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Chocolate Mousse
This classic chocolate mousse is light yet intensely chocolate. Don’t be fooled by the French name — it’s quick and easy to make!
Don’t let the French name fool you: chocolate mousse is one of the easiest desserts to make. Seriously, if you have a microwave, a hand mixer, and a rubber spatula, you can make a homemade chocolate mousse to rival any French restaurant’s version. And you can do it in 20 minutes.
This recipe from Tyler Florence is virtually foolproof. I have experimented with adding a hit of coffee or booze to enhance the flavor; both versions are good but the family consensus is that plain chocolate is best. Keep it simple!
For serving the mousse, you can use pretty juice glasses, martini glasses, champagne flutes, small bowls, or espresso cups. Or, if you’re hosting a party and want to give your guests a small taste, you can serve the mousse in Asian-style porcelain soup spoons. Finally, note that chocolate mousse needs to set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving, so plan accordingly.
How To Make Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate mousse has very few ingredients so it’s important to use the best quality chocolate — its flavor will shine through. I like semi-sweet chocolate but if you prefer your mousse with a darker chocolate flavor, use bittersweet. Remember, the higher the cacao percentage, the less sweet the chocolate.
To begin, place the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Break the chocolate into small pieces directly into the bowl (no need to chop it first and dirty a cutting board). Microwave it in 20-second intervals, stirring between each bout of heat, until the chocolate is about 75% melted. Stir, allowing the residual heat in the bowl to melt the chocolate completely. This prevents the chocolate from scorching.
(Alternatively, place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan containing about 1 inch of barely simmering water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.) 
Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition.
Set aside.
In another medium bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form (the peaks should be just starting to hold, and will melt back into themselves after a second).
Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the peaks will stand straight up when the beaters are lifted from the mixture).
Using a large rubber spatula, fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture.
Mix only until uniform, then set aside.
In another bowl, beat the heavy cream until it begins to thicken up. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and the vanilla.
Continue beating until the cream holds medium peaks.
Add the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.
Gently fold the cream into the chocolate mixture, making sure not to mix any more than necessary.
Divide the mousse between 6 individual glasses, cover, and chill until set, at least 2 hours.
Up to a few hours before serving, whip the cream until it begins to thicken. Add the sugar and whip to medium peaks. Dollop the whipped cream over the mousse and top with chocolate shavings.
You May Also Like
- Chocolate Cream Pie
- Double Chocolate Pavlova with Raspberries & Mascarpone Cream
- Raspberry & Cream Parfaits
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake
Note: Like tiramisu or homemade mayonnaise, chocolate mousse is made with raw eggs. If that is a concern, try to find pasteurized eggs. Pasteurized eggs have been briefly exposed to heat to destroy any potential bacteria. Whole Foods usually carries them but call your local store to be sure before making a special trip. (Note: eating raw eggs is not advisable for pregnant women, babies, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system.)
Chocolate Mousse
This classic chocolate mousse is light yet intensely chocolate. Don’t be fooled by the French name — it’s quick and easy to make!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, best quality
- 3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, cold
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Serving
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, cold
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Place the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Break the chocolate into small pieces directly into the bowl. Microwave it in 20-second intervals, stirring between each bout of heat, until the chocolate is about 75% melted. Stir, allowing the residual heat in the bowl to melt the chocolate completely. (Alternatively, place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan containing about 1 inch of barely simmering water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.) Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form (the peaks should be just starting to hold, and will melt back into themselves after a second). Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the peaks will stand straight up when the beaters are lifted from the mixture). Using a large rubber spatula, fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture until uniform. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken up. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and the vanilla and continue beating until the cream holds medium peaks (when you lift the beaters or whisk out of the bowl, the peaks will slightly droop down, but they won't lose their shape entirely). Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Be sure it is fully incorporated but don't mix any more than necessary. Divide the mousse between 6 individual glasses, cover, and chill until set, at least 2 hours.
- Up to a few hours before serving, whip the cream until it begins to thicken up. Add the sugar and whip to medium peaks. Dollop the whipped cream over the mousse and top with chocolate shavings.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: Mousse can be made up to 1 day ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled in the refrigerator. Add whipped cream topping and chocolate shavings up to a few hours before serving.
