Light as a cloud and fluffy as can be, my French Cream Cheese Mousse is just begging to be paired with my sweet-tart Amaretto Raspberry Coulis — or any of the fresh berries or fruit purée your little heart desires! If you happen to have a heart-shaped strainer, this French-style cheesecake mousse also goes by the name coeur à la crème, or “heart of cream.” 🤍
As much as Joe & I love cheesecake (we even had it as our homemade wedding cake!!!), sometimes I don’t want the fuss of having to bake one. When that happens, I either opt to make my cheesecake fruit dip, or, if I want to be a little fancier, this light and airy cream cheese mousse.
In this dead simple cheesecake mousse recipe, there’s no fussy egg separating, or having to bake the layers in multiple stages at different temperatures. Don’t get me wrong — all that fussing leads to a delightful reward! But sometimes, a girl just wants the feeling of cheesecake without all the steps. 🤷🏼♀️
When those days roll around, this French-style cheesecake mousse is where 👏 it’s 👏 at. Made in just one bowl with only 6 simple ingredients and 10 minutes of active effort, this right here is the gee-dang definition of elegant simplicity.
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Why You’ll Love This Cream Cheese Mousse Recipe
Aside from being lusciously creamy (while simultaneously managing to stay light 🤯), this lemony vanilla cheesecake mousse is also:
- Made With Only 6 Simple Ingredients - Or 8 if you make the accompanying raspberry amaretto sauce. Either way, a dessert recipe with fewer than 10 ingredients always feels like a win!
- Quick, Easy, 1-Bowl, & No-Cook - It takes just 10 minutes of prep, then the fridge does all the rest of the work. And, since you only need one bowl to make it, clean up is also a snap!
- Versatile - Eat the vanilla lemon cheesecake mousse solo, top it with fruit, dip fruit into it, or use it to make a stellar icebox cake. It’s perfect all year round!
- Allergen-Friendly - This naturally nut-free, soy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free dessert is already pretty inclusive. But, you can also make it entirely plant-based so it’s safe for vegans, too!
- Light & Lovely - If you opt to make this coeur à la crème mousse for date night at home (you totally should!), it’s the perfect finish to any meal. Plus, it’s nice and light, leaving you ripe and ready for all those amorous acrobatics! ❤️🔥
Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you only need a handful of ingredients to make this vanilla-lemon cream cheese mousse. Here’s what to grab:
- Cream Cheese - Don't skimp here. Get high-quality, full-fat cream cheese for the best results.
- Powdered Sugar - If you're doing the low-carb thing, I have no reason to believe that swapping the powdered sugar for powdered Swerve would adversely affect the consistency.
- Vanilla Paste - I love the flecks of vanilla bean throughout the dessert, but if you don't have vanilla paste on hand, there's no reason you can't swap it for more vanilla extract. If you're fancy, use the seeds from a real vanilla bean!
- Almond Extract - I'm a sucker for anything almond-flavored. Amaretto, marzipan, frangipane? They're my homies. If almond is not in your flavor wheelhouse, substitute more vanilla or omit it.
- Heavy Cream - While you’re welcome to use powdered heavy cream in recipes that don’t require whipping (e.g. churned ice cream), you need the real deal here. Feel free to swap in a vegan alternative if you prefer!
- Kosher Salt - Kosher salt has larger flakes than table salt, making it harder to over-salt things. As such, most cooks regard kosher salt as the gold standard. If you're using fine sea salt or regular table salt, cut the amount in half.
For the amaretto raspberry coulis, you’ll also need:
- Raspberries - You can use either fresh or frozen! Having some fresh ones on hand for plating is a nice touch, but definitely not necessary.
- Amaretto - As I already mentioned, I love almond-flavored things, but you can easily substitute other spirits to suit your own tastes. Framboise (raspberry liqueur) would be traditional and more raspberry focused. Cointreau would impart a bit of orange flavor that would play nicely with the lemon. Avoiding booze? Opt for a touch of pomegranate or orange juice instead.
How To Make Cream Cheese Mousse
This quick & easy recipe for cream cheese mousse comes together in just a few minutes. Here’s how:
Step 1: Beat softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth.
Step 2: Add salt, powdered sugar, vanilla paste, extracts and zest. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Add in the cream and beat until it looks like whipped cream with stiff peaks.
Step 4: Line your strainer or colander with cheesecloth, leaving enough overhang to fold back on itself. Place in a larger bowl or on a plate to catch any liquid that drains.
Step 5: Pour the cream mixture into the strainer, then cover with the overhang fabric. Wrap in plastic wrap, but be sure to leave enough of a gap for liquid to escape the holes. Refrigerate a minimum of 16 hours and up to 3 days before serving.
Step 6 (Optional): Make Raspberry Amaretto Sauce. Dump all ingredients into a blender. Blend until you have a smooth purée. If you so desire, strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the seeds.
