This healthy vegan peanut butter mousse is ULTRA light, fluffy, and so simple to make! It is made with aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas, which makes making mousse without eggs a breeze! It’s also way easier to work with! This healthy mousse is vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free!
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What is aquafaba?
Aquafaba is essentially chickpea water – the liquid that you would drain from a can of chickpeas. It makes an amazing vegan alternative to egg whites and can be whipped into stiff peaks just like them! Rather than draining the liquid and tossing it out, this is going to be used as the base of our mousse!
Aquafaba is the perfect answer to egg-free and vegan baking swaps! This is a great article diving into all things aquafaba and ways to use it! More of a chocolate person? Try my chocolate aquafaba mousse!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Mousse without eggs is actually so easy to make!
- Aquafaba mousse is a great vegan, healthy dessert option!
- It’s made with nourishing, healthy ingredients.
- Peanut butter mousse is vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free.
- You can’t over-whip aquafaba, making it super easy to work with.
- The variations are endless!
Is aquafaba mousse healthy?
This peanut butter mousse without eggs is made with just 5 nourishing ingredients:
- Aquafaba
- Peanut butter: You can also use almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter for a nut-free option.
- Chocolate: You can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate. I love using Hu Kitchen for a refined sugar-free option. (You can use my code “danishealthyeats” for a discount).
- Sweetener: I like to use monk fruit powdered sugar as it doesn’t deflate the aquafaba as much as some others can, but you can also use another granulated sweetener like coconut sugar, caster sugar, etc.
- Coconut milk/cream: You will use the cream from a can of full-fat coconut cream or a can of coconut cream. You can also sub greek yogurt or coconut yogurt but it needs to be THICK like cream.
- Vanilla and sea salt: These are optional but add extra flavor to the mousse!
- Cream of tartar and/or lemon juice: This helps stabalize the aquafaba and prevents foaming. It also speeds up the whipping process a TON. You can use just the lemon juice but I highly recommend using both as this is what I use for best results!
How To Make Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse Without Eggs
Stand mixer method:
Make sure the bowl of your stand mixer has NO oil or water in it. Add the aquafaba to the bowl and place it on the stand mixer. Attach the whisk attachment. Let it whip the liquid for a few minutes until it forms stiff peaks. You cannot over-whip aquafaba, so the longer the better! Once stiff, add a little aquafaba to the peanut butter bowl, folding it in very carefully. You want to try and preserve as much of the fluffiness as possible! Keep adding the aquafaba in a little at a time, until it’s all mixed in. Then add to your jars, cover, and refrigerate.
Hand mixer method:
Complete the same steps as above, except use an electric hand mixer! Once your aquafaba forms stiff peaks, which can take 10 or so minutes using the hand mixer, add a little of the peanut butter mixture at a time, using a spatula to GENTLY fold it in (Be patient here & don’t whip it in as it’ll loose it’s fluffiness!). After all the peanut butter mixture is folded in, add the mousse to your jars and place in the fridge to firm up.
What jars or containers work best?
There are so many options! I love using small mason jars as they make storing extra mousse so simple and they’re already in individual portions which is nice.
Tips For Making The Best Chocolate Mousse Without Eggs
- Use quality chocolate! There is no cream or anything added to this mousse to give it flavor, so using quality chocolate is key! Quality chocolate may be a little bit cheaper but it is WORTH IT.
- Be sure to allow the melted chocolate to cool prior to adding it to the whipped aquafaba. Adding it while it’s too hot will create a grainy mousse.
- Use the double boiler method to melt the chocolate. You don’t want the chocolate to get too hot as it’ll burn it.
- Make sure the bowl you add the aquafaba to has NO oil. Even a tiny drop of oil will cause the aquafaba to not whip.
- Be patient! It takes awhile for the aquafaba to whip into stiff peaks. Use a stand mixer if possible, as this makes it the easiest and will save you time! However, you can use a hand mixer, it will just take a little longer (still easy though!)
- What if my peanut butter mixture siezes? It’s okay! Just keep whisking it vigorously!
- How to make the fluffiest mousse: You want to CAREFULLY, gently fold the aqauafaba into the peanut butter mixture a little at a time. Be patient. This will help preserve the fluffiness!
More healthy dessert recipes to try
- Aquafaba chocolate mousse
- Healthy strawberry mousse
- Cookie dough ice cream/frozen yogurt (paleo)
- Healthy dilly bars
- Chocolate covered yogurt bites/clusters
- Chia seed pudding with peanut butter magic shell
- No bake samoa cookies
Vegan Peanut butter aquafaba mousse
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas (no salt added)
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter *Make sure it's runny peanut butter. If it's too thick, it will not work. I love Kirkland or Trader Joes brand.
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup coconut cream or full-fat greek yogurt/coconut yogurt *room temp. See notes.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar *optional but HIGHLY recommend. You can find it at any grocery store!
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- good pinch of sea salt
Chocolate ganache
- 2.5oz chocolate bar, chopped *I like Hu Kitchen Bars! Discount in my blog post.
- 7 tbsp full-fat canned coconut milk *I used the leftover milk from the can of coconut milk
Instructions
Peanut butter mousse
- Grab the metal bowl of your stand mixer or a large glass bowl. It's super important its really clean and there isn't a drop of oil or water in the bowl as this can prevent the aquafaba from whipping. Using a large strainer, drain the can of chickpeas into the bowl. Add in the cream of tartar and lemon juice (or just lemon juice, although i HIGHLY recommend using both).
- Attach it to your stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whip for a few minutes until SUPER stiff peaks form. You can't over-whip aquafaba so feel free to let it go for awhile! The stiffer, the better.
- If you're using a hand mixer, it'll take you a lot longer than the stand mixer, but still works! Just whisk it at the highest speed until stiff peaks form. This can take 10 minutes or so at times. You want it to be so stiff that you can tip the bowl upside down without the aquafaba foam moving.
- Make the peanut butter mixture: Make sure your ingredients are room temp. Combine the peanut butter, maple, sea salt, vanilla, and coconut cream in a large bowl. Whisk it vigorously until well combined. Note: The peanut butter mixture can seize sometimes, depending on the brands of products you use. Just keep vigorously whisking. If your mixture does seize up at all, just add a splash of water & whisk vigorously again.
- Immediately add small amounts of aquafaba to the peanut butter mixture, folding it in. The mousse will deflate a bit, that's normal! If you work too quickly though, it will deflate a lot – be patient! Add in the aquafaba about 1/3 at a time, continuing to carefully fold it in. If you find any chunks, kind of press them against the side of the bowl with your spatula to break them up and continue folding.
- Once it's all combined, divide the mousse amongst 4 jars. Place lids on them and place in the fridge for an hour or two to allow them to firm up a bit.
Chocolate ganache
- Once they are firm on top, you can make the chocolate ganache. Add the milk to a heat proof bowl and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. You want it warmed through but not simmering at all. Add the chocolate to the milk – don't stir! Place a lid over the bowl and let it sit for 10 mins. After 10 mins, remove the plate and stir until you reach a ganache consistency. Carefully add some of the ganache to eat jar. Top with sea salt.
- Return to the fridge for another 2 hours or so to allow the mousse to set up. The longer you wait, the thicker and better it is (flavor-wise too!).
Can you please tell me what one chocolate is, the weight? Thank you!
Hi Toni! I like to use chocolate bars, so around 2.5oz but you can also use the same amount of chocolate chips!