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No Fuss Whipped Dark Chocolate Mousse. Made with just five ingredients—semi-sweet or dark chocolate, heavy cream, eggs, vanilla, and sea salt. Simple, indulgent, and wonderfully forgiving, thanks to a little whipped cream stirred into the chocolate just before serving. The result is an airy, cloud-like mousse that’s rich in chocolate flavor yet light as can be!Perfect when you’re craving a no-bake, chilled chocolate dessert.
My mom is very specific when it comes to food. She’s not an adventurous eater, and when it comes to dessert, she’s even more particular. Chocolate. Always chocolate.
Growing up, she’d have cookies, Special K bars, and chocolate cake baked before dinner was even planned. Homemade dessert was served most nights of the week, usually warm from the oven. She was known as the ultimate chocoholic. And her favorite kind of chocolate?
A light, whipped, not-too-sweet chocolate mousse. Ideally tucked inside a homemade crepe. It’s still her favorite.
She’d often make mousse from a box, and honestly, I can’t deny it was always good. Light, airy, and incredibly easy.
Over the years, I’ve wanted to create a chocolate mousse with that same light, whipped texture, but one that felt homemade and approachable for everyday bakers.
A few months ago, I finally landed on the right combination: egg yolks, whipped egg whites, and lots of whipped cream. And I mean lots of whipped cream.
Because of all that cream, this mousse turns out lighter, airier, and more forgiving than most traditional recipes, while still delivering that rich chocolate flavor you expect from a classic mousse.
It’s become one of my mom’s favorite desserts, and that’s saying something. She never turns down a bowl when I make it!
These are the Details
Ingredients
- semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- heavy cream
- large egg yolks
- vanilla extract
- sea salt
- egg whites
- flaky sea salt and chocolate shavings – these are extra, for serving
Kitchen Tools
For this mousse, you’ll need a heatproof glass bowl or glass measuring cup for melting the chocolate, an electric mixer to whip the egg whites and create that light, airy texture, plus a few mixing bowls, a whisk, and a rubber spatula. I like to melt the chocolate in the microwave, but a double boiler works just as well. Once the mousse is ready, spoon it into your favorite dessert glasses or bowls and finish with chocolate shavings made using a fine grater or vegetable peeler.
The Steps
Step 1: Melt the Chocolate
Combine the chopped chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream in a heatproof glass bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted, smooth, and glossy. You can also use a double boiler if you prefer.
Tip: Stir well between each interval. Chocolate often holds its shape even after it’s melted, so stirring helps prevent overheating.
I almost always use the microwave for this step. It’s quick, easy, and means one less dish to wash.
Step 2: Make the Chocolate Base
Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla and a pinch of sea salt.
Tip: Add the yolks one at a time so they blend smoothly into the warm chocolate.
Step 3: Whip the Egg Whites
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a spoonful of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whites until no streaks remain.
Tip: Don’t overthink the folding. Gentle is best, but this recipe is much more forgiving than a traditional mousse.
My mom always loved those light and airy boxed chocolate mousses. This step is what gives this homemade version that same fluffy texture.
Step 4: Chill the Mousse
Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the mousse is fully set, about 2 hours.
Tip: Make sure the mousse is fully chilled before moving on to the next step. This helps create the lightest texture later on.
This is usually when I forget about the mousse in the fridge and spend the rest of the afternoon looking forward to dessert.
Step 5: Whip the Mousse
Once chilled, add 1 cup of the heavy cream and whip until soft and fluffy. Continue adding more cream until you’ve reached your desired consistency. I usually use the full amount because I love how light and cloud-like it becomes.
Tip: Start with a smaller amount of cream, then add more as needed. You can make the mousse as rich or as airy as you’d like.
This is the step that makes the recipe so special. The extra whipped cream creates the lightest, fluffiest mousse. It’s the reason my mom loves this recipe so much.
Step 6: Spoon into Glasses and Serve
Spoon the mousse into serving glasses or bowls. Serve immediately, or keep chilled until ready to serve. Finish with chocolate shavings and flaky sea salt.
My mom never skips the chocolate shavings on top. They’re simple, but they make the mousse feel a little extra special.