- Note: Chocolate mousse is made with raw eggs. If that is a concern, try to find pasteurized eggs. Pasteurized eggs have been briefly exposed to heat to destroy any potential bacteria. Whole Foods usually carries them but call your local store to be sure before making a special trip. (Note: eating raw eggs is not advisable for pregnant women, babies, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system.)
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 415
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Sugar: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Cholesterol: 163 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Reviews & Comments
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Oh my, this is fantastic! I made this for our Passover dessert. If you don’t like a rich chocolate dessert, then look elsewhere. But if you want something decadent, then you’ve come to the right spot! This was my first time making mousse, and it was easy enough to do. I don’t consider myself an aficionado when it comes to baking either. Overall, very very delicious and easy to follow directions. A little goes a long way here too, one recipe really will make 6 small servings.
First attempt at Valrhona Chocolate Mousse, because I had leftover whipping cream! I made it with premium quality Valrhona Saltilia Dark 62% Chocolate! Costco’s semisweet chocolate chips just won’t do here.
The more I bake, the more useful substitutions I discover for ingredients. In this case, I didn’t have cream of tartar to stabilize the meringue, so I substituted 2 x lemon juice instead. It worked like a charm. This mousse incorporates whipped cream, meringue, and egg yolks.
The recipe is from @onceuponachef and was highly rated. Unfortunately, I didn’t read the reviews and discovered after the fact that it was frighteningly sweet and did not give proper instructions to temper the egg yolks. Next time, I will add a little of the warm chocolate mixture to the egg yolks to temper before adding the yolks to the warm chocolate.
With these changes, this mousse would have been perfect in richness and texture.
Now that I know how to make it, I’ll never order this at a restaurant again. I typically don’t order things I know how to make.
Just made this as filling for a pie with an oreo crust and it came out great! I followed the recipe exactly and it was easy to make. I tried the same recipe with white chocolate (for the second layer of my mousse pie) and while it tasted good, I didn’t get the same mousse-like consistency (I’m sure it has to do with the chemistry of white chocolate vs. semi-sweet chocolate). I’ll have to wait and see how it all come out together in the oreo pie. If anyone has recommendations for an equally delicious white chocolate mousse, please let me know!
Thanks!
I found this recipe much too robust and rich. I think it probably could’ve done with half the chocolate, and milk chocolate might’ve been a better choice instead of semisweet. I’ve had to mix in a lot of whipped cream just to be able to eat more than half a serving. This might be perfect for some people, but I prefer a lighter, creamier mousse.
I chanced upon this recipe for the first time today and have made it for a friend’s dinner. Can’t wait to see their reaction. From what I licked off the spatula, it tastes divine! Thank you for posting this recipe!
This recipe comes out excellent every time. I use sugar free chocolate chips (hubby is diabetic), and Bocha Sweet to replace the sugar. I always stabilize the whipped cream with some unflavoured gelatin (about 1/2 a packet disolved in 2-3 tbsp of heated water for the 1/2 cup whipped cream – whip the cream until almost where you want it, then gradually pour in the gelatin mixture). This keeps the mousse stable in the fridge for days. I then use the other 1/2 packet of gelatin and mix with heated water to stabilize the whipped cream for topping the mousse (I double the suggested amount to about 1 cup of whipping cream since I love whipped cream). I use the gelatin trick to stabilize whipped cream whenever I make it for anything and it lasts for days without getting runny. I usually add a bit of flavouring into the gelatin also such as vanilla, coffee flavouring oil, etc.
I am planning to put this inside chocolate how long should I let it set before putting it inside the chocolate
Hi Colleen, I’m not clear on what kind of chocolate you want to put it in. Can you clarify? Thanks!
Thank you for posting this recipe. My spouse and daughteers given thumbs up all around and it’s far easier than the one I’ve used for the past 15+ years.
Nice deep dark chocolate flavor, smooth firm consistency that would probably hold up well between two layers of cake. Next time perhaps…
Excellent chocolate mouse recipe. Nice and rich, not too light. Very chocolate forward flavour. the advice to get good chocolate is well taken: You really taste the chocolate . I wound up making four and half servings, using a bit larger glasses and they were almost too big. The richness means that having too large a serving can be overly filling. I do like a big portion, but I’d probably stick to the six servings suggested here. Rave reviews from all eaters.
