The Best Easy Chocolate Mousse

Why we love this recipe

This is one of what I lovingly think of as one of my secret weapon recipes. Those are recipes that I know will always, ALWAYS come out right, that are super easy…and are all kinds of festive.

Recipes like the Rosemary Orange Mixed Nuts I always make for the holidays, and the Heath Bar Birthday Cake that I know will never let me down.

And don’t even get me started on how many times my Creamy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese has saved me when there is a larger than expected crowd for dinner. Multigenerational house fun!

This easy chocolate mousse recipe is up there with the best of them.

It’s a light, creamy confection full of chocolate flavor that you can whip up in a jiffy…leave yourself enough time to chill them up in the fridge, and it will be one of the easiest and most elegant desserts in your repertoire.

AND, it takes only four ingredients to create the luxurious chocolate texture you want from a restaurant quality chocolate mousse.

What is the difference between chocolate pudding and chocolate mousse?

Chocolate pudding is usually made with whole eggs, and cooked so that it has a deeper, thicker consistency (and if you are on the lookout for special occasion chocolate pudding recipes, this slow cooker chocolate pudding cake cooks up all by itself in, yep, your trusty slow cooker).

Chocolate mousse tends to leave out the egg yolks and be made with egg whites only, and has a lighter, fluffier consistency. Not to mention the fact that chocolate mousse sounds ALL kinds of elegant.

Ingredients you need

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Chocolate Chips: Any size will do, but we find that the mini size is the best as they melt down super quickly.  You want good high-quality chocolate chips (we love Ghirardelli).  You can use semi-sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate…pick your favorite!

Sugar: Even with the chocolate chips, you are going to need a little extra sweetener.

Whole Milk: You need the extra richness of whole milk for this recipe, so don’t use the lower fat kinds please. Your mousse will thank you.

Egg Whites: You want egg whites only so your mousse is as light and airy as possible.

Whipped Cream (for garnish, optional)

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.

How to make this recipe

STEP 1: Put some chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet – you pick!) and a little sugar in your trusty blender. (No blender? An electric hand mixer also works great for this recipe!)

Pour some whole milk into a medium saucepan and heat it to a simmer over medium-heat and then pour that into the blender too.

STEP 2: Let it sit for a couple of minutes (this is to allow the chocolate to get soft) and then blend it on high speed for one minute.

Add in three egg whites and blend on high speed for another minute.  You want some soft peaks to be forming.

STEP 3: Pour the chocolate mixture into four dessert glasses or bowls (use a spatula to get our every melted chocolate drop!) and pop them in the fridge for 5 hours or more so that they can firm up.

Garnish with your favorite topping (or no garnish is delicious too!) and serve them up!

Personally, I will take all the garnishes that come my way. Next time I make this there will absolutely be a maraschino cherry involved.

Recipe FAQs

So whether you are looking for a dependable holiday dessert that will free you up from the kitchen, or just to luxuriate in some chocolate deliciousness on a regular weeknight, give this recipe a whirl!