Cheesecake Mousse

Cheesecake Mousse is perfect for those that love cheesecake but want a quick and easy, no-bake option without having to make a big cheesecake or turning on the oven! This mousse tastes just the way a cheesecake should: light, fluffy, and decadent, perfectly tart, and sweet. It’s so simple that you may prefer your cheesecake in a fancy glass from here on out. It’s egg-free and also naturally gluten-free.

Top it off with fresh berries, fresh mint, a little zest or fruity sauce. Or set out a toppings bar and let people garnish their own just the way they like it.

I have to say, the elegance of this dessert is not only its lush, sweet and tangy taste but also the dish it’s served in. You can serve this mousse as tiny desserts in shot glasses for a larger crowd or if you’d like larger servings, pipe this mousse into small mason jars.

Whatever you have is fine, but if you’re going for elegance, then, by all means, bring out your fancy glassware.

The recipe serves 4, but you can easily double or triple the recipe for a larger event like the 4th of July! I’ve also served it for Valentines and at Christmas. The toppings make this mousse a super versatile treat any time of year!

This mousse is super easy and delightfully impressive with minimal effort, just the way I like it! 😉

Simple Ingredients:

• Heavy cream
• Cream cheese, softened
• Sour cream, optional
• Powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Vanilla extract
• *Optional toppings: crushed graham cracker, seasonal berries, fresh mint, or blueberry sauce. I’ve listed more options below to make this treat amazing.

How to make Cheesecake Mousse:

This mousse takes only 10 minutes!

1. 1. You just use a whisk attachment to beat the heavy cream and set it aside in a bowl. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can use a hand whisk. It’ll give you a little bit of arm exercise, so be sure to whisk with both hands. You’ll also need some patience!
   2. With a paddle attachment, add cream cheese and sour cream, and mix until smooth. Next, slowly add the powdered sugar, and once incorporated, add the salt and vanilla.
   3. Add the heavy cream and use a spatula to gently fold the ingredients together.
   4. Put this mousse in your favorite serving dish, and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
   5. Add toppings and enjoy!

If stored in an airtight container, this mousse will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

This dessert is optimal if left in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Do I have to use the sour cream?

Nope. It’s optional, but it adds a nice tang to the mousse. If you regularly use sour cream in your cheesecakes, then definitely add it. If you prefer your cheesecakes without sour cream, then you can leave it out.

A note on cream cheese:

You can use a light cream cheese, like ⅓ less fat cream cheese (Philadelphia Neufchâtel cheese) in place of the full fat, but there aren’t many other substitutions that work well.

I do not recommend using the whipped cream cheese.

If you live outside of the US, then you know that not all cream cheese is the same, even if it is the same brand! The cream cheese you find here in Europe is the type that comes in a little tub and is meant as a spread.

So if you find yourself abroad, buy a 300-gram package of cream cheese. I use the ones from Aldi or Lidl, which work just as well as Philadelphia. Then put the cream cheese in a clean tea towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out the liquid until you get 225 grams of cream cheese. This will keep this mousse from being slightly runny.

Can I use coconut cream?

When I tried using coconut cream, it didn’t work. I didn’t, however, properly refrigerate the can of coconut milk (that’s what you’re supposed to do to extract coconut cream from a can of coconut milk). I just scooped out the coconut cream at the top of a room temperature can. It was, therefore, more watery than proper coconut cream.

The mousse turned out very runny, but it had a nice taste. So, if you refrigerate the can first, it might work. It likely wouldn’t be as fluffy, though. I’ve never gotten much volume when making coconut cream.

If you try it, make sure to use a can that’s just coconut and water – no stabilizers or other junk.

Do I have to use heavy cream?

No, whipping cream instead of heavy cream works, it’s just a bit softer, but it should firm up once it chills.

Can I use other extracts?

Yes, you could use other extracts like maybe half vanilla and half lemon or almond.

Add some lemon zest for a lemony version.

It all sounds good, so you can get creative and let me know which was your favorite!

Can I freeze this mousse?

Yes, you can put it in an airtight container and freeze it for up to 2 months; however, I don’t really recommend it. Dairy, especially whipped dairy, doesn’t do very well.

It’s best to prep it an hour or up to 12 ahead of time and let the flavors meld together in the fridge for a bit.

Cheesecake toppings:

There are so many ways to top off these cheesecake treats. Just think of how you like an actual cheesecake, then top it the way you like it. But there’s no need to go overboard because this mousse is tasty on its own.

For a spring or summertime treat, fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries or blackberries are always a hit to embellish any dessert. You could even jazz it up with diced cherries or pineapples.

I also like the look and taste of a sprig of fresh mint or a little lemon or lime zest.

If you love blueberry sauce, then this Blueberry Maple Syrup Sauce is delectable. It’s super easy with only 3 ingredients and sweetened with maple syrup. Naturally paleo and vegan.

For a perfect fall topping, you can try this Vegan Caramel Sauce, it’s also paleo and has only 3 ingredients.

Add a little crumbled graham crackers to the cheesecake mousse with this 100% Whole Wheat Graham Cracker Recipe. You’ll have to use the oven, but you’ll have extra graham cracker snacks for later.

Or mix it up with an oreo style chocolate cookie topping with the crust from these Mini Irish Cream Cheesecakes. The crust can be made with all-purpose flour, gluten-free or whole wheat flour. The Baileys cheesecakes in this recipe are another amazing cheesecake if you’re looking for a boozy addition to your mini dessert treats.

If you try this mousse or any recipe you find on the site, I would love to see pics and hear about your experience. Just tag 📸 and follow #fooddoodlesrecipes so that I can find them easily. Thanks!