Recipe for Chocolate Avocado Mousse with Variations

A serving of mousse can have a day’s worth of artery-clogging saturated fat and added sugars, but everyone deserves a creamy, satisfying dessert sometimes. That’s why there’s chocolate avocado mousse. 

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The basic recipe has only 8 grams of added sugars per serving, or about one-third of what you might expect from regular mousse. Instead of getting saturated fat from butter and whipping cream, this mousse only gets fat from heart-healthy avocados. Baking cocoa, or unsweetened cocoa powder, contributes rich chocolate flavor.

Variations on Chocolate Avocado Mousse

1. Rocky Road - stir in 2 ounces of sliced almonds and serve with a few mini marshmallows
2. Mint Delight - add a couple of drops of peppermint extract, and serve with fresh mint leaves as a garnish
3. Triple Coconut - blend in ¼ cup of grated coconut, use coconut milk instead of almond or skim milk, and serve with 1 tablespoon of grated coconut per serving
4. Orange Cream - add 1 tablespoon of orange zest, use orange juice instead of milk, and serve with orange wedges and (optional) a tablespoon of whipped topping
5. Chocolate Cinnamon - blend in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
6. Mocha Cream - use coffee instead milk, and serve with a sprinkle of ground coffee and 1 tablespoon of whipped topping
7. Chocolate Berry - blend in ½ cup of frozen or fresh berries and garnish with berries for serving
8. Tropical Escape - Blend in frozen pineapple or mango chunks, and serve with pieces of pineapple or mango

Recipe for Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados, mashed
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼  cup almond milk or skim milk
• ¼ cup of sugar or honey
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Add the avocados, cocoa powder, milk, sugar or honey, and vanilla extract to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
2. Transfer the mousse to serving dishes and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill and set.

Nutrition information per serving: calories: 150 kcal; total fat: 11 g; total carbohydrates: 12 g; sugar: 9 g; fiber: 5 g; protein: 2 g; sodium: 10 mg; cholesterol: 0 mg

Reviewed by Natalie Stein, MS, MPH, CDCES