Hi – I made this tonight for Valentines and my mouse turned out really dense and almost like fudge – I did use the bakers unsweetened 100% squares but followed the directions the rest of the way – thought it would be much lighter and fluffier and easy to eat – recommendations?
Hi Bob, I’m sorry you had a problem with this! I’m trying to figure out why you would’ve gotten that texture. Did your results look like my step by step pictures as you were making it? Did the chocolate melt easily? And did you incorporate some of the whipped cream into the mousse?
The taste is pretty good, but after two attempts and closely watching the chocolate both times I could not get a smooth cohesive mixture. I had to add extra butter to the chocolate mix to get it soft enough to mix in
This recipe sounds wonderful, but why is it okay to eat raw eggs here? There are cautions everywhere about raw cookie dough,etc. I have not seen this issue addressed anywhere.
Thank you.
Hi Deb, There’s a note right above the recipe: If you’re concerned about raw eggs, try to find pasteurized eggs. Pasteurized eggs have been briefly exposed to heat to destroy any potential bacteria. Whole Foods usually carries them but call your local store to be sure before making a special trip. (Note: eating raw eggs is not advisable for pregnant women, babies, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system.) Hope that helps and that you enjoy the mousse if you make it!
You’re actually more likely to get food poisoning from the raw flour in cookie dough than the raw eggs. Many recipes use raw eggs. What’s important about using raw eggs is proper storage of the food. Mayo is raw eggs, that’s why it is dangerous if it gets left out of the fridge for long. Another thing is that salmonella is usually only on the shell of the egg, so wash the egg first and dont crack it on the bowl that you are using. Hope this makes you more comfortable using raw eggs!
Nothing beats this dish if you are looking to satisfy your chocolate craving. Turns out smooth every time I make it and it’s the perfect ending to complement a meal like Jenn’s Coq au Vin. 5 stars all the way!
Whenever I have to make a dessert – I go right back to this recipe. You can make it ahead of time, no fussy baking and it is DELICIOUS. I dare you to find someone who won’t like it. As with all of Jenn’s recipes I found it easy to follow and unfussy. If you want to eat good food – consult any of her recipes and your wish will be granted. I recently doubled this recipe to take for an outdoor birthday dinner adding sprinkles of course!
Highly recommend serving in fun martini glasses or something of the sort if you have them. I’m also thinking about using this mousse with a chocolate cheesecake…YUM!
Hi Jenn,
I made this recipe recently and it turned out grainy. What do you think I did wrong? I followed all of the steps, but I am not sure what I missed.
Hi Leah, Sorry you had a problem with the texture. What type of chocolate did you use? Did you beat the egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks formed?
This was my problem too, just too grainy so I cannot consider it a mousse. I am positive I followed directions exactly, beating egg whites until stiff peaks formed, melting the chocolate correctly, etc. Should I have used powdered sugar instead? Or a chocolate with a higher butter fat? I used Baker’s Premium Baker Bar, 56% cacao semi-sweet chocolate.
I don’t think the brand of chocolate you used would’ve been an issue. While I haven’t experienced it, I did a little research and learned that if the chocolate mixture cools too much before you fold in the egg white mixture, the chocolate can harden and form grains. If the chocolate has been sitting for a while, reheat it slightly before incorporating the egg whites. Hope that helps!
Recipe was good. Grainy- I’d use powdered sugar instead. Also a bit too sweet. I’d cut back on the sugar. Easy to make!
Well… made this. PERFECT, just perfect. I don’t know what else to say. Wonderful texture, fabulous taste, perfect sweetness. I went with Ghiradelli Dark bittersweet chocolate. I added my own little flare to it by making black cherry jam and putting a layer of that on the bottom — a wonderful accent to the rich chocolate taste. I stabilized the whipped cream on top with some cornstarch which worked perfectly. The directions and pictures and narrative are excellent for this recipe. I highly recommend you try this. I will definitely be making this again.
Thank you so much for this great recipe.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. My wife and I made this and it’s chilling in the fridge. We didn’t have Cream of Tartar and skipped this item.
hello! can i add peppermint extract to make wintery, peppermint-chocolate mousse? if so, how much?
thanks!
Sure – I’d just replace the vanilla extract with peppermint extract. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi Jenn
Could I use this mousse as a filling for a chocolate mousse cake? Also, I was wondering if I could heat the egg whites up over a Bain Marie first?
