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Bailey’s Chocolate Mousse is a creamy, decadent, rich dessert. It absolutely hits the spot after dinner.
Make it ahead and keep in the refrigerator until ready to devour!
Step by step photos and instructions below!
Need a really easy, really tasty and impressive dessert for a special occasion (a Tuesday night totally counts)?
I’m all about booze in food, and especially my desserts. This is a lovely after dinner treat that will delight dinner guests, or… just you if you decide not to share!
If you’re not into booze in your food, leave out the Bailey’s, it will just be chocolate mousse, and you really can’t be mad at that!
This is SUPER easy (yay!) and comes together very quickly. Do yourself a favor, and chill the bowl and beaters before you start!
If you’re into mousse, and why wouldn’t you be? Try this Coffee Mousse that is ALSO to die for.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy. It’s literally something to whip together, then set up in the fridge.
- Make ahead. This is an excellent choice to make for a dinner party because it’s all done ahead. All you have to do after dinner is grab these, add some whipped cream and shave/grate some chocolate over the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s essentially flavored whipped cream that is stabilized and made mousse-like with the addition of gelatin.
Mousse is fluffy and creamy and made from cream and sugar whereas pudding is a cooked milk and sugar base with a thickener.
It’s pronounced like moose and comes from a French word that means froth or foam.
It is a way to describe the consistency of something. Basically, when you lift your beaters, the peaks of the cream should flop over immediately. Medium peaks hold their shape except for the tip, and stiff peaks stay straight up when you lift your beaters.
I have included step by step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Recommended Equipment/Tools
- Mixing Bowl
- Hand Mixer
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Gelatin. Make sure this has dissolved
- Cold water. We dissolve the gelatin in cold water. Make sure it’s fully dissolved.
- Boiling water.
- Sugar. Regular white sugar
- Cocoa powder. You may wish to sift this if yours is especially lumpy.
- Cream. Use heavy whipping cream, do not substitute for half and half or milk!
- Irish Cream. Bailey’s or any other Irish Cream works great. Leave out if you are serving to children.
- Vanilla extract.
How to make this recipe
Scroll for Recipe
The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped
Before you begin, prep bowl and beaters by placing in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
Dissolve and mix gelatin
Mix the gelatin into the cold water in small bowl and let sit about a minute, to soften/gel.
Add boiling water then stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Let stand to cool (it will resemble a thick paste).
Make the mousse base
Combine the sugar and cocoa in small mixing bowl and add the heavy cream.
Beat at medium speed until stiff peaks form.
Add in Bailey’s, vanilla, and gelatin mixture, beating continuously at high speed until well blended (soft peaks).
Pour into serving dishes and refrigerate for about an hour, or until you are ready to serve.
Serve
Just before serving, add some whipped cream and chocolate shavings to the top.
Devour.
Kylee’s Notes
Before you begin, prep bowl and beaters by placing in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
Do not overbeat – it will become gummy and gluey and the texture won’t be as fluffy.
Soft peaks: When you lift your beaters, the peaks of the cream should flop over immediately.
Stiff peaks: Stay straight up when you lift your beaters.
- Slutty Brownies Make this decadent dessert from scratch! With cookie dough on the base, oreos in the middle and brownie batter poured over the top, these are the ultimate dessert!
- Oreo Dirt Pudding Parfaits. Make this classic chocolatey deliciousness into individual servings, for an easy dessert!
- Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pie. Flaky pie crust filled with a custard-like filling, that will invoke memories of times gone by.
- Apple Dumplings. Tart apples wrapped in a flaky biscuit and smothered in a buttery vanilla sauce. Topped with crunchy cinnamon sugar, this is a super easy recipe that delivers on taste!
If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on Kylee Cooks, leave a comment and rating – I truly love to hear from you!
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Source: Adapted from Lemon Tree Dwelling
Bailey’s Chocolate Mousse
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons plain gelatin
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (sift, if extra lumpy)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream (or a similar product)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish
- 1/2 cup Whipped cream
- 2 tablespoons Chocolate shavings
Instructions
Get prepped
- Before you begin, prep bowl and beaters by placing in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill.
Dissolve the gelatin
- Mix the gelatin into the cold water in small bowl and let sit about a minute, to soften/gel.
- Add boiling water then stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Let stand to cool (it will resemble a thick paste).
Make the mousse
- Combine the sugar and cocoa in small mixing bowl and add the heavy cream.
- Beat at medium speed until stiff peaks form.
- Add in Bailey’s, vanilla, and gelatin mixture, beating continuously at high speed until well blended (soft peaks).
- Pour into serving dishes and refrigerate for about an hour, or until you are ready to serve.
Serve
- Just before serving, add some whipped cream and chocolate shavings to the top.
- Devour.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Update: This recipe was originally published in April of 2016. It was republished with updated photos in November of 2021.
Marsha Walker says
I’m planning on making this in 3 oz containers to use as part of a mini dessert bar. How far in advance can they be made and can they be stored in the freezer.
Kylee says
Hi Marsha – I wouldn’t make them more than a day in advance. I absolutely wouldn’t freeze them!
Bren says
Stumbled upon this in my FB timeline and have to come over to see it! I’m such a huge chocolate lover the picture itself sucked me in! 🙂
Kylee says
Thanks for stopping by, Bren! This is one of my all time favorite desserts. I love that it’s make-ahead and ready for after dinner !
April R - Uncookie Cutter says
This looks absolutely perfect! I didn’t make it this week, but I did pick it as one of my additional features at You Link It, We Make It. I so hope to try it soon! It looks so easy. As a feature, you are invited to pin on our group board – just shoot me an email at uncookiecutter@gmail.com and we hope to see you back with more yummy recipes tomorrow! Thanks for sharing!
Molly Kumar says
You just got me at Bailey’s – What a beautiful looking Mousse n I’m sure it tastes absolutely delicious – Great recipe Kylee 🙂
Pie Rivera says
You are hitting all my soft spots, Kylee! 🙂 I don’t drink much BUT Bailey’s has always been a favorite. Chocolate mousse means chocolate heaven! I am saving this recipe 🙂
Pragma Mamma says
These look absolutely delightful! I love chocolate mousse and adding bailey’s is just genius! Definitely trying this, pinning for later. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Deepika@EasyBabyMeals says
I can have this anytime. I am a huge fan of Baileys, and addition of chocolate is just amazing. Absolutely YUM.
Uma Srinivas( simple sumptuous cooking) says
Looks yummy! Do you have any substitute for gelatin? If any I’d like to know!:) I love chocolate flavor!
Kylee says
Uma, I think there are 3 main substitutes for gelatin, but I have not used them. They’re
I think Vegan Jel would be your best bet as I hear it more closely mimics gelatin! Hope that helps!
Kate says
I am definitely a proponent of “grownup” desserts.
Jenn says
Awesome recipe Kylee! I am a huge fan of Baileys and always looking for ways to use it. Thanks for the tip re: putting the bowl and beeters in the freezer first – I’d never think of that on my own.
Mackenzie says
Yum! I love adding Bailey’s to desserts – it always makes it seem so much fancier! I’ll take your recommendation and use this for a dinner party – I love make-it-ahead desserts! Thanks!
homemadezagat says
Yummy. Pinning this for sure.
Holly @ Woman Tribune says
Literally the first thing that went through my head when I saw the picture of your mousse was, “Hello, new friend!” Seriously, I think my life will be made better by this decadent little treat.
Ahu says
This looks tasty and easy enough! Yum!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Yumm! This looks so delicious! If I don’t want to add the Baileys, what can I substitute it with to make non-alcoholic?