Chocolate Mousse Brownies are rich, chewy, super soft, and loaded with 3 layers of chocolate, if you count the cocoa powder covering, otherwise consider it double decked! What could be better than a homemade brownie base topped with light and airy chocolate mousse and finished with a dusting of dutch processed cocoa powder?
Best Brownies EVER
Lately I’ve been dreaming about how I could make my French silk brownies even better. And let me tell you, this easy Chocolate Mousse Brownie recipe delivers even more decadence than before! To my most dedicated readers and fervent chocolate lovers, this chocolate mousse brownie recipe fits the bill! With its fudgy base, creamy chocolate mousse covering, and dutch cocoa dusting on top, this from scratch recipe will win you over!
Brownie desserts of any kind are a huge hit in my house. It doesn’t matter if it’s a basic brownie recipe baked from a box, cake mix brownies, or brownie cool whip cookies. So when my husband requests brownies with chocolate mousse topping, how can I refuse?
Peanut Butter Mousse Brownies? Yes Please!
If you like the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter, then you will love these brownies topped with the peanut butter filling from my Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Cups. Simply swap the chocolate mousse in this recipe with the peanut butter mousse mixture from the former. Peanut butter mousse is easy to make with cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and peanut butter, and can be spread over the baked brownies for a different flavor profile.
Ingredients Notes
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter contributes to the dense, fudgy brownie texture. I prefer unsalted butter so I can better control the salt content in the recipe.
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs: Use room-temperature eggs to blend more evenly into the batter and achieve a uniform texture.
- All purpose flour: The flour gives the batter the necessary consistency and helps it set during baking. The amount used in brownies is relatively low compared to cakes, which keeps the brownies dense and fudgy.
- Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder: When choosing an unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder, be sure to use a good quality brand such as Ghirardelli or Hershey’s Dark cocoa powder. This will make your homemade brownies nice and dark in color and rich in flavor. If using a standard unsweetened cocoa powder, like Nestle brand, the brownies will be a lighter color and not as rich in flavor. Do not use hot cocoa mix for this recipe. Hot cocoa mixes have added sugars, and other ingredients, that will alter the results of the brownie when baked.
- Salt: Just a bit to balance the sweetness and intensify the chocolate taste.
- Water: Blooming gelatin in cold water allows it to dissolve properly when heated, ensuring a smooth texture in the mousse.
- Unflavored gelatin: Gelatin gives the mousse a firm yet creamy texture without making it too stiff.
- Heavy cream: Used to melt the chocolate pieces, creating a smooth, ganache-like base for the mousse. It’s also whipped to create the light, airy texture typical of mousse.
- Semi-sweet baking bar: I suggest using a good-quality semi-sweet baking bar for the chocolate mousse layer. I find that the higher-quality baking bars melt easier, taste better, and don’t seize up when added to the warm heavy cream. Be sure that you are not using a semi-sweet chocolate candy bar or semi-sweet chocolate chips, as they have added ingredients that will alter the final results of the chocolate mousse.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the mousse and also helps to stabilize the whipped cream.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chocolate Mousse Brownies
- Make The Butter Mixture: Whisk together the melted butter and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Add the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, and whisk until smooth.
- Make The Brownie Batter: Whisk the cocoa powder, flour, and salt into the butter mixture until the brownie batter is smooth and thick.
- Bake The Brownies: Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely on the counter before adding the chocolate mousse layer.
- Make The Gelatin Mixture: Stir together the cold water and unflavored gelatin. Set aside so the gelatin can absorb the water.
- Heat The Heavy Cream: Microwave the heavy cream on high for 45 seconds – 1 minute until steamy. Stir the gelatin into the warm cream until fully dissolved.
- Melt The Chocolate: Pour the warm heavy cream over the chopped chocolate and let it to sit until the melted. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Create The Whipped Cream: Beat the remaining heavy whipping cream until soft peaks start to form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract then continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Make The Mousse Mixture: Fold the melted cooled chocolate mixture into the whipped cream, ⅓ at a time, until no white streaks remain and the chocolate mousse mixture is light and fluffy.
- Cover And Chill: Spread the chocolate mousse mixture over cooled brownies. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 6-8 hours or up to overnight.
- Slice And Serve: Dust the top of the brownies with cocoa powder, slice, and serve. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Keep these chocolate mousse brownies refrigerated until you’re ready to serve. They pair perfectly with a scoop of ice cream on the side, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, or decorated with chocolate curls.
Tips & Variations
- Prepare the Pan: I like to line my baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some to overhang the sides, and lightly spray the sides with baker’s spray. This will make it easier to lift the brownies out of the pan to slice and serve them better.
- Skip From Scratch: If you prefer, you can use a family-size boxed fudge brownie mix instead of the “from scratch” brownie in this recipe. If using a boxed brownie mix, you will need to follow the package directions for mixing and baking in a 9×13 pan.
- Bake The Brownies: The brownies are done baking when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a couple moist crumbs stuck to the toothpick.
- Stir Until Smooth: When melting the chocolate and heavy cream in the microwave, you may need to heat them for another 30-40 seconds to get them warm enough to stir to a smooth consistency.
- Cool The Chocolate Completely: Make sure you allow the chocolate to cool completely to room temperature before mixing to make the mousse. You do not want to add warm chocolate to the whipped cream for the mousse mixture.
- Set Before Slicing: The chocolate mousse needs to set up to a firm consistency for a minimum of 6-8 hours, or even overnight. This will give you nice, clean cuts when sliced and served.
- Slice Them Smaller: I cut my brownies into 12 (3×3 inch) servings. Feel free to slice your brownies into smaller portions, 18 – 2 ½ x 3 inch or 24 – approximately 2 ¼ x 2 ¼ inch sized servings to feed more people.
