Peanut Butter Mousse

Every once in a while you need a decadent dessert that you can whip up quickly without turning on the oven. Something that will please everyone’s palate, is individually portioned for easy serving, and can even be prepared and frozen overnight. Sound too good to be true? It’s not! The amazing treat is our recipe for peanut butter mousse.

Ingredients for Peanut Butter Mousse

• Heavy whipping cream: All mousse recipes need heavy whipping cream as their base to get that signature airy, mousse-y fluff.
• Vanilla extract: A touch of vanilla extract imparts a sweet, slightly floral flavor that brings this peanut butter dessert to life.
• Cream cheese: To get the creamiest, softest and smoothest peanut butter mousse possible, make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature. Cold cream cheese is difficult to whip up and will hold on to lumps more easily.
• Confectioners’ sugar: We sweeten this peanut butter mousse recipe with confectioners’ sugar, as it dissolves better than granulated sugar. Since this is a no-heat recipe, the sugar must dissolve so the mousse isn’t grainy.
• Creamy peanut butter: Be sure to grab a creamy peanut butter and not a chunky one. Chunky will be harder to whip up, plus not everyone may like the extra texture.
• Toppings: While optional, we love adding toppings like peanuts and chocolate shavings. It’s a quick and simple way to make this easy peanut butter mousse look professionally crafted.

Directions

Step 1: Whip the cream

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In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Set the cream mixture aside.

Editor’s Tip: When you lift up the beaters, the peaks should stand straight up, not curl down. And, yep, this is exactly how you’d make homemade whipped cream. If you’ve tackled that before, then this peanut butter mousse recipe will be a breeze!

Step 2: Make the mousse

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In another bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar together until smooth.

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Gradually beat in the peanut butter until smooth.

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Then, carefully fold in the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t rush this step—gently folding in the whipped cream will keep the mousse light and airy.

Step 3: Prepare to serve

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Spoon or pipe the peanut butter mousse into ramekins or small dessert dishes.

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Garnish with peanuts and chocolate shavings if desired.

Step 4: Chill the mousse

Refrigerate the mousse for at least an hour before serving.

Editor’s Tip: I recommend covering the dishes with storage wrap if you can so the mousse doesn’t absorb any funky fridge smells.

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Recipe Variations

• Use a different nut butter: Not a peanut butter person? Creamy almond butter, cashew butter or another type of nut butter can be used in its place.
• Try it in a trifle: This easy peanut butter mousse is perfect for a peanut butter brownie trifle or a peanut butter cup trifle.
• Fill or frost: Use this recipe for peanut butter mousse as a filling for cakes or as the frosting for cupcakes.

How to Store Peanut Butter Mousse

To store peanut butter mousse, cover it tightly with storage wrap or transfer the mousse to an airtight container. It can be kept in the fridge for up to three days.

Can you freeze peanut butter mousse?

Absolutely! To freeze, store the mousse in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Can you make peanut butter mousse ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the mousse up to three days in advance, as long as you leave the toppings off and keep it covered tightly with storage wrap in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

Peanut Butter Mousse Tips

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Is this peanut butter mousse recipe gluten-free?

This recipe for peanut butter mousse uses naturally gluten-free ingredients. However, if you are feeding someone who is celiac, make sure that every packaged good you purchase for this recipe is certified gluten-free. Some celiacs are even sensitive to the environment in which products are produced, so while the products can be naturally gluten-free, the facility where they were processed might not be. A gluten-free certification and a quick check under the ingredients will tell you!

How else can you garnish this peanut butter mousse?

Peanut butter-chocolate lovers should drizzle chocolate syrup all over this easy peanut butter mousse. Avoid hot fudge as it may mess up the delicate texture. Chop up Reese’s cups and scatter them all over the mousse, along with the peanuts and chocolate shavings.