Name: Cheesecake Mousse
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 4 ounces cream cheese, (softened); ½ cup (62.5 g) confectioners' sugar; 2 cups (476 g) heavy cream; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 pinch kosher salt; 4 large egg whites, (room temperature)

Real Cheesecake Mousse is a creamy blend of cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, and whipped egg whites. The fluffy and light texture will feel as good on your tongue as it tastes! Enjoy the dessert as-is or with added fresh fruit, chocolate shavings, or your favorite cheesecake topping. It’s like getting the best of a cheesecake and mousse in one dessert!

Bowls of Cheesecake Mousse on a wooden table.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Cream Cheese: Before starting on this dessert, ensure the cream cheese has come to room temperature. This will give you the creamiest mousse, which is the goal!

How To Soften Cream Cheese Quickly

If you forgot to take out the cream cheese for this recipe, here are a couple of options to get it to room temperature quickly:

Warm Water Method: Place the wrapped block of cream cheese in a bowl of warm water for about 10-15 minutes. Flip it over every few minutes or so.

Microwave Method: Remove the cream cheese from its packaging and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave it on low power in 15-20-second intervals until it reaches the desired softness. Be careful not to overheat it, as cream cheese can quickly become too runny or even melt.

Confectioners’ Sugar: Confectioners’ sugar, also known as powdered sugar, dissolves easily, helping create a smoother texture without grittiness. If you only have granulated sugar, you could use a food processor to make it into a fine powder. Then, it will blend more easily in the mousse.

Heavy Cream: Heavy cream, also known as heavy whipping cream, has a fat content of 36% or more. If you don’t have heavy cream, you can substitute half-and-half. However, half-and-half has a lower fat content than heavy cream and may not give you the same rich, creamy texture in this recipe.

Vanilla: Vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the mousse. However, you could leave it if preferred. Or, substitute other flavor extracts like almond, peppermint, or lemon for a different flavor profile.

Salt: Don’t skip the salt in this recipe! Even a little bit brings out the richness of the other ingredients.

Egg Whites: You will only use the egg whites in this recipe. They will be whipped up to stiff peaks before being folded into the cream cheese mixture. They create a fluffy texture and help the mousse hold its shape. Save the egg yolks to make some Eggnog.

Bowl of Cheesecake Mousse on a wooden table with strawberries.

Can I Add Toppings To Cheesecake Mousse?

Absolutely! This mousse is easy to customize with your favorite toppings or mix-ins. Here are some delicious options to try:

Add fresh fruit like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or your favorite.
Sprinkle chocolate curls or dust cocoa powder over the top to get a chocolate fix!
Add crushed graham crackers or cookies.
Drizzle caramel or chocolate sauce over the mousse.
For a delicious nutty flavor, add toasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts.
Dollop some whipped cream on top!
Decorate the mousse with colorful sprinkles.

If serving the mousse to guests, set out various flavors, toppings, and mix-ins to create their own, personalized dessert. It will be like a cheesecake mousse buffet!

Bowl of Cheesecake Mousse with a bite taken out showing inside texture.

How To Store Cheesecake Mousse

Store cheesecake mousse in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last up to 2-3 days. I do not recommend freezing the mousse.

Cheesecake Mousse

Prep Time 15

Chilling Time 1 15

Total Time 1 30

Real Cheesecake Mousse is a creamy blend of cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and heavy cream. The fluffy and light texture will feel as good on your tongue as it tastes! Enjoy the dessert as-is or with added fresh fruit, chocolate shavings, or your favorite cheesecake topping.

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Ingredients

▢ 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
▢ ½ cup (62.5 g) confectioners' sugar
▢ 2 cups (476 g) heavy cream
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 1 pinch kosher salt
▢ 4 large egg whites, room temperature

Instructions

Before starting, place the bowl and whisk attachment from your stand mixer* into the freezer to chill for about 15 minutes. Starting with a cold bowl will help the cream whip up faster and with more volume.
Once chilled, add the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar to the bowl. Mix on medium-high speed until fully combined and no lumps remain.
Slowly add the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt, mixing until stiff peaks form, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stiff peaks refer to the whipped cream peaks that stand straight up and hold their shape.
To a clean, dry bowl, add egg whites. Beat until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the whipped cream cheese mixture until incorporated.
Chill the mousse in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving. This helps the flavors to develop and the mixture to set slightly.

Notes

*You can also use a handheld mixer, but you will still need to use a chilled bowl.

This Cheesecake Mousse contains raw eggs. And though getting sick from eating raw egg products—particularly if you’re very careful to use very fresh eggs that have been adequately refrigerated and that weren’t cracked in the carton or are using pasteurized eggs—is relatively unlikely, folks who are pregnant or have compromised immune systems might want to avoid it.

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