Easy Cheesecake Mousse

This decadent, yet easy cheesecake mousse is incredibly versatile. It can be used as a filling in trifles, cupcakes, or even in a graham cracker pie crust, topped with luscious whipped cream. But, guess what? It’s also terrific as a cake frosting. And (gasp!) You can even eat it all alone, just as you would eat a bowl of pudding. It’s especially perfect as a filling in layered and tiered cakes. Yum!

So, What’s in this Miracle Mousse?

The foundation of this creamy mousse is softened cream cheese, which is whipped to perfection. And speaking of “whipped” you’ll be adding lots of whipping cream, which lightens it up! Much of the flavor comes from the addition of a pudding mix. My base recipe calls for vanilla, but we’ll talk about other flavors in a moment. For now, let’s look at the recipe: 

How to Make Easy Cheesecake Mousse:

As always, it starts with a box. (Because, hey. . .we’re not too proud to admit that we like to take a few shortcuts!)

Ingredients for the Easy Cheesecake Mousse:

Here’s what you’ll need to make this delectable dish:

• 1 rectangle softened cream cheese
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk (will use more or less, depending on desired consistency)

Instructions to Make Easy Cheesecake Mousse:

It’s easy-breezy, y’all! Just follow these simple instructions:

• Beat softened cream cheese.
• Add the whipping cream, sugar, pudding, and vanilla and whip until smooth and creamy. (Don’t over-whip!) 
• At this point the mousse might seem thick. Here’s where the milk comes in. Slowly incorporate the milk, a little at a time, until your mousse reaches the desired consistency. Place in a covered bowl and refrigerate until use. 

Variations on Easy Cheesecake Mousse:

This is the most versatile sweet treat ever! Let’s look at some different flavor profiles:

MINT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

• Substitute York Peppermint pudding mix for the vanilla pudding. 
• Use as a filling between my Double Mint Chocolate cookies.
• Use as a filling in my Mint Oreo Trifle.
• Use as a filling in Oreo cupcakes. 
• Use as a frosting on your favorite cake.
• Use as a pie filling with graham cracker crust, topped with whipped cream and crushed Mint Oreos. 

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

• Substitute chocolate pudding mix for the vanilla pudding.
• Use as a filling between peanut butter cookies.
• Use as a filling in a strawberry trifle. 
• Use as a filling in vanilla or chocolate cupcakes. 
• Use as a frosting on your favorite cake. 
• Use as a pie filling with graham cracker crust, topped with whipped cream, sliced strawberries, and crushed chocolate shavings.

OTHER VARIATIONS: (Make sure all puddings are instant.) 

• FRENCH VANILLA: Substitute French vanilla pudding
• OREO: Substitute Oreo pudding mix
• LEMON: Substitute lemon pudding mix
• COCONUT CREAM: Substitute coconut cream pudding mix
• BANANA: Substitute banana pudding mix 
• WHITE CHOCOLATE: Substitute white chocolate pudding mix
• BUTTERSCOTCH: Substitute butterscotch pudding
• PUMPKIN PIE SPICE: Substitute pumpkin spice pudding OR add 1 tsp cinnamon and ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice to the vanilla mousse recipe. 
• MARGARITA MOUSSE: Add ½ cup of your favorite margarita mix to the vanilla mousse recipe. 
• PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE: Add ½ cup of peanut butter (or peanut butter powder) to the vanilla mousse recipe.
• FRUITY MOUSSE: Add ½ cup of fruit puree (or preserves) to the vanilla mousse recipe. Options could include: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges or other soft fruits of your choice. 
• STRAWBERRY MOUSSE: If you don’t have fresh fruit or preserves on hand, you can always substitute strawberry cream pudding mix 
• CINNAMON: Add 1 tsp cinnamon to the vanilla mousse recipe.
• BROWN BUTTER: Add 1 cup brown butter to the vanilla mousse recipe. 
• COOKIE BUTTER: Y’all. What an idea! Add 1/2 cup softened cookie butter to the base recipe. (I can’t wait to try this one!)

Whew!

We could keep going, but you’ve got options a’plenty already! So, what’s keeping you? Grab that cream cheese, pudding, and whipping cream. There’s a mousse to make! 

About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.