Thanks so much for your time
Jennifer
Yes and yes. 🙂
Please LMK how it turns out!
Mine came out with weird lumps! Neither the cream nor the eggs were overwhipped; what did I do wrong? The lumps were like soft chocolate chunks. I’m so embarrassed to be serving this for New Years Eve but there’s no time to make something else. 🙁
Hi Mary, Sorry you had a problem with this! Two things come to mind — perhaps you didn’t allow the chocolate to fully melt or that you added the eggs to the chocolate too soon causing them to cook a bit and create small chunks of cooked egg.
Good recipe, very rich, but a little too sweet in my opinion. Something this sweet would be best in small doses. If I make this again I would use about half the sugar, darker chocolate, or a combination of the two. Thanks!
The recipe was simple easy to follow and it worked! My first attempt was a bit fluid-mousse because I had added the egg white and sugar at once instead of in quarters, but my second attempt was perfect! Thank you Tyler Florence and Jenn Segal!
An instant hit! A fun change to our usual Christmas dessert. Thanks!
This looks wonderful! Can it simply be doubled to serve extra guests?
Yep 🙂
Great! Thanks for your speedy reply. I am sure my family will be happy to hear the good news! Happy Holidays to you and your family!
This looks delicious! I would like to make this for Christmas dinner – how far ahead can I make it? Would it be ok to make it the night before?
Sure – see the bottom of the recipe for make-ahead instructions. Enjoy!
Hi there Jenn, May I pick your brain? I would like to utilise this recipe as a filling for a chocolate roulade (to make a Yule log); should I add a little gelatine powder (dissolved of course) Into the recipe, to help stabilise the mousse in the roll? Thank you so much, I really appreciate your help! ❤️
Hi Caroline, Without trying it myself, it’s hard to say, so I’d be hesitant to suggest it — sorry!
I always add gelatin to stabilize my whipped cream. I have made this recipe several times with gelatin. What I do, is I use 1/2 packet unflavoured gelatin with about 2-3 tbsp water and melt it in a small saucepan. I usually add a bit of flavouring oil (that goes well with chocolate such as coffee or orange or vanilla) in with the gelatin, but you don’t have to. I then let it sit off the heat while I’m whipping the cream. Once the cream is almost where I want to get it, I start pouring the gelatin mix into it. It comes out beautifully. I do this and the mousse is stable for days (in the fridge of course). For the whipped cream topping, I just use the other 1/2 of the gelatin packet. Same instructions. I always do this for whipped cream and my whipped cream will last for days without losing shape.
I used 85% dark chocolate and decorated the mousses with whipped cream and pitted cherries – delicious! My guests raved about them and not a drop left over – many thanks for the detailed recipe😋
Absolutely delicious! This website never fails to impress me 🙂
Any baking recipe that starts with creaming butter using a microwave… I just can’t trust it. Convince me I’m wrong
This recipe doesn’t call for creaming butter at all. Not sure what you are talking about.
Over the past few months I have made this dessert at least a half a dozen times. It is my family’s absolute favorite and always gets rave reviews at get togethers! I always use ghirardelli dark chocolate for a sinfully rich and decadent flavor. Sometimes we’ll add raspberries on top if we find them fresh. This comes together really easily and my littles love helping to fold everything in. Thank you for another family favorite; we love your recipes!
Too much sugar. I was not able to finish more than a third of it. The next time I would go for half the sugar and bitter chocolate.
Too much for you, maybe. I find it just right.
I was wondering if this could be made into a chocolate silk/mouse pie? Would it be thick enough to hold the shape? Looking for a French Silk Pie recipe and this looks close. I prefer a lighter filling than regular chocolate pie.
Hi Deb, I think the slices would be a bit wobbly, but that it should work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I made it and it turned out. amazing these directions really helped me make this chocolate mousse. thank you.
Made this today for our family’s Yom Kippur break fast dessert. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. Everyone loved it, especially my husband who grew up in a house with delicious homemade chocolate mousse (no pressure!). Can’t wait to make it again. Thanks so much!
Husband accidentally bought bittersweet instead of semisweet chocolate. Can I adjust the recipe or should I just run back out to the store? Thanks
Hi Meryl, Bittersweet chocolate will work here; the mousse will just have a more intense chocolate flavor. Hope you enjoy!
