This vegan chocolate mousse uses four main ingredient for a rich indulgent but healthy sweet treat everyone will love! Fully customizable with add-ins and toppings.
This vegan mousse is sweetened with dates and filled with whole food fats making it a healthy dessert you will keep coming back to!
This post was sponsored by NOW Foods but the content and opinions expressed are fully my own.
If you loved my date sweetened vegan fudge, you will also love this vegan chocolate mousse! It's the perfect amount of sweet and richness to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Ingredients
This mousse recipe is made vegan and added sugar free with these main ingredients:
- Cashews
- Coconut milk
- Dates
- Cacao powder
You can also add in layers or drizzle on toppings. Here are my favorites:
The quality of the cashews really matters when you're making cashew based recipes. Especially when you use raw cashews. One of my favorite brands is NOW Foods!
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Mousse
This dessert is so easy to make! Here is what you need to do:
- Make sure your cashews are softened, especially if you aren't using a high speed blender.
- Remove the top layer of coconut milk from the can.
- Blend it all together.
- Layer with add-ins and toppings of choice.
- Serve!
Tips and tricks
Here are some ideas to make sure this vegan chocolate mousse turns out just right, and some things to help if you want to prep ahead:
- If you don’t have a high speed blender, soak the cashews overnight to soften them. You can also boil them for 20-25 minutes if you forget. Another method is using a coffee or spice grinder to grind them dry (not soaking) into a very fine powder.
- You can use another type of date, but taste for sweetness level and adjust amount since different dates have different tastes.
- Soak your cashews overnight.
- Prep any add-ins or toppings you want to use.
How to make kid friendly
Here are a few things I do to make this baby and/or kid friendly:
- Omit the brownies and simple add fresh strawberries for a wholesome healthy treat filled with fruit and healthy fats.
- For a baby, puree the strawberries and mix in a bit of the coconut cream for a dose of healthy fats.
Try these other amazing vegan dessert recipes:
Vegan Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews , see note
- 1 can full fat coconut milk , placed in refrigerator overnight or freezer for 2-3 hours
- 10 pitted medjool dates
- ½ cup cacao powder
Optional add-ins and toppings:
- fresh strawberries , I used 1 cup to layer in between
- Brownies , leave out to keep raw
- Chocolate syrup
- Caramel sauce
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Take the can of coconut milk out of the refrigerator/freezer and open it. Using a spoon, remove the harder white thick layer from the top and put into a blender, reserving the clear coconut water for a later use if you want. It makes a great addition to smoothies!
- Add in the cashews, dates and cacao powder and blend until smooth.
Layer in an 8 ounce mason jar or bowl
- If using any add-ins, put some at the bottom of the jar, about ¼ cup.
- Add ¼ of the mousse mixture in each cup.
- Add more add-ins, about ¼ cup.
- Repeat until full.
- Top with any other add-ins or toppings.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have a high speed blender, soak the cashews overnight to soften them. You can also boil them for 20-25 minutes if you forget. Another method is using a coffee or spice grinder to grind them dry (not soaking) into a very fine powder.
- You can use another type of date, but taste for sweetness level and adjust amount since different dates have different tastes.
- Nutrition facts are for the base recipe only.
- Make add-ins and toppings if using. Soak cashews.
- Great sweet treat for littles! For a baby you can even puree the strawberries and mix in a bit of the coconut cream for a dose of healthy fats.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Emily Kemp
Totally drooling, brownies crumbs with strawberry AND mousse....omg best dessert ever!
Anna
Oh...not sure why it attached link to my muffins!!! :/ didn't mean to do that! 🙂
Anna
Like chocolate and strawberries aren't enough to put you in a good mood, there are brownie crumbles too!!! Heaven!!! Yummo all the way, xxx
veggiesdontbite
Awe, thank you!! It's so good!!! And it's supposed to attach a link, it's a plugin called comment love which allows other bloggers to attach their latest post to help my awesome blogger friends spread the word about their great recipes too!!
Marie
This dessert looks soooo delicious. I have an intolerance to cashews. Can you suggest what I can substitute cashews with?
Marie
veggiesdontbite
Hi Marie! Thank you so much!! I'm so sorry you have an intolerance to cashews! Unfortunately you won't get the same exact consistency or flavor as cashews are such a soft and creamy nut. My only suggestion is perhaps for this dessert try macadamia nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts? If you try this let me know how it goes! You could also make this a tofu based mousse, or even avocado based. Here's a link to an chocolate avocado pudding on my blog that you could use in place of the chocolate here but do everything else the same: https://www.veggiesdontbite.com/salted-caramel-chocolate-espresso-protein-pudding/
Mandy
I love that your brain goes right to chocolate...as it should! Haha!!! I live for this season because of all the wonderful, fresh berries....especially strawberries! This mousse looks insanely good and decadent. YUM! <3
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Mandy! Obviously, chocolate. Always. LOL!!
The Vegan 8
This looks like a date-lovers chocolate dream and to top it all off with beautiful strawberries is just too pretty! Olivia would go to town on something like this! She LOVES strawberries! Cashews are the freaking best thing in life too! Great use of them here woman!
veggiesdontbite
It's such a great snack for kids because it's full of healthy fats and healthy sweeteners but tastes like a dessert! My kids devour it. Thanks lady!!
Shubha
Chocolate and strawberries are like match made in heaven:) this mousse looks so gorgeous ..just perfect:)
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Shubha! Such a great pair!
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
This looks like one of the healthiest chocolate desserts in the world. Chocolate and strawberries are a match made in heaven.
veggiesdontbite
I strive to make healthy desserts that don't taste healthy! Ha! As much as I love my healthy food I also love good rich desserts so when I can bring both to the table, I am one happy girl! Thank you Bintu!
safira
Looks delicious and vegan too? Wow. Love strawberries and cashews!
veggiesdontbite
Yes! It's both delicious and has no dairy! Thank you!
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook
When I have anything rich and chocolatey I always want some fresh strawberries to balance it out. Absolutely beautiful!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Lauren! Rich and chocolate is amazing isn't it? Well, maybe not for bikini season, but oh well. LOL!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
I don't often do the chocolate + fruit combination, but this looks so amazing I would definitely give it a try! I'm so intrigued by that vegan chocolate mousse.
veggiesdontbite
You know that I don't usually love the chocolate and fruit combo with many fruits either, especially not citrus. But with strawberries, it's just SO good!! And definitely try the mousse. It's thicker than the traditional because I needed to thicken it so it could uphold the strawberries and the brownie crumbles, but it is so delicious! Especially for something so healthy.
Annie @ Annie's Noms
This looks absolutely wonderful! I can't get enough strawberries right now so I just know I would love this!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Annie!! I can't get enough either!! Love them!!
Jenn
Chocolate and strawberries were meant to go together. That mouse looks insane! Super thick and rich. Love it!
veggiesdontbite
Yep. They sure are! This was just a craving that made it's way into an actual recipe! Thanks Jenn!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Chocolate and strawberry is just so classic and so so good! Your PSA should have been "these are all for Rebecca so go away!" Bahahaha!
Delishioso! xo
veggiesdontbite
Hahahaha!! I may or may not have hid when I ate the last one...my kids are little hawks with food, they would have devoured it all!