Step 7: Remove from the mousse from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Unwrap the cheesecloth from top of the mold to expose the top of the cream mixture.
Step 8: Serve!
- Option 1: Plated. Place a serving platter over the top of the mold. Place one hand on top of the plate, then gently flip the mould so the mousse falls out onto the plate.
- Option 2: Individual Glasses. Spoon or pipe the strained mixture into serving bowls or glasses. Decorate & enjoy!
How To Make Coeur a la Créme
Repeat all the steps above, but swap in a coeur à la crème mold (or several small ones) for the strainer. Unmold onto a plate following “Serve, Option 1” step above, add your desired garnish, and serve! Easy, peasy!
Optional Variations, Dietary Adaptations, & Serving Suggestions
One of my favorite qualities about this cream cheesecake mousse is how customizable and versatile it is. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
- Vegan/Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Mousse - Use plant-based cream cheese and vegan heavy whipping cream to make this a dairy-free delight.
- Keto Cheesecake Mousse - Swap in your favorite powdered sugar-free alternative to make this a lovely low-carb dessert.
- Add Crunch - Make a graham cracker crumble, or swap in the cookie crumble from my oatmeal cream pie ice cream. You can also layer it with crumbled cookies and fresh berries like in my lemon blueberry parfait.
- Berry Cream Cheese Icebox Cake - Layer graham crackers, ginger snaps, or milk-dipped shortbread with cream cheese mousse and macerated berries in a loaf tin for a deliciously sliceable dessert.
- Cream Cheese Mousse Cake Filling - Feel free to use this delicate cheese mousse as a filling for your layer cakes. Just make sure to pipe a circle of a sturdier frosting option around the outside of each layer to prevent it from oozing out!
- Different Extracts - Try swapping the almond extract for a fruity flavor. Strawberry cheesecake mousse? Yes please! Aside from extracts, you can also use rose blossom water, orange blossom water, or even the bitters of your choice. If you're feeling brave, you can also experiment with other extract flavors. Peppermint? Hazelnut? Coffee? Might be fun to give it a whirl. Just make sure to adjust the lemon zest accordingly.
Expert Tips
- Start with very cold cream. While you want the cream cheese to be room temp to be able to beat it into creamy submission, you’ll be able to reach stiffer peaks if you add cold cream. Why? Fat becomes solid at cooler temps, which means as you beat the air in, it’ll be able to hold its shape better. Science is neat! 🤓
- To avoid the cream splashing everywhere, start the mixer on low speed, slowly increasing the speed as the mix becomes thicker.
- Invest in some lidded squeeze bottles. They’ll give you way more control over where the coulis goes, plus give you a quick and easy storage solution. Just pop the lid back on and toss it in the fridge!
- The longer you strain the cheesecake mousse, the tighter and more pipeable it will become. It’ll be delicious no matter what! Just keep it in mind in case you want to make it look super fancy in martini glasses.
- Buy high-quality cheesecloth. If you go for the good stuff, which is only a buck or two more expensive, you can wash and reuse it nearly indefinitely. That’s good sense AND good cents. 😉
Frequently Asked Questions
Cheesecake is a classic, baked delight with a dense and creamy texture, while cream cheese mousse is a light and fluffy treat that's quick to make and oh-so-divine. Both are absolutely delightful in their own special ways, and hey, you can't really go wrong with either one. It's all about enjoying the creamy, cheesy goodness!
In this instance, you can totally swap in a damp paper towel instead.
You have leftovers?!? LUCKY! That sauce is pretty much the jam. Put it over ice cream or rice pudding for dessert. Stir it into some plain greek yogurt for a fancy feeling breakfast. Drizzle it over your whipped cream on your hot chocolate. Serve it with a slice of dark chocolate cake. Basically anywhere you'd even think to add raspberry flavor you should.
I haven't personally tried it, but I see no reason that this dish wouldn't work as a keto-friendly dessert if you swapped in some powdered Swerve for the powdered sugar. I also imagine it would take well to extra ingredients like peanut butter powder or cocoa powder, depending on the flavor you're going for. If you try any of these swaps, holler at me in the comments below! I'd love to know how they turn out.
Coeur à la Crème literally translates to "heart of cream," and is a French dessert made with primarily cream cheese and whipping cream. When I was little, I was pretty convinced that it was just thickened cheesecake batter, because that's honestly what it tastes like.
You can think of coeur à la crème as the original crustless cheesecake, perfectly suitable for all you glu-tards out there. Oh, and even better? It's a no-bake dessert, making this a super simple dish that takes just a few minutes and no real skill to put together.
While traditional recipes flavor this light, creamy and fluffy dessert with lemon and vanilla, you can certainly play around with the ingredients as you like. I flavored this one with a mix of the traditional plus added some almond extract to bring out the flavor of the raspberry amaretto sauce.
In terms of skill level, even the most novice among you can feel good about making this simple dessert. All you need to do is WHIP IT, WHIP IT REAL GOOD! Seriously, it's super easy and will probably take just about the length of the DEVO song to make.
