Mocha Mousse is the perfect dairy free dessert. This coconut milk mousse is naturally sweetened with maple and has just a touch of coffee.

My chocolate mocha mousse has a deep chocolatey flavor with just a hint of coffee for some complexity. Rich and creamy, it's made without a drop of dairy. It's gluten free, Paleo and even vegan (if you use dairy free chocolate), so perfect to serve to those with mixed diets.

In other words, it's pretty much the ideal dessert.

The best part? Mocha mousse requires only 5 ingredients and just a few minutes of hands-on time. Make it your own with toppings or just eat as-is and let that mocha goodness shine.

I hope you love it!

How is mocha mousse nutritionally speaking?

I wouldn't go so far as to say mocha mouse is the next big superfood, but for a dessert, it does have some redeeming nutritional qualities!

• Coconut Milk: Made of the white flesh of coconuts mixed with water, coconut milk is high in manganese, copper, iron, magnesium and selenium. It's also a good source of potassium, vitamin C and folate. Some studies have shown that coconut helps to reduce inflammation, fight bacteria and viruses and fight stomach ulcers.
• Pure Maple Syrup: 1/3 cup of pure maple syrup contains 165% of the recommended dietary intake for manganese and 28% for zinc. It also has a lower glycemic index than table sugar, reducing blood sugar spikes.
• Dark Chocolate: Full of antioxidants, dark chocolate is good for your heart and may even help lower blood pressure.
• Coffee: If you're a coffee lover, you'll be pleased to hear that many studies show coffee to be quite healthy. It has been linked to a lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes and a possible decreased risk of stroke, certain heart problems and liver cancer. Coffee's antioxidants, magnesium and chromium may be the source of these benefits.

What if I don't like coffee?

First of all, I have to say that I am a tea drinker through and through and I love this mousse. You can taste the coffee, but it's definitely more of a chocolate mousse than a coffee mousse.

Still, if you absolutely hate coffee, leave it out! You'll of course need to add an alternate liquid, but feel free to experiment. Try using a dairy free milk, such as almond milk, in place of the coffee.

OR, if you're feeling adventurous, use 6 oz of chai tea or peppermint tea in place of the coffee.

I've only tried the recipe as written, so try at your own risk, but don't feel constrained by the coffee if it's not your favorite!

I also have a wonderful pumpkin mousse and cherry mousse, both dairy free as well.

Is this a kid-friendly dessert?

Yes and no. Taste-wise, many kids would love it. Especially if you serve in a fancy glass with some toppings.

However, if you're worried about the caffeine from the coffee, just use decaf!

If you do go the decaf route, I recommend trying to find Swiss water processed decaf coffee. A lot of decaf coffee is made by using chemicals to remove the caffeine. In contrast, the Swiss water process removes caffeine using only water and a charcoal filter – no added chemicals! You can find Swiss water processed coffee here and here.

Remember, even decaf coffee has a bit of caffeine…but then again, so does chocolate!

What are some tips for success with coconut milk mousse?

Coconut milk mousse is an excellent alternative to heavy cream-based mousse. The process is, however, a little bit different. To make sure you have rich and creamy results every time, check out these tips for success!

Refrigerate the coconut milk

For this recipe, you only want the solid cream at the top of the can, not the liquid. Sometimes the cream is already separated when you open a can of coconut milk, but sometimes it's not.

To ensure easy removal of the hardened cream, refrigerate your can of full fat coconut milk overnight. This will make it a lot easier to scoop the cream off when you open the can. Check out this post on coconut whipped cream for a list of my favorite brands of coconut milk for creamy dairy free desserts!

Pro tip – Save the unused liquid for smoothies!

Don't burn the chocolate

How you melt your chocolate for this recipe is important. Nothing ruins chocolate quite like burning it. The first key to success here is either sticking with chocolate chips or, if you're using a larger piece of chocolate, chopping it into relatively uniform pieces first. This will help the chocolate heat evenly.

Secondly, either heat the chocolate in a double boiler or heat slowly in the microwave.

If you don't have a double boiler but wish to heat on the stove top, bring a pot of water to a simmer. Place a heat proof bowl on top of the pot. The bowl should be just big enough to rest on the edges of the pot without falling in the water (watch a how-to video here!) Turn the heat to low and stir the chocolate until smooth and melted.

If you choose to use the microwave, heat chocolate for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each time. I know this might seem excessive, but it really is key for melting the chocolate without burning.

Buy Full Fat

Make sure you have canned, full fat coconut milk for this recipe. The kind in a carton or light coconut milk won't work because there isn't enough fat to separate the cream from the liquid.

How can I mix up the mocha mousse recipe?

The best way to make this one your own is by adding toppings.

Cacao nibs, fresh raspberries, slivered almonds – any of these would be totally delicious!

You can also add a dash of spice. Try cardamom or cinnamon, both of which pair beautifully with coffee.

Is this meal prep friendly?

Yes!

Chocolate mocha mousse is the perfect meal prep friendly dessert because it needs to thoroughly chill before eating. Feel free to make it a few days before serving.

What are some other dairy free dessert recipes?

I'm a big believer that you should be able to eat in a way that makes you feel great, without feeling deprived.

For many of you, I know that means going largely dairy-free. Whether it's due to an allergy, lactose intolerance or just a dietary preference, dairy simply doesn't work for everyone. Most of the desserts in this healthy dessert recipe roundup are dairy free (assuming you use dairy free chocolate). I've also included a few of my favorites below!

Paleo Brownies w/ Raspberry Sauce

Banana “Nice” Cream

Cranberry Walnut Dark Chocolate Drops

Blackberry Sherbet (This one calls for any milk of your choice, dairy free works perfectly here!)

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