Cream Cheese Mousse
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Creamy, fluffy, tangy and perfectly sweet, this cream cheese mousse is easy to make – and no bake!
Best part? It requires only 4 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time.
I already have a gazillion cream cheese recipes on The Clever Meal. From pasta to muffins, sandwiches to pizza, sweet dips to savory dips, and much more.
And I’m still surprised to see how the convenient and versatile cream cheese works beautifully for sweet and savory dishes.
Now, I’m not going to lie to you – the recipe I’m sharing today is essentially whipped cream folded into whipped cream cheese. Seriously, it’s that simple.
It’s a delicious last-minute dessert to enjoy all year round, somewhere between a cheesecake and a cream cheese frosting. It’s so indulgent and fluffy, with a delicious cream cheese tang and hints of vanilla.
This recipe is incredibly easy to make with only four ingredients. It can be prepared in minutes and can even be made in advance.
It’s easy to customize with variations like other berries, graham cracker crumbs, nuts, and chocolate chips.
Bonus? You probably have all of the ingredients on hand!
This cream cheese mousse is perfect if you’re looking for a gorgeous, no-bake dessert ready in minutes and great for entertaining.
Ready? Grab a spoon and dig in!
List of the ingredients
- Cream cheese (block or tub)
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
How to make cream cheese mousse
- Whip the heavy cream and set aside.
- Beat the cream cheese with sugar and vanilla extract.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a spatula.
- Spoon or pipe the cream cheese mousse into glasses or transfer to a container.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve!
Recipe Notes
Cream cheese mousse ingredients
Cream cheese: This recipe can use either a block or a tub of cream cheese. I use soft cream cheese for this recipe (the spreadable sold in the tub is the only one I find here in the UK). There are several brands, but Philadelphia is my go-to cream cheese.
Heavy cream: It’s excellent for any full-fat cream that can be whipped (minimum 35% fat content). The whipping cream here in the UK is perfectly fine, too.
Powdered sugar (aka confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar in the UK): It’s refined sugar that has been finely ground into a powdery form. It dissolves smoothly and quickly, making it the best option for a smooth texture.
Flavoring: A touch of vanilla deepens the flavor of cream, but either almond or lemon extract works fine instead of vanilla.
How to serve it?
I recommend dividing the mousse into little jars or serving glasses with graham cracker crumbs or crushed Oreos for a lovely contrast of textures.
Decorate with fresh raspberries, chocolate curls, or a tiny sprig of mint for color, and you’ll have a fancy dessert in no time!
And if you love a chocolate twist for your cream cheese dessert, check out this super quick recipe with dark chocolate. Yum.
The key to fluffy mousse!
You’ll need to whip the cream for a perfect fluffy consistency until it gets the stiff peaks.
- Cold ingredients. The heavy cream has to be fridge cold.
- Mixer. You’ll want to whip the ingredients using a stand or electric mixer.
- Speed. Start on low speed and then increase to medium-high speed.
- Stiff peaks. Whip just until you see stiff peaks,
- Don’t overwork! You need to stop as soon as you reach the white stiff peaks that stand straight up when the beaters are lifted. If you keep whipping beyond this stage, you’ll make butter.
Love cream cheese?
Cream cheese leftovers in the fridge? These delicious recipes are perfect for you:
- Creamy penne pasta
- Tomato pasta sauce with cream cheese
- Creamy spinach tomato pasta
- Spinach pasta
- One-pot creamy spaghetti
Lastly, I hope you’ll love this simple cream cheese mousse, and if you make them or if you have any questions, let me know! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it.
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Cream Cheese Mousse
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream or whipping cream
- 1 cup (8oz/230 grams) cream cheese (soften)*
- ¾ cup (4oz/120 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whip the cream: Use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment to whip the cold heavy cream. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-whip. Set aside.
- Beat the cream cheese: In a second bowl, beat the softened cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat until fluffy and well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Combine cream and cream cheese: Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the fluffy cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated.
- Serve: Pipe or spoon the cream cheese mousse into serving glasses or little jars, preferably with the graham cracker crumbs before serving. Fresh berries or chocolate shavings on top would also be lovely! Refrigerate until serving.
Perfect ratio of cream cheese and whipping cream. I added melted semi-sweet chocolate and a drop of drambuie. Set up firmly. Yummy results
Awesome! I’m glad it turned out yummy and with the right texture. : )
Thanks a lot for your feedback, Paula. x
Making this soon! Question: Could honey be used instead of sugar? I’m a no-sugar household but do use honey/maple syrup.
Hello! : ) I’ve never tried it but I’m pretty sure you can use honey instead of sugar here. However, I’m not able to advise you about the quantities as 3/4 cup honey seems to be a lot and it can affect the structure of the mousse. I’ll be texting the recipe with honey soon to add more notes to the recipe. x