Vanilla mousse may not be something you’ve heard of before, but I’m here to tell you it's a life changing dessert hack. Make this two ingredient no bake dessert in just 5 minutes and become the a hero in your house!
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Two Ingredient Vanilla Mousse is so versatile!
This easy vanilla mousse is great in so many different desserts. You can make it in just five minutes after dinner when you just need something sweet, right now OR, make it in advance to serve on it’s own at a party.
Served on it’s own, it’s a decadent dessert, that you can top with sliced fruit, crushed cookies, or chocolate shavings depending on the occasion. Want to mix healthy with a treat? Try using this on top of my healthy apple donuts in place of the peanut butter...double yum!
Vanilla mousse is similar to a vanilla pudding filling in pies, and can be used as a custard cake filling or as a whipped frosting on simple cupcakes. This mousse recipe’s versatility is one of the reasons I love it so much!
But really the best part is just how quickly and easily you can make it.
Ingredients
A few notes on the ingredients:
- Instant Pudding: I have only tested this recipe with Jell-o instant vanilla pudding. Other vanilla pudding mixes will likely work, but be sure they say “instant”, not “cook & serve”. Also, pay attention to the size of the box. This recipe is written for instant pudding mixes that are 3.4-3.9oz boxes, the little ones, not the big ones.
- Heavy whipping cream: It’s a must. No substitutions this time.
How to make vanilla mousse (step by step instructions)
To make things even simpler, here are step-by-step photos to help you every step of the way.
This two ingredient dessert has easy to find ingredients and the directions to make it are just as easy.
Pour the instant vanilla pudding mix in a medium sized mixing bowl. To that, add the heavy whipping cream.
With a hand mixer, start mixing slowly at first (so you don’t get pudding mix powder everywhere) and then once the two ingredients are combined, beat until you get a light and fluffy whipped pudding mixture.
The consistency should be close to a thick buttercream frosting. Once you are done mixing it’s ready to use. If you aren’t enjoying it right away, store in the fridge until you are ready to eat.
For all measurements and full directions, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to serve vanilla mousse in small ice cream dishes and then put out toppings for people to customize. It’s a fun way to let people feel included in the process. Toppings like crushed graham crackers, crushed sandwich cookies, fresh or frozen fruit, even granola or fun cereals all work as topping ideas.
Vanilla mousse is a great substitute for a quick vanilla custard filling for cakes and cupcakes. If you add some other fun toppings to it and make a double recipe, the mousse works as a no- bake pie filling as well.
How to store the mousse for later
This quick vanilla mousse recipe is great to make ahead of time. Mix it all up and then put into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to one week. I like to use glass containers when I store this recipe. It keeps the vanilla flavor pure and these containers tend to keep their seal a little bit tighter than some of the plastic ones.
To keep a film or crust from forming on the top, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the whipped pudding for best results.
Another storage trick is to grab mason jars in the size you want to serve from and then portion out the mousse before you store it. Saves a ton of time and clean-up on the day you want to serve them. Or use this tip as simple portion control 😉. I like the 4 oz size for this recipe.
One more simple tip
This 2 ingredient vanilla mousse recipe makes a great filling for homemade donuts! I know, who knew? You’ll want to make the mixture a little bit thinner than a frosting, so it’s simple to pipe into the center of your donut.
Do this by simply adding a bit more heavy cream as you are mixing it up. It’s the perfect solution for a quick donut filling when you are short on time. Looking for a good donut recipe? Check out this one from my friend Anita, at Wild Thistle Kitchen.
Looking for more simple dessert recipes? Try these:
When you try this recipe and love it 😍 let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
2 Ingredient Vanilla Mousse
Ingredients
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding (3.4-3.9 oz package)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Pour the instant vanilla pudding mix in a medium sized mixing bowl. To that, add the heavy whipping cream.
- With a hand mixer, start mixing slowly at first (so you don’t get pudding mix powder everywhere) and then once the two ingredients are combined, beat until you get a light and fluffy whipped pudding mixture.
- Once you are done mixing it’s ready to use. It should be the consistency of a thick buttercream.
- If you aren’t enjoying it right away, store in the fridge until you are ready to eat.
Notes
Nutrition
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Veronica kucic
I just like to know if I can add cacao powder with vanilla instant pudding n cream to whip up together
Marni Katz
Veronica - That should work just fine. Can also use chocolate instant pudding 🙂