Chocolate Yogurt Mousse
A silky, rich chocolate mousse made with Greek yogurt, dark chocolate, and cocoa powder. No baking or cooking required—just mix and chill. This elegant dessert comes together in minutes and is ready to serve in under an hour.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (1 cup each)
Steps
Before you start
- Use full-fat Greek yogurt for the smoothest, creamiest texture
- Finely chop or grate the dark chocolate before starting—this ensures it distributes evenly and stays visible in the finished mousse
- Have all ingredients at room temperature for easy, smooth mixing
- Chill serving bowls if you like for a more elegant presentation
Sift cocoa powder
- In a large 2-quart mixing bowl, sift together the cocoa powder and salt (if using).
- This breaks up any lumps and ensures a smooth, lump-free mousse.
- If you don't have a sifter, push the cocoa powder through a fine-mesh strainer using the back of a spoon.
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Ready when: No visible lumps of cocoa powder remain; the mixture is fine and uniform
Tip: Sifting prevents grainy spots from forming in your finished mousse—don't skip this step
Mix yogurt base
- Add the room-temperature Greek yogurt, honey, and vanilla extract to the sifted cocoa powder.
- Using a whisk, stir together until completely smooth, with no streaks of cocoa powder or lumps visible.
- The mixture should be uniform in color and thick.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth, thick, and uniform—no visible cocoa streaks or lumps
Tip: Room-temperature yogurt mixes much more smoothly than cold yogurt, which can be lumpy and resist combining
Fold in dark chocolate
- Add the finely chopped dark chocolate to the yogurt mixture.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the chocolate in with slow, deliberate strokes, turning the bowl as you fold.
- Mix until the chocolate pieces are evenly distributed throughout the mousse.
- Avoid overmixing—you want some visible chocolate pieces for pleasant texture and visual appeal.
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Ready when: Chocolate pieces are evenly distributed with no large clumps; mixture is mottled with chocolate throughout
Tip: Gentle folding keeps the chocolate pieces intact. Overmixing will break them into tiny pieces and create a too-uniform, less interesting texture
Whip to mousse texture
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the mousse for 1 to 2 minutes.
- The mixture will become lighter and airier, and should increase slightly in volume.
- Stop as soon as it reaches a soft, pillowy consistency with visible air bubbles throughout.
- Do not continue whipping beyond this point.
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Ready when: Mousse is light, fluffy, and noticeably increased in volume; visible air bubbles are present throughout
Tip: Overwhipping can make Greek yogurt grainy and separate the texture. Stop as soon as it's light and airy—1 to 2 minutes is usually perfect
Divide and chill
- Divide the mousse evenly among 4 chilled serving bowls or glasses (about 1 cup / 240 ml per serving).
- Cover with plastic wrap or a lid.
- Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- The mousse will continue to set and become slightly firmer as it chills.
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Ready when: Mousse is chilled through and slightly firmer than when freshly made
Serve chilled
- Remove the mousse from the refrigerator and serve immediately while chilled.
- For serving, you may top each portion with fresh berries, a dollop of whipped cream, dark chocolate shavings, or a sprinkle of granola if desired.
Good to know
Tips
- Use room-temperature Greek yogurt for the smoothest texture. Cold yogurt is thicker and harder to mix without lumps forming
- Finely chop or grate the dark chocolate so small pieces integrate better and stay visible. Larger chunks won't mix evenly
- For a lighter, more traditionally airy mousse, fold in 1/2 cup (120 ml) of whipped heavy cream before chilling—this creates a more delicate texture
- This is a very rich dessert. One cup per person is a generous serving. Pair with a simple garnish like fresh berries, a crisp biscuit, or espresso to balance the richness
Make ahead
The mousse can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator. The texture may become slightly firmer over time, which is fine and does not affect taste.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: Do not leave out of refrigerator for more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container or covered bowls for up to 2 days. The mousse will become slightly firmer as it sits. Freezer: Not recommended—the mousse will separate when thawed and lose its silky texture.
Substitutions
- dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher) → Semi-sweet chocolate (60% cocoa) or milk chocolate (35–45% cocoa). Use the same amount. The mousse will be sweeter with less intense, more mellow chocolate flavor
- full-fat Greek yogurt → Regular plain yogurt (full-fat or 2% milk). Use 2.5 cups (600 ml) instead, as regular yogurt is thinner. The mousse will be lighter, less thick, and slightly tangier
- honey → Maple syrup, agave nectar, granulated sugar, or coconut sugar. Use 1/4 cup (50g) sugar or same volume of maple syrup/agave. The flavor profile will shift subtly but remain delicious
- unsweetened cocoa powder → Extra dark chocolate (increase to 5 oz / 140g, finely chopped). Omit cocoa powder. This creates a pure chocolate mousse. Gently warm the chocolate pieces with 2 tbsp hot water to soften, cool, then fold into yogurt
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- Meal
- Dessert
- Method
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- Quick & Easy
- 5 Ingredients or LessEasyBeginner