Proper Storage
- To Store: For best results, store these chocolate mousse brownies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The longer these brownies are stored, the more the chocolate mousse layer will start to break down.
- To Freeze: I do not suggest freezing these brownies for longer storage.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
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Chocolate Mousse Brownies
Serves — 12
Chocolate Mousse Brownies have a rich, chewy brownie base topped with a layer of creamy chocolate mousse and a dusting of Dutch processed cocoa powder. They're decadent and undeniably delicious!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 55 minutes
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Mousse Layer
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 2½ cups heavy cream very cold, divided (½ cup to melt the chocolate pieces and 2 cups to make the whipped cream)
- 4 ounces semi sweet baking bar finely chopped
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder to dust the top of the chocolate mousse brownies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350* F. Line a straight sided, 9×13, baking pan with parchment paper (being sure to leave some of the parchment paper to overhang the sides of the pan) and lightly spray the sides with baker’s spray. This will make it easier to lift the brownies out of the pan to better slice and serve them. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl add the melted unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved in the warm melted butter.1 cup unsalted butter, 2¼ cups granulated sugar
- Add the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, whisking until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Whisk until smooth and all the ingredients are fully incorporated.1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 4 large eggs
- To the butter mixture, add the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour and salt. Whisk gently, being careful not to overmix, until all the dry ingredients have been evenly mixed into the wet ingredients and the brownie batter is smooth and thick.1¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Spread the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a couple moist crumbs stuck to the toothpick.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely on the counter before adding the chocolate mousse layer.
- To a small bowl add the cold water and unflavored gelatin. Gently stir to combine then set aside to allow the gelatin to absorb the water completely.2 tablespoons cold water, 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- To a 1 cup glass, microwave safe, liquid measure cup add ½ cup of the heavy cream. Microwave on high for 45 seconds – 1 minute to heat the heavy cream until steamy. You do not want to boil the heavy cream.2½ cups heavy cream
- Using a fork, or small whisk, stir the gelatin into the warm heavy cream until it is fully dissolved into the cream.
- To a medium bowl add the finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate then pour the warm heavy cream over the chopped chocolate, being sure that you cover all the chocolate with the warm cream, and allow it to sit for 1-2 minutes or until the chocolate has melted. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and all the heavy cream has been incorporated. You may need to heat the chocolate and heavy cream for another 30-40 seconds, in the microwave, if needed to get the chocolate warm enough to stir to a smooth consistency.4 ounces semi sweet baking bar
- Set aside to allow the chocolate to cool completely to room temperature. This is very important for the next step as you do not want to add warm chocolate to the whipped cream for the mousse mixture.
- In a large mixing bowl add the remaining 2 cups of heavy whipping cream and beat on high speed, using a handheld mixer starting on low speed and working up to high speed as the cream starts to thicken, and beat the heavy cream until soft peaks start to form. This should take 2 – 2 ½ minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the whipped cream then continue to beat the whipped cream for another 2 – 2 ½ minutes or until stiff peaks form.¼ cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add ⅓ of the room temperature melted chocolate to the whipped cream and very gently fold it into the whipped cream using a rubber spatula. Add another ⅓ of the melted chocolate to the whipped cream and very gently fold it in before adding, and gently folding in, the remaining ⅓ of the melted chocolate to the whipped cream. You want to make sure that no white streaks remain and the chocolate mousse mixture is light and fluffy.
- Using a small offset spatula, spread the chocolate mousse mixture evenly over the completely cooled brownies.
- Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap, being sure not to disturb the chocolate mousse layer, and refrigerate the chocolate mousse brownies for a minimum of 6-8 hours or up to overnight. You want to allow the chocolate mousse to set-up to a firm consistency so that you get nice clean cuts when sliced and served.
- Once the mousse layer has fully set, lightly dust the top of the brownies with 1 tablespoon of additional unsweetened cocoa powder to garnish (do not do this until ready to serve) then run a sharp knife around the edges of the baking pan, to loosen the sides of the brownies, before gently lifting the chocolate mousse brownies out of the pan using the overhanging parchment paper. Using a large sharp knife, cut the brownies into 12 (3×3 inch) servings.1 tablespoon dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store these chocolate mousse brownies, in a single layer in an airtight container, for up to 3 days for best results. The longer these brownies are stored, the chocolate mousse layer will start to break down.
- To Freeze: I do not suggest freezing these brownies for longer storage.
- I like to line my baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some to overhang the sides of the pan, and lightly spray the sides with baker’s spray. This will make it easier to lift the brownies out of the pan to better slice and serve them.
- If you prefer, you can use a family size boxed fudge brownie mix for this recipe in place of the “from scratch” brownie in the recipe. You will need to follow the package directions for mixing and baking in a 9×13 pan if using a boxed brownie mix for this recipe.
- The brownies are done baking when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a couple moist crumbs stuck to the toothpick.
- You may need to heat the chocolate and heavy cream for another 30-40 seconds when melting in the microwave to get the chocolate warm enough to stir to a smooth consistency.
- Make sure you allow the chocolate to cool completely to room temperature before mixing to make the mousse. You do not want to add warm chocolate to the whipped cream for the mousse mixture.
- A minimum of 6-8 hours, or even overnight, is needed for the chocolate mousse to set-up to a firm consistency. This will give you nice clean cuts when sliced and served.
- I cut my brownies into 12 (3×3 inch) servings. Feel free to slice your brownies into smaller portions, 18 – 2 ½ x 3 inch or 24 – approximately 2 ¼ x 2 ¼ inch sized servings to feed more people.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 1281IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg
