, just until lightened in color and velvety.
- In a small saucepan, heat 1¼ cups (360ml) of cream over medium heat just until it’s steaming, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add the chocolate and stir constantly until fully melted. Slowly whisk the chocolate cream mixture into the egg yolks until fully combined. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally, until barely warm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
- In another large bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold a third of the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture to loosen it. Fold the remaining egg white mixture in just until a few streaks remain.
- In a large bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup (240ml) of cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. (You can use the same beaters without cleaning them first.) Fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Fill 6 to 8 small serving glasses with the mousse.
- Chill until set, about 4 hours or up to 2 days. (If chilling for more than a few hours before serving, loosely cover the mousse to keep it from forming a skin and drying out.) Serve topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.
Notes
- If chopped chocolate doesn’t melt fully in the heavy cream, you can return the saucepan over low heat before adding it to the egg yolks. Stir constantly until the chocolate is fully melted.
- To make chocolate shavings for the topping, you can scrape the chocolate bar with a knife on an angle or run a vegetable peeler down the side of a chocolate bar. You only need a couple of tablespoons of chocolate shavings to garnish, so I like to do this with the bars before chopping them to melt.
- You don’t have to clean the bowl for the whipped cream! You can use the same bowl and beaters that you used for the meringue. Unlike egg whites, whipped cream doesn’t require a perfectly clean bowl for whipping. This step saves you some dishes and time!
Nutrition
Storage and Make-Ahead
This classic chocolate mousse keeps well for 2 days in the refrigerator, but the texture will be a bit firmer if made ahead and served the next day. If you’re chilling the mousse for more than 4 hours, cover it loosely to prevent a skin from forming and the mousse from drying out.
Can I freeze chocolate mousse? No. This chocolate dessert deflates once thawed and becomes grainy and loose.
FAQs and Troubleshooting
If your mousse is hard and dense once it has chilled, it’s likely because too much of the air was knocked out of the meringue when it was folded in.
Use pasteurized eggs or carton egg whites to make chocolate mousse if you are concerned! There is a very low risk of Salmonella when consuming raw shell eggs, so keep that in mind if you have health concerns. Eggs that have been pasteurized are heat-treated in the shell to kill bacteria like Salmonella, and egg products like cartons of egg whites are filtered and processed, and are safe to consume raw according to the USDA.
This recipe uses the classic French method for mousse that does need eggs. You can make a version of chocolate mousse without eggs by folding chocolate ganache into whipped cream. I have a recipe in my book, Preppy Kitchen Super Easy, for Naughty and Nice Chocolate Mousse (page 292), that doesn’t require eggs, if you want to try that method!
More Dessert Recipes To Try
These decadent dessert recipes are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
You can top my versatile no-bake cheesecake with fresh fruit, preserves, chocolate sauce, or caramel sauce! And you only need 9 ingredients to make it.
Easy chocolate cheesecake is a wonderful combo of fluffy cream cheese and chocolate on a crisp Oreo cookie crust. It keeps well in the fridge or freezer, so feel free to make it in advance.
Brigadeiros are a sweet Brazilian chocolate truffle, made with 5 simple ingredients! You can roll them in your favorite toppings like nuts, sprinkles, or cocoa powder.
Chocolate gravy is a simple chocolate sauce perfect for serving over sweet biscuits—it’s the dessert spin on the classic biscuits and gravy combo.
A classic American dessert, banana pudding is sweet, rich, and nostalgic. I recommend making it in a glass dish to show off the beautiful layers.
If you’ve tried this chocolate mousse recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Kate says
Another perfect recipe. I use 72% dark chocolate and add the zest of one orange
Kat says
It’s great! Yes it’s a lot of bowls, but it’s worth it. Will be making again, and using darker chocolate (I used 60%, not dark enough for me) and/or adding some espresso to make it more chocolatey.
Ellie says
This is my go-to chocolate mousse recipe! Absolutely delicious and the texture is next level amazing! So decadent but light and fluffy, like eating chocolate clouds. Yummmm! Thank you John, for sharing this recipe ❤️
Jill Baker says
AMAZING! I made this for my Book Club because the hostess asked me to make a chocolate dessert. It came out so smooth and creamy and delicious. I watched the video and read all the directions through-so don’t just skip to the recipe as the tips are vital to success. Thanks for making my dessert the hit of the party! I am going to use this for an open house in the future.
Michelle says
OMG! I’m not a fan of chocolate desserts at all. I’m making a dear friend a bday dinner tomorrow night and she requested chocolate mousse for dessert. I made it tonight and had a small amount left over and after an hour in the fridge I just had to try it. This is an amazing recipe!!
Thank you for such an awesome recipe!
Julia says
Thank you for this excellent recipe! It was easy and the result is delicious!
Deokie Suraj says
Your recipes are the best! They’re so simple to make, yet so delicious. I’ve tried quite a lot of your recipes, and I’m so impressed by your method. Wonderful job!!
ANTHEA M YOUNG says
PERFECT! Harkens to true French chocolate mousse. My sister and I love every spoonful!
Karen McKendry says
It was so delicious!!!