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Three ramekins of Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse on a glass cake stand with spoons and 1 in front.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse (No Coconut Oil)

By Tammy Spencer
This rich chocolate mousse has a secret ingredient making it dairy-free (hint: it's not coconut oil!). Dark and smooth, you won’t miss the milk (or milk substitute). Naturally flourless and perfect for Passover or an elegant dinner if you want a pareve (non-dairy) dessert, it’s a simple recipe with impressive, restaurant-worthy results.
4.98 from 34 votes
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Cooling Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 32 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 270kcal

Special Equipment

Ingredients

For the mousse

  • ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) white vinegar, or lemon juice
  • 4 (200 grams) large eggs, separated, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
  • 6 ounces (170 grams) dark chocolate wafers, chopped solid chocolate, or chocolate chips (1 cup), see Recipe Notes
  • ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of boiling water, cooled
  • ¼ cup (54 grams) extra virgin olive oil, see Recipe Notes
  • 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract, see Recipe Notes
  • pinch (Pinch) kosher salt
  • ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, divided

For the garnish

  • cocoa nibs, (optional)
  • sea salt flakes, (optional)

Instructions

  • Wipe out the bowl of a stand mixer with ¼ teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice (to remove all traces of fat in the bowl).
  • Break 4 large eggs into a small bowl, remove the yolk into a medium bowl, and pour the whites into the stand mixer bowl. You can use an egg separator to help. No yolk can be in with the egg whites because the fat will keep the whites from whipping into a meringue. If an egg breaks, don’t use it, just get a new egg.
  • Place 6 ounces dark chocolate wafers, chopped solid chocolate, or chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt in a microwave on high, stirring after each 30-second increment, until smooth. Let it cool slightly. Meanwhile, dissolve ½ teaspoon espresso powder in 1 tablespoon of boiling water and allow to cool slightly.
  • Stir ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, rehydrated espresso, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, and pinch kosher salt into the melted chocolate until combined. Set aside.
  • Place the egg yolks and ¼ cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until the mixture is pale yellow. Add the yolk mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir until smooth.
  • Beat the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or with a hand mixer) until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and beat just until stiff peaks form.
  • Add a generous spoonful of the egg white mixture to the chocolate mixture. Stir gently until completely incorporated. Transfer the chocolate mixture into the bowl of egg whites. Gently fold with a large spoon or rubber spatula until completely combined.
  • You can store it in a single bowl to portion out later or divide the mousse into 6-ounce ramekins and cover with plastic wrap. Wipe up any drips, cover with plastic wrap, and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • To serve, garnish with a light sprinkling of cocoa nibs and/or sea salt flakes. Serve and enjoy!
  • Storage instructions: The mousse can be stored in the refrigerator in a container with a tight fitting lid for 1 week, and in the freezer for up to 1 month.
  • Make-ahead instructions: This recipe can be made up to three days ahead.
  • This chocolate mousse is very rich, and a little goes a long way. Depending on your portion sizes, you can get 6 to 8 generous servings from the recipe as written. The recipe can also be easily doubled.

Recipe Notes

This mousse contains raw eggs. If you're concerned about the risks of eating raw eggs, you can use pasteurized eggs without affecting the results.
Use pure chocolate - the higher quality chocolate you purchase, the better your mousse will taste. The best type of chocolate to use are chocolate wafers or a bar of chocolate, but you can also use chocolate chips. Using dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao) will result in a richer chocolate flavor, but you can use semisweet if you want to back off on the intensity.
Same is true for the olive oil. Use the best olive oil you have, one whose flavor you enjoy. It's time to break out the good stuff here, people.
Flavor variations: If you want to play with the flavor, here are a few ideas to add along with the vanilla:
  • Chocolate-Orange: 1 teaspoon of orange zest or ¼ teaspoon of Fiori di Sicilia (an orange-vanilla extract)
  • Chocolate Mocha: Increase the  espresso powder to 1 tablespoon
  • Mexican Chocolate: 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne (or to taste)
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 127IU | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 3mg