Welcome berry season! This easy strawberry mousse recipe turns fresh strawberries into a light and flavorful dessert.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Luscious and light, this strawberry dessert is full of fresh strawberry flavor.
- Time-Saving Tips: Make ahead so it’s ready to share anytime.
- Swaps: Make it sugar-free using your favorite sweetener or swap out strawberries for raspberries or blueberries.
- Serving Suggestions: Use it as a cupcake topping, a cake filling, or layered in a colorful trifle. This is perfect for serving at dinner parties.
Ingredient Tips For Strawberry Mousse
- Strawberries: Use fresh or frozen strawberries. Thaw frozen strawberries before using.
- Gelatin: Unflavored gelatin powder gives this mousse the right consistency.
- Cream: Use heavy whipping cream (33 to 40% MF) for the best results.
- Toppings: Besides fresh sliced strawberries, top strawberry mousse dessert with homemade whipped cream, white or chocolate curls, crushed Nilla wafers, and a mint leaf for an Insta-worthy look.
- Variations: Mousse can be made with other berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries, or a combination of them.
Ways to Use Strawberry Mousse
- Fluffy and colorful strawberry mousse makes a great filling for a pie. Spread it into a graham cracker crust (or tart crust), chill, garnish, and serve.
- Use this mousse as a filling for a cake or cupcakes.
- Make individual strawberry mousse cups and have them ready for serving ahead of time.
Storing Strawberry Mousse
Prepare strawberry mousse up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate leftover strawberry mousse in a covered container for up to 3 days.
More Strawberry Favorites
Did your family love this Strawberry Mousse? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Homemade Strawberry Mousse
Homemade strawberry mousse is a light, fluffy, and creamy dessert made with fresh strawberries, vanilla, and whipped cream for a delightful, melt-in-your-mouth treat!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups strawberries rinsed and hulled (1 ½ cups strawberry puree)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 packet unflavored gelatin 0.25 oz or 7 g per package
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 drops red food coloring optional
Instructions
- Combine strawberries and sugar in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Strain with a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Combine cold water and gelatin, mix well, and let rest 1 minute. Add to the berry mixture and stir. Simmer on medium-low heat for about 2 minutes more or until gelatin is completely dissolved.
- Pour into a bowl and refrigerate to cool until slightly thickened, about 45-60 minutes.
- Once cooled and thickened, mix the strawberry mixture with a hand mixer for 2 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and vanilla. Continue mixing until thick and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Spoon the mousse into dessert cups and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
I strain the blended strawberries to remove the seeds and make a smoother mousse. You can skip this step if you prefer.
Most grocery stores carry unflavored gelatin near the other Jell-o products.
Other berries can be substituted for strawberries, you will need about 1 ½ cups of fruit puree.
Keep leftover mousse covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 228 | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 592IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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I started beating the cream mixture and realized you cannot get good results whipping without the whisk. It doesn’t thicken enough.
Hi Holly, my sister-in-law used to make strawberry mousse just by crushingg the strawterries with 35% cream, I think, I do not believe she cooked the mousse. Nothing in her recipe book. It was very very good. We would eat everything within two days. Can I do this without cooking it ?
I haven’t tried it without cooking before so I can’t say for sure.
Can frozen strawberries be used? Would you need additional gelatin due to the increased amount of juice?
Hi Jan, you can use frozen strawberries but they need to be thawed and drained first.
Refreshing – Simple- Easy to make
So glad you enjoyed it, Laura!
Easy recipe to follow, and the mousse was delicious! Bright strawberry flavor, not too sweet, and light and fluffy. I didn’t strain the puree, and the seeds were not a bother. Made it 24 hours in advance for a party and no issues with it sitting.
Light and fluffy. Absolutely delicious
I’ve tried lots of berry mouse recipes but yours is by far the BEST ! Fluffy and creamy!
Thank you
Thank you! So happy this recipe was such a success for you!
Yum. This was excellent!! Put it in parfait glasses with strawberries in between mousse and then whipped topping on top.
Used Tru Whip.
I didn’t strain strawberries and it was fine.
So glad you loved it Gail! Your presentation sounds so pretty.
So made it this weekend for Father’s Day. First batch did not set-up. Second batch I let it cool longer in my Kitchen Aid mixer bowl and let the Kitchen Aid do all the work. Second batch perfect, so re-whipped the 1st batch and combined them.
My family LOVED it. It was a huge hit. Will definitely make again. Also brought along a can Reddi Whip for on top.
To others: you have to have the strawberries REALLY cold before you add the whipping cream.
Thanks for the tips, Tami! Glad this turned out delicious for you.
i’m attempting to make this strawberry mousse. Do you puree the strawberries and measure out 2 1/2 cups before straining or after straining, do you then measure 2 1/2 cups?
Hi Lillian, we measure out 3 cups of strawberries and then puree them. Before straining it should equal roughly 1 ½ cups of puree.
I see the food coloring as an option, however, I do not see it in the directions. Curious where it would fall in?
If using food coloring, I would add it in Step 2.
After adding in the cream and beating for 5+ minutes my mixture is neither thick nor fluffy. What should I do to resolve this issue?
I can’t say for sure as I didn’t experience the same problem. Did you use heavy whipping cream (at least 35%MF)? Once whipped the mousse does thicken/set more and change texture after it has been refrigerated for at least 2 hours.
You can try whipping the cream separately and fold into the cooled strawberry mixture. If you were to use cool whip, for example, you would be folding it in since it is already whipped.
Can Cool Whip be used in place of the heavy cream? If so, how much Cool Whip?
My husband is not a fan of the “real” stuff. :)
Hi Angie, we have never tried making this recipe with cool whip. But in step 5 instead of mixing in heavy cream, you could try folding in cool whip. We would love to hear how it turns out!
can you use a stand mixer for cream and puree – I don’t own a hand mixer?
Yes, that will work just fine.