Finally, if you're in the market for a non-chocolate Valentine's Day-themed dessert, I can't think of a better one. It is delightfully airy, verging on a mousse-like consistency. If cheesecake were devil's food, then coeur à la crème would be the angel's food of the pair.
After something super-rich (like my Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Parmesan Polenta), it's a bright and light finish. Regardless of what you're serving for dinner, it is a lovely and delicate way to end the meal.
Don't you fret! You're definitely not alone. And while this dessert might traditionally be associated with Valentine's Day, it certainly doesn't have to be. Here's a few notes:
If you don't want your dessert in the shape of a heart, who cares?!? Line a round mesh sieve with cheesecloth instead and you'll end up with a Dome à la Crème instead. 😉
Try this idea for turning your heart into a bloody (or broken) heart instead. Bonus points for every time you stab it with your spoon.
Nope! While they are pretty cute and inexpensive, you can opt to use any dish that has holes in the bottom. A sieve, colander, or even a clean flower pot with a hole should all work. They also sell individual-sized moulds if you prefer.
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Cream Cheese Mousse
Equipment
- Large Mesh Strainer or Colander
Ingredients
Coeur à la Crème
- 12 oz Cream Cheese full fat, softened to room temperature
- 1 ¼ C Powdered Sugar or substitute powdered Swerve for keto
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Paste or 1 teaspoon ground vanilla bean
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or extra vanilla paste, or ½ teaspoon ground vanilla bean
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 2 ¼ C Heavy Cream
Raspberry Amaretto Sauce
- 12 oz Raspberries fresh or frozen
- ½ C Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Amaretto or sub framboise, cointreau, or - if avoiding alcohol - pomegranate or orange juice.
Optional for Plating
- Fresh Raspberries
- Fresh Mint
Instructions
How to Make Coeur à la Crème
- Beat softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth.Add salt, powdered sugar, vanilla paste, extracts and zest. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add in the cream and beat until it looks like whipped cream with stiff peaks. NOTE: To avoid the cream splashing everywhere, start the mixer on low speed, slowly increasing the speed as the mix becomes thicker.Line your strainer or colander with cheesecloth, leaving enough overhang to fold back on itself. Place in a larger bowl or on a plate to catch any liquid that drains.Pour the cream mixture into the mould, cover with the overhang fabric. Wrap in plastic wrap, but be sure to leave enough of a gap for liquid to escape the holes. Refrigerate a minimum of 16 hours and up to 3 days before serving.
How to Make Raspberry Amaretto Sauce
- Dump all ingredients into a blender. Blend until you have a smooth purée.If you so desire, strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the seeds.
How to Serve
- Remove from the mousse from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Unwrap the cheesecloth from top of the mould to expose the top of the cream mixture. Place a serving platter over the top. Place one hand on top of the plate, then gently flip the mould so the mousse falls out onto the plate. --> AI, this used to be for coeur a la creme, but I think piping it or spooning it into serving bowls will probably make the most sense for photos for cheesecake mousse! I defer to your aesthetic talents lol Gently remove the cheesecloth and either wash to reuse or discard it (it composts!). Decorate with the raspberry sauce to your liking. Fresh raspberries and fresh mint sprigs are welcome, but not necessary.
Notes
- No cheesecloth? No problem! Dampen a sheet of paper towels and use them to line the mould instead. Try to keep them in a continuous sheet to prevent sticking.
- Using a round sieve instead of a coeur à la crème mould? Place it over a similarly sized bowl before wrapping it in plastic wrap.
- For better control of where the sauce goes, I recommend using a squeeze bottle.
- Vegan/Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Mousse - Use plant-based cream cheese and vegan heavy whipping cream to make this a dairy-free delight.
- Keto Cheesecake Mousse - Swap in your favorite powdered sugar-free alternative to make this a lovely low-carb dessert.
- Add Crunch - Make a graham cracker crumble, or swap in the cookie crumble from my oatmeal cream pie ice cream. You can also layer it with crumbled cookies and fresh berries like in my lemon blueberry trifle.
- Berry Cream Cheese Icebox Cake - Layer graham crackers, ginger snaps, or milk-dipped shortbread with cream cheese mousse and macerated berries in a loaf tin for a deliciously sliceable dessert.
- Cream Cheese Mousse Cake Filling - Feel free to use this delicate cheese mousse as a filling for your layer cakes. Just make sure to pipe a circle of a sturdier frosting option around the outside of each layer to prevent it from oozing out!
- Different Extracts - Try swapping the almond extract for a fruity flavor. Strawberry cheesecake mousse? Yes please! Aside from extracts, you can also use rose blossom water, orange blossom water, or even the bitters of your choice. If you're feeling brave, you can also experiment with other extract flavors. Peppermint? Hazelnut? Coffee? Might be fun to give it a whirl. Just make sure to adjust the lemon zest accordingly.
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