These chocolate mousse bars are a rich, fudgy treat made with whole food ingredients you can feel good about eating. The cacao, coconut, and avocado make them chocolaty, creamy, and secretly healthy. It’s the kind of dessert you’ll love making again and again because they’re so easy and no baking required.
Since it’s been a really hot summer, I dreamed up these No Bake Chocolate Mousse Bars as a simple, cool dessert. They’re an easy, feel-good treat you can make in the food processor. No oven, no fuss, just simple ingredients that come together in minutes. Put them together in the morning, chill and by dinnertime you’ll have a wholesome decadent dessert everyone will love.
There’s a simple crust made with pecans, cashews and dates or a nut free crust if you prefer. The mousse is creamy and decadent with a base of coconut cream, cacao powder and avocado, sweetened with maple syrup.
They’re fantastic in the hot summer but you’ll love them anytime of the year.
💖 Why I Love These Chocolate Mousse Bars
- No baking required – perfect for hot days when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
- Super easy to make – just blend everything in the food processor and chill.
- Rich and creamy – silky mousse layered on a sweet nutty crust.
- Made with simple, good-for-you ingredients – cacao, coconut, avocado and maple syrup.
- Secretly healthy – indulgent in taste but packed with heathly fats and antioxidants.
- Perfect for entertaining – everyone loves them (and no one guesses they’re vegan and paleo).
- Make-ahead – prep in the morning for a ready-to-serve dessert at dinner.
- Freezer friendly – make up the batch, enjoy one or two and freeze the rest for later.
Why These Vegan Paleo Mousse Squares Are Better
These mousse bars are more than dessert, they soothe you and put you into a parasympathetic response! Cacao calms with magnesium, avocado and coconut cream keeps your energy steady, and the natural sweetness avoids sugar spikes. Best of all, pleasure boosts your mood and reduces stress. Every creamy bite helps your body relax and feel good.
They’re healthy but absolutely irresistible… the kind of dessert that disappears fast at any gathering.
Ingredients and Health Benefits
What makes these chocolate mousse bars special, besides tasting amazing, is they’re made with simple nourishing ingredients. This is what you need:
- Nuts – I use pecans and cashews for the crust. They add a nutty crunch and healthy fats that keep you satisfied; rich in protein and minerals. (See Notes for a nut free crust.)
- Dates – Hold the crust together with a naturally sweet caramel-like flavor; high in fiber and loaded with antioxidants.
- Coconut Cream – Creates a luscious, creamy texture; full of nourishing fats and dairy-free richness.
- Coconut Oil – Helps make the mousse firm and provides medium-chain fats that support energy and metabolism.
- Maple Syrup – Adds natural sweetness with hints of caramel; rich in minerals like zinc and manganese.
- Raw Cacao Powder – Deep, intense chocolate flavor; a superfood packed with antioxidants and magnesium.
- Avocado – Makes the mousse silky and smooth; full of heart-healthy fats and skin-loving nutrients.
- Vanilla – Brings a warm, aromatic sweetness that enhances chocolate’s depth.
- Sea Salt – Enhances flavor and balances sweetness; adds trace minerals for overall vitality.
- Instant Espresso Powder – This is optional but adds depth to this simple dessert.
Easy Steps To Make Chocolate Mousse Bars
These are the best no bake chocolate mousse bars, simple to make with only a few steps. Here are the basics, details are in the recipe card!
Step 1 – Prepare the crust. Put the pecans, cashews and dates into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you get a crumbly but sticky mixture. Press into a parchment lined 8 x 8 baking pan using something with a flat bottom like a measuring cup and a piece of parchment to spread the crust evenly.
Step 2 – Make the filling. Make the filling. Melt coconut oil. Put coconut oil, coconut cream, maple syrup, cacao, mashed avocado, espresso, salt, and vanilla into a food processor and process until smooth. Pour the filling into the pan. Spread evenly and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight to allow it to set. If you’re in a hurry put it in the freezer for 2 hours.
