Strawberry Mousse

Creamy, light and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor, this strawberry mousse might become your new favorite dessert. Our recipe is a whipped cream-style mousse, which is different—and, dare I say, easier to make—than traditional French mousse recipes made with eggs.

Made with three simple ingredients—ripe strawberries, sugar and heavy whipping cream—this strawberry mousse recipe is the perfect no-bake dessert to showcase juicy summer berries. It seems ultra-fancy but takes just 15 minutes to prepare. Whip up a batch of strawberry mousse to satisfy a craving for a sweet fruity dessert, serve it at a party, add it to a dessert charcuterie board, or use it as a creamy filling in trifles and cakes!

How to Make Strawberry Mousse

The first step for this light and airy strawberry mousse recipe is to puree strawberries with a bit of sugar. A blender or food processor is the best tool for making a quick, lump-free fruit puree.

Then, it’s time to make the whipped cream base. I highly recommend breaking out a hand-held or stand mixer for this job. We beat the cream until stiff peaks form, which can take five minutes or more of continuous beating. You’ll know your cream has reached stiff peaks when it holds its shape as you pull the beaters out of the cream; the peaks of the cream should stand straight and firm.

Lastly, the whipped cream is gently folded with the strawberry puree and the mixture is refrigerated for several hours to firm up before serving.

Ingredients for Strawberry Mousse

• Strawberries: You’ll need 1 pound strawberries for the mousse, plus a few extra berries to slice for garnishing. If fresh strawberries are in season, look for firm and bright red berries with no pink or white spots. The berries are pureed, so you don’t need to chop them, but you should clean the strawberries and remove the hulls. You can also make this mousse with frozen strawberries, but thaw them first and drain any excess liquid before proceeding with the recipe.
• Sugar: Strawberries are naturally sweet, so we use just 1/4 cup granulated white sugar to lightly sweeten the mousse.
• Heavy whipping cream: Perfectly whipped cream gives this strawberry mousse recipe a rich flavor and is the secret to its light and fluffy texture. Make sure your cream is ice cold before whipping; chilled cream produces a more voluminous whipped cream with a sturdier structure. This recipe calls for 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream. If you buy a pint of cream just for this recipe, here are some ideas to help use up extra heavy whipping cream.

Directions

Step 1: Puree the strawberries

Puree the strawberries and sugar in a high-powered blender until smooth.

Editor’s Tip: For extra-smooth mousse, strain the strawberry puree through a sieve to remove any seeds.

Step 2: Whip the cream

Pour the heavy whipping cream into a large bowl. Beat the heavy whipping cream with a stand or hand-held mixer at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, four to five minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup whipped cream and set aside.

Editor’s Tip: Pop your bowl and beaters into the fridge for at least 10 minutes before beating the cream. The extra chill will help the cream whip faster and fluffier!

Step 3: Fold the whipped cream and strawberry puree together

Gently fold the strawberry puree into the whipped cream until incorporated.

Editor’s Tip: Use a flexible spatula to gently fold ingredients until no white streaks remain. It may be tempting to stir everything together quickly, but resist the urge! Stirring will deflate the whipped cream, resulting in a flat and watery mousse.

Step 4: Chill the mousse

Cover the mousse and refrigerate it for six hours or overnight. Refrigerate the reserved whipped cream. When ready to eat, serve the strawberry mousse in dessert bowls, each topped with a dollop of the reserved whipped cream and extra sliced strawberries.

Editor’s Tip: Spooning or piping the strawberry mousse into individual bowls or jars before chilling will help it set up faster and result in a neater presentation.

TASTE OF HOME

Strawberry Mousse Variations

• Mix up the berries: For a mixed berry mousse, substitute an equal amount of assorted berries, such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
• Add cream cheese: Let cheesecake be your guide and fold softened cream cheese into the whipped cream with the strawberry puree. Who wouldn’t love a dessert that’s part strawberry cheesecake and part cheesecake mousse?
• Enhance the flavor: A splash of vanilla or almond extract folded into the whipped cream will add another layer of flavor.
• Top with chocolate: Chocolate + strawberries are a dream. Garnish individual servings of strawberry mousse with chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips.
• Make parfaits: Layer the strawberry mousse with extra fruit puree, chopped fruit, cake pieces, crumbled cookies or another mousse flavor, like white chocolate mousse, for a whole new dessert.

How to Store Strawberry Mousse

Keep the strawberry mousse chilled in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it. If you’re portioning the mousse into single servings before chilling, use jars with tight-fitting lids or cover dessert bowls with storage wrap.

How long does strawberry mousse last?

When stored correctly in the fridge, strawberry mousse should last up to two days. Stash it toward the back of the refrigerator, where it’s colder and better protected from temperature fluctuations