I hate this. I tried this recipe for my daughters birthday. The next day my daughter is sick. Come to find out the mousse has raw eggs so please dont try this.
So sorry you had a problem with this, Ashley! Did you use pasteurized eggs?
How did you “come to find out” a recipe that you made had raw eggs after the fact??
Yum! I had purchased some mousse from Wegmans last week but wanted to make my own. Wow! This was easy to make. I would dare say it’s better than Wegmans. 😉 Pretty darn rich but worth it.
I’ve made this twice already❣️ It’s such a quick, easy and yummy dessert to throw together! (I just omitted the chocolate shavings.)
I don’t have an electric beater/mixer. I’ve always just used an oversized serving fork to beat my mixes. Will that make a huge difference in this mousse creation?
Hi Hiba, I think it would be really difficult to achieve the right texture for the egg whites with a fork. if you have a whisk, that would work.
Hello
I tried the chocolate mousse recipe and it was delicious! Do you know if the same recipe can be substituted for white chocolate instead of regular? I plan to use a good quality white chocolate like Ghirardelli!
Glad you liked it! For the most predictable results for white chocolate mousse, I’d look for a recipe intended specifically for that.
This mousse was easy enough to make, but the taste was far too sweet for my liking. I was unable to finish a small portion and was hit with a strong taste from the vanilla and too much sugar. Perhaps consider reducing the sugar if you do not want a mousse quite as sweet.
Yes , my family said the same thing, I was going to try half dark chocolate and half semisweet but I am worried it might be too chocolatey.
made this this morning for my husband with dark chocolate. Beautiful recipes…very easy…I had never melted the butter and chocolate in the microwave, what a great discovery…recipe worked perfectly…love it thank you from New Zealand
It was amazing!! Everyone loved it!!
This is just what I’ve been looking for. Most chocolate mousse recipes are unnecessarily complicated or the ones labeled simple are just straight up whipped cream with chocolate stirred in. This will definitely be my go-to.
To the author of this article,
You have a nice camera. When attempting to make this recipe I enjoyed viewing the photos. However your instructions utterly failed to mention the amounts of ingredients used to create this dish. As a layman, and not a frequent peruse-er of this site, I found the location of the actual recipe, below the ads and suggested other pages, infuriating. Furthermore I am frustrated by you embracing the trend of many recipe websites where the majority of the page is taken up by anecdotes, flowery language, or overly stylized images rather than useful instructions. The recipe tab at the bottom of the page is concise and contains all of the pertinent information. I would suggest putting this at the top of the page, or at the very least repositioning your advertisements to below the instructions.
Best,
A reader
Hi Barry, thanks for your note and your honest feedback. I’m sorry that you were frustrated by the placement of the recipe. For future reference, if you’re looking at the very top of the page right under the recipe titled there is an orange box that says “Jump to Recipe.” If you click on that, it will take you directly to the full recipe. Hope that clarifies!
hi! i wanted to try & make this. Just curious as your recipe/ ingredient list states heavy cream but you picture is showing Heavy Whipping Cream. Is there a difference in using the different type of cream/
Hi Vena, Sorry for any confusion! Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are slightly different but totally interchangeable here. Hope you enjoy!
Excellent recipe! Fast, easy, delicious, and a real show-stopper dessert. Thanks!
This mousse recipe came out denser than what I would’ve liked.
I also used chocolate with 50% cocoa and this mousse was wayyyyy too sweet. I would recommend adding half the sugar.
Very good recipe. It is a little sweet so i added brownie chunks and raspberries. This added a nice texture and balance. I recommend that if you make this to add other textures and less sweet add ins like fruit, nuts, cookie or brownie chunks. I will make this recipe again.
Hi,
I’ve never made mousse before and I was wondering if your recipe could be used as a cake filling? It seems like a good recipe and I would love to use it it in a layered chocolate raspberry cake.
Thanks.
Hi Destiny, I think it should work. Hope you enjoy!
Is it okay if I leave out cream of tartar?(I don’t have any at home.)
You can just replace the cream of tartar with an equal amount of white vinegar or lemon juice. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks Jenn – saved me buying something I won’t use anywhere else.