Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse

Kayla Hoang
Kayla Hoang
Kayla Hoang is a freelance recipe developer, writer, and baker. She is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University’s 4-year Baking and Pastry program and has training from Alain Ducasse’s Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie in Yssingeaux, France. Her love of food comes from her parents and their Bangladeshi and Vietnamese roots. In her free time, she can usually be found in the kitchen waiting for a fresh batch of cookies to come out of the oven or taking on a new baking project.
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published Sep 19, 2024
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angled shot of a single glass cup of peanut butter chocolate mousse topped with chopped peanuts, with a spoon taking a bite out of it
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

This impossibly creamy, no-bake dessert comes together in just 30 minutes.

Serves4

Prep25 minutes

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angled shot of a single glass cup of peanut butter chocolate mousse topped with chopped peanuts, with a spoon taking a bite out of it
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m an absolute sucker for anything chocolate and peanut butter. It’s a classic for good reason! There’s just something about the combination of the two that’s hard to beat (and if you’re looking for more recipes, try our Chocolate-Peanut Butter Dream Bars, these Classic No-Bake Cookies, and this Peanut Butter Chocolate Éclair Cake). Given my love for it, it’s safe to say I took developing this peanut butter chocolate mousse very seriously. 

Peanut butter mousse requires only a handful of ingredients, making it much simpler to make than a traditional chocolate one, but it is one of those desserts that can easily take on a dense, almost frosting-like consistency. After four unsatisfying attempts, I found the perfect ratio of ingredients, resulting in a full-bodied, delightfully nutty peanut butter mousse. Topped with a quick ganache and smattering of chopped roasted peanuts, this mousse is a chocolate and peanut butter lover’s dream. 

Why You’ll Love It

  • It’s got the perfect balance of chocolate and peanut butter. A thin layer of ganache adds chocolatey richness to contrast the nutty mousse while chopped peanuts add a much-welcomed texture. 
  • The texture is smooth and velvety. Here creamy peanut butter, which can become firm when chilled, is balanced with tangy cream cheese and a generous amount of heavy cream to ensure the mousse is velvety, but not dense. 
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

Key Ingredients in Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse

  • Creamy peanut butter: As opposed to natural, it whips more closely to the cream cheese and yields the better texture. 
  • Cream cheese: Provides body and a slight tangy flavor that keeps the mousse from becoming cloying. 
  • Light brown sugar: Brings out the flavor of the peanut butter further. 
  • Semisweet chocolate: Provides just the right amount of chocolate flavor without the bitter intensity of bittersweet chocolate, which can distract from the nutty mousse. Avoid using chocolate chips as they won’t yield the same soft set, spoonable texture as a chocolate bar. 
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Recipe

This impossibly creamy, no-bake dessert comes together in just 30 minutes.

Prep time 25 minutes

Serves 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

For the mousse:

  • 3 ounces

    cream cheese

  • 3/4 cup

    powdered sugar

  • 1/3 cup

    packed light brown sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1 1/4 cups

    cold heavy cream

  • 2/3 cup

    creamy peanut butter, such as Skippy or Jif

For the ganache and topping:

  • 2 ounces

    semisweet chocolate

  • 1/2 cup

    heavy cream

  • Chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Place 3 ounces cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Let sit until softened, about 1 hour.

Make the ganache:

  1. Coarsely chop 2 ounces semisweet chocolate. Pour 1/2 cup heavy cream into a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until very hot and bubbling gently, 40 seconds to 1 minute. Add the chocolate and make sure the chocolate is covered in the cream. Let sit for 1 minute. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and combined.

Make the mousse:

  1. Add 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt to the cream cheese. Beat with the whisk attachment on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through, until combined and the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute total.

  2. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low. Slowly pour in 1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat, scraping down the bowl as needed, until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.

  3. Add 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated and fluffy, about 30 seconds more. The mixture will look broken at first and then smooth out.

  4. Divide the mousse between 4 (6 to 8-ounce) coupes, jars, or ramekins (about 3/4 cup each). Gently smooth the top of each with the back of a spoon. Give the ganache a good stir. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the ganache over each portion of mousse and gently swirl the glass to coax into an even layer so as not to disturb the mousse. (A wider mouth, shallow glass such as a coupe will need the full 2 tablespoons of ganache to cover the top. If using something like a narrow jar, you might not need all the ganache for the top. Instead, consider layering the ganache in the jar with the mousse.)

  5. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts. Refrigerate until well chilled and set, at least 4 hours and up to overnight. Let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Storage: The mousse cups can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

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Dessert
Chocolate
pantry
sweets