Creamy Coconut Chocolate Mousse

Happy Valentine's Day Fort Crew! Valentine’s Day has a long history, dating back to ancient Roman traditions, evolving over centuries from a fertility festival into a celebration of love, marked by romantic gestures, heartfelt gifts, and indulgent treats. Fun fact: In the 1800s, Cadbury introduced the first-ever heart-shaped box of chocolates, forever linking the holiday with sweet treats shared among loved ones.

In honor of the world’s biggest chocolate holiday and in conjunction with the “Building Healthy Habits Challenge” we started last week (which includes not consuming products with added sugar, i.e. chocolate…), I want to share with you one of my absolute favorite chocolate treats–Creamy Coconut Chocolate Mousse.

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What’s great about this recipe is that it’s so simple to put together and uses only 4 ingredients to create a decadent dessert that’s sure to tickle those taste buds and satisfy your sweet tooth.  

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WHAT YOU NEED:

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• 1 Can Unsweetened (full fat) Coconut Milk
• 5 Tablespoons Cocoa powder
• 1 Cup (tightly packed) Soft Dried Pitted Dates
• ¼ Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• Food Processor
• 2-4 Glasses or Ramekins (depends on how much you want to share)
• Toppings! 🙂

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HOW TO MAKE IT:

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1. Refrigerate the can of coconut milk (right side up) overnight to solidify and separate the coconut cream from the coconut water. Carefully turn the can upside down, open and discard the transparent liquid (coconut water).
   
   
2. In a small food processor, add your coconut milk and dates and blend until smooth. *If you do not like the texture of the date skin, you can use a fine mesh strainer to trap those bits of skin–but I’m not sure that it’s worth the hassle!)

3. Add your cocoa powder and vanilla extract and blend until combined.

4. Portion your coconut chocolate mousse evenly into your glasses or ramekins, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. When ready to eat, add your desired toppings, grab a spoon and enjoy!

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AWESOME TOPPINGS:

I love this creamy coconut chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries, but you can add anything that strikes your fancy. Try it with toasted coconut flakes, blueberries, strawberries, or coconut whipped cream!

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THE NUTRITIONAL STUFF:

Not only is this dessert gluten free & dairy free, but it also has zero added sugars—all the sugar content comes naturally from the dates and coconut milk! This recipe makes about 2 cups of mousse, so ½ cup of mousse/serving.

Macros Per Serving (1/4 of the recipe, 4 servings total)

Calories: ~301
Protein: ~2.75g
Carbs: ~46g
Fiber: ~5.5g
Total Sugar: ~36.5g
Including 0g added sugars
Fat: ~15.5g

Finding dessert alternatives can be tricky, and the truth is, there’s no such thing as a truly 'healthy' dessert. But making small changes—like opting for a creamy, chocolatey treat with zero added sugars—can be a step toward building healthier habits. That said, dessert should be an occasional indulgence, not an everyday staple. Save it for special moments or those days when your cravings are impossible to ignore, so it remains something to truly savor and enjoy.