3-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse Starts With Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is having a moment. Just a few short years ago, the creamy, curdled cheese was everyone's least favorite childhood snack. Now, it's a TikTok sensation. So, why the sudden surge? Well, protein is having a moment too — and cottage cheese is chock full of it. Cottage cheese is also low-calorie, high-calcium, and loaded with gut-friendly bacteria. Plus, it's not just for folks who can stomach the texture anymore, either. Enterprising influencers have found clever ways to cover the lumps — and whip them into chocolate mousse. 

This chocolate mousse has joined the recipe ranks of cottage cheese pancakes and creamy cottage cheese Alfredo sauce. It's pretty similar to TikTok's cottage cheese ice cream, minus the potential brain freeze. The ingredients are just as straightforward as the ice cream version, too. At its most basic, cottage cheese mousse is just a blend of cocoa powder, your sweetener of choice, and — you guessed it — cottage cheese. Looking for a thicker, richer mousse? Just add melted chocolate chips.

Most recipes recommend around two tablespoons of cocoa powder per cup of cottage cheese. Some sweeteners are stronger than others, so adjust to taste. Maple syrup, powdered monk fruit, and honey are all popular options. But if you opt for sugar, stick to the powdered stuff since granulated sugar won't dissolve as smoothly. 

Place your chocolate mousse ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor and go to town. If you're adding melted chocolate chips, you might want to let the cottage cheese come to room temperature beforehand. That way, the chocolate won't harden into lumps when it hits the cold cheese. The same is also true, in reverse. If the melted chocolate is too hot, the cheese could separate — making it harder to get that velvety, mousse-y texture.

Be patient and keep blending: It might take a while for the cheese to smooth out entirely. Once you're happy with the taste and texture, pour the mixture into cups and refrigerate. Give it at least 30 minutes to set, then serve your chocolate mousse with berries, whipped cream, or nuts. If you're craving a frozen treat, you can also pop it in the freezer. Then, feel free to DIY your own magic shell with chocolate chips and coconut oil.

You can also experiment with add-ins, too. A little vanilla, raspberries, espresso powder, and peanut butter all pair beautifully with chocolate. Not a chocolate fan? Skip the chocolate altogether and go for strawberry, lemon, or pumpkin. Just remember that chocolate easily covers the tangy taste of cottage cheese: If you're experimenting with other flavors, you might need to adjust the ratios to compensate.