Step 3 – Remove from the pan. Run a knife around the 2 sides without parchment to loosen. Pick up out of the pan using the parchment overhang.
Step 4 – Cut into squares. Put in the freezer for 15 minutes to make cutting easier. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares.
Step 6 – Top each square with shaved dark chocolate.
Chef Tips
- Pressing the crust. Use something with a flat bottom like a measuring cup and a piece of parchment to spread the crust evenly. Get the edges as straight a possible.
- For easy cutting, put the chilled mousse into the freezer for 15-30 minutes. Use a sharp hot knife (run it through very hot water, then dry) to make nice smooth cuts. Wipe knife between each cut.
- Making the recipe nut free. Use shredded coconut and pumpkin seeds in place of the nuts. See recipe in the notes of the recipe card.
- For more mocha flavor, add another teaspoon of the expresso powder. I use 1 teaspoon in the recipe but you can add more or leave it out.
- To make chocolate shavings. Have your favorite dark or milk chocolate bar at room temperature, not cold. Use a vegetable peeler and scrape down a flat edge onto a plate. Use a spoon to sprinkle the shavings onto the squares.
Serving
Keep the bars chilled in the refrigerator. They get soft when sitting out at room temperature for more than 30 minutes.
Serve alone or topped with coconut or regular whipped cream. You could also serve them topped with a few berries or chopped nuts.
Storing
In the refrigerator: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: These chocolate mousse bars freeze beautifully. I love freezing them and taking one out when I want an exquisite treat. Cut them into squares and freeze with or without the chocolate shavings. Once frozen place them into an air tight container with a piece of parchment paper between the layers.
When ready to eat, remove as many bars as you want and let sit at room temperature for 15- 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
More Chocolate Desserts
- Flourless Chocolate Cake – A a rich and elegant dessert with Chocolate Ganache Frosting.
- Paleo Chocolate Cake – A special occasion layer cake, great for a birthday.
- Bittersweet Chocolate Tart – Decadently rich and creamy with only 7 ingredients.
- Chocolate Mousse Cake – Creamy and smooth with a chocolate brownie crust.
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No Bake Chocolate Mousse Bars (Vegan)
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeThese chocolate mousse bars are a rich, fudgy treat made with whole food ingredients like cacao, coconut, and avocado.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Process
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup raw pecans or walnuts
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 4 medjool dates, softened for 5 minutes in very hot water
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, (56 grams)
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut cream 1 2/3 cups
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup raw cacao powder, (72 grams)
- 3/4 cup mashed ripe avocado, (1 large avocado)
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)*
- dash sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line an 8 by 8 inch baking pan with a parchment paper sleeve, leaving a 2 inch overhang on two sides. Oil the 2 sides of the pan not covered in parchment paper.
- Make the crust first. Place the pecans, cashews, dates, vanilla and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you get a crumbly but sticky mixture. When it begins to stick to itself, you know it’s ready!
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom evenly. (see chef’s tips and photo above). Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling. Melt coconut oil. Put coconut oil, coconut cream, maple syrup, cacao, mashed avocado, espresso powder, salt, and vanilla into a food processor and process until completely smooth, about 1 minute, scrape down the sides as needed.
- Pour the chocolate mousse filling into the pan. Spread the filling evenly and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight to allow it to set. If you’re in a hurry put it in the freezer for 2 hours.
- Run a knife around the 2 sides without the parchment paper to loosen. Pull up and out of the pan using the parchment overhang.
- Put in the freezer for 15 minutes to make cutting easier. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares.
- Serve topped with shaved dark chocolate and coconut or regular whipped cream if desired.
Notes
Cooking time is chilling time, no baking required.
The instant espresso powder is optional but adds depth to this simple dessert.
Nut Free Crust Ingredients – Follow same directions as above.
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds
- 4 soft medjool dates, pitted
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
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