No Fuss Whipped Dark Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
- 8 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 egg whites
- 1–2 cups heavy cream
- chocolate shaving and flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. In a glass bowl, combine the chocolate and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Melt in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, or set over a pot of simmering water. Stir until smooth.2. Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla and salt.3. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add a spoonful of the whipped egg whites to the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.4. Cover and chill the mousse until fully set, about 2 hours.5. Once chilled, add 1/2 cup heavy cream to the mousse and whip until soft and fluffy. Gradually add more cream, whipping until incorporated, and your desired consistency is reached. I typically use 2 cups total for an extra light, airy texture.6. Spoon into serving glasses. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Finish with chocolate shavings and flaky sea salt.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This recipe sounds so good I can’t wait to try it!!!
Thanks so much, Terry! I hope you love this recipe!
Just made this as a late night dessert for the family and deeelicious! Although it has the dark chocolate and it a nice balance and not too rich at all. Thank you for the recipe!
Hey Kristen,
Love to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and taking the time to comment! Enjoy your day!
I really would not call this a mousse, it is basically pudding. The texture is not airy like a mousse is typically. The taste was good, but just know this will not be a mousse. If you whipped the heavy cream before adding it in step 5 I think you would get a mousse texture.
Hi Joey,
Thanks for trying this mousse and sharing your feedback. Very sorry to hear it was not the texture you were looking for!
I loved that this was light and not overly sweet, but just sweet enough. The texture was heavenly.
Hey Debbie,
Happy Monday! I’m grateful you tried this recipe and took the time to comment. Delighted it turned out!
At the end, do I whip the cream before adding to the chilled chocolate, or add the cream and then whip them together?
Hi Maggie,
You do not need to whip the cream first, you will just add the cream to the chocolate and then whip. I hope you love this recipe!
This was more like pudding. I definitely wouldn’t call it light and airy. I looked up a few other recipes after making this and it seems like whipping it after it sets is one of the issues. Definitely needed some sugar! Oh well.
Hi Paula,
I appreciate you giving this mousse a try, very sorry to hear you did not enjoy the texture.
Hope you are having a great weekend!
I made this for a Father’s Day and everyone loved it! Super rich and fluffy!
Hey Bailey,
Happy Sunday! Thanks for the thoughtful feedback after trying this recipe—happy to hear it was a win!
I’m really confused by this recipe. Why am I mixing in whipped cream after I let it set? Wouldn’t that ruin the “set” and the texture?
Hi Heather,
I like to add the whipped cream to achieve a light fluffy texture. Please let me know if you give this mousse a try!
I’ve made mousse before and was a little skeptical of this recipe as the technique was much different than I’m used to. This came out more like a pudding than a mousse, and definitely could have used some sugar. I also would not recommend using the microwave to melt the chocolate, I at least knew better than to do this because it’s way too easy to burn chocolate in the microwave.
Hi Liz,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, very sorry to hear it was not enjoyed.
Have a great weekend!
I use a crock pot slow cooker to melt chocolate in another ceramic container almost submerged in simmering water works GREAT, never burns, melts rather quickly
Such a great idea, thanks for sharing, Pam!
Looks so good I got to try it
Thanks so much, Cathy! I hope you love this recipe!
This looks delicious but there’s no sugar in the recipe?
Also don’t the egg yoks need to be cooked to a certain temp? In my experience cooking egg yolks with zero sugar means they begin to curdle at a much lower temperature (around 145°F). When you add sugar the scrambling threshold rises.
Looks delicious but the cooking instructions are questionable to me.
Hey Emily,
The heat from the chocolate should cook the egg yolks sufficiently for this recipe. If you’d prefer to cook them further, you can gently heat the yolks over a double boiler before mixing them into the chocolate.
Does that help? Let me know if you have any additional questions!
Can you use half and half instead of the heavy cream to cut down on the fat and calories?
Thanks.
Lilly
Hey Lilly,
So sorry, I have never tested this recipe with half and half, I think it would be okay if you wanted to give it a try.
For best results, I would do heavy cream:) I hope you love this recipe!
No sugar? I feel like even semi-sweet chocolate needs a little sugar, right? Or maybe that is just my sweet-tooth speaking 😉
Hey Erin,
Correct, I didn’t use any added sugar, but you can use any chocolate that you love! Let me know if you give this recipe a try.
Happy Friday!