Peanut Butter Mousse

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This Peanut Butter Mousse is smooth, creamy and light. It’s super easy to make and takes almost no time at all. If you love peanut butter, this peanut butter mousse is for you!

This peanut butter mousse recipe has been a long time coming. It came about from questions about my Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Cake. The peanut butter mousse layer in that cake uses peanut butter chips, which results in an amazing mousse. But not everyone can find the peanut butter chips, so I’d often get questions about how to use regular peanut butter. Since the two have very different textures, I new the swap would take some testing. When I finally tested them, I decided I liked the original best in the cake, but really fell in love with this version made with real peanut butter. The flavor is nutty and peanut buttery and the texture is wonderfully light. It’s such a great treat for peanut butter fans, that it deserved it’s own recipe all together. So I’m finally sharing it with you today.

Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Mousse Recipe

• Perfect texture. This mousse has that delightfully light yet firm texture. Unlike some peanut butter mousse recipes, this one uses gelatin. I think it helps it have a lighter texture, which I love. You don’t need much though, since the mousse is fairly firm even without it.
• Lots of peanut butter flavor. Two cups of peanut butter are used in this recipe which means every bite is filled with real peanut butter flavor, not just a hint of it, like some dishes.
• Easy to make. Mousse is one of those desserts that always feels a little fancy but is actually quite easy to make. This peanut butter mousse recipe is extra easy because there’s no egg yolks or double boiler needed. Anyone can make this recipe!
• Perfect for making in advance. This peanut butter mousse needs to chill for at least 3 hours but longer is better. It’s the perfect dessert to make the morning of or the night before serving.

If you love this mousse recipe, be sure to check out my chocolate mousse and champagne mousse too.

What You’ll Need

There are just 6 ingredients needed to make this peanut butter mousse recipe and a few additional ingredients for the (optional) whipped cream. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Peanut Butter Mousse

• Powdered gelatin – Adding a small amount of gelatin helps achieve the perfect light but firm texture in the mousse.
• Cold water – To activate the gelatin.
• Creamy peanut butter – Use creamy processed peanut butter, not an all-natural or homemade peanut butter. Even the ones that say creamy don’t have the smooth texture necessary and the oils separate, affecting the final texture of the mousse.
• Light brown sugar – Sweetens the mousse a bit and gives a deeper flavor.
• Heavy whipping cream – It’s important that the whipping cream is COLD. Keep it refrigerated until you need to use it. If it’s warm, it won’t whip up properly.
• Powdered sugar – Sweetens and helps to stabilize the mousse.
• Vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

• Heavy whipping cream – The heavy cream in the whipped cream should also be cold. It won’t form stiff peaks otherwise.
• Powdered sugar – Sweetens the whipped cream and stabilizes it so that it won’t wilt – ever.
• Vanilla extract – Gives the whipped cream a bit of flavor.
• Chocolate chips – Or chocolate shavings. Both are optional but a nice final touch.

How To Make Peanut Butter Mousse

Here’s an overview of how to make this peanut butter mousse recipe. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.

• Activate the gelatin. Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water in a bowl, making sugar all of it is touching the water. (If it’s not, stir until it’s all moistened.) Let it sit and bloom for about 5 minutes until it firms up.
• Prep the peanut butter mixture. Add a cup of the heavy cream, brown sugar, and peanut butter in a bowl. Gently stir until well combined. It will thin out and then thicken back up.
• Add the gelatin. Heat the gelatin for 8-10 seconds, until melted (don’t boil it). Fold it into the peanut butter mixture.

• Make the whipped cream. Whip the remaining heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the mixture until combined then add the rest. Fold gently until no streaks of whipped cream remain.
• Chill. Divide the mixture into glass cups. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours until firm.

• Add the topping. Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Pipe onto each cup of peanut butter mousse. Top with chocolate sauce or chocolate shavings as desired.

Tips for Making Mousse

• Make sure the gelatin activates. All of the powdered gelatin should touch the cold water – it’s okay if you need to stir it a little. If some powder doesn’t moisten, it can give you lumps. Once it has thickened, be sure to warm it up for just a few seconds so that it melts before mixing it in.
• Use cold heavy whipping cream. It’s important that the heavy whipping cream is cold when you add it to the recipe. Otherwise, it won’t whip up to be as light and fluffy as needed and your mousse won’t have enough shape.
• Be gentle. When folding the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, you want to do so gently to avoid collapsing the whipped cream.
• Use the right peanut butter. Processed peanut butter like Jif or Skippy are best for making mousse. Natural peanut butters tend to separate from the oil and even if they are labeled creamy, they don’t have the same smooth consistency.

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve my peanut butter mousse topped with homemade whipped cream, as I show in this recipe. The whipped cream is optional, of course, but I think it adds a nice touch. I also like to add some chocolate sauce or chocolate shavings (or even chocolate curls) as a topping just before serving. There’s no better combo than chocolate and peanut butter and the small amount of chocolate doesn’t overpower the peanut butter at all.

How to Store

• Refrigerator – Peanut butter mousse should be stored in the fridge, covered, until ready to serve. It’s best enjoyed within 3 days. It will last for up to 5 days but the texture becomes more dense and less soft and mousse-like. Keep in mind that this mouse is firmer when served cold straight from the fridge and a bit lighter when it’s a little less cold (but still cool). If you prefer it lighter, just remove it from the fridge a few minutes before serving.
• Freezer – You can freeze these mousse cups. Store them in an air-tight container or well covered with plastic wrap in the freezer and thaw in the fridge before serving. They may get a little more dense after freezing.

More Peanut Butter Desserts

• Reese’s Peanut Butter Fudge
• Peanut Butter Cookie Cake
• Classic Peanut Butter Pie
• Peanut Butter Cheesecake
• Easy Peanut Butter Cookies
• Loaded Peanut Butter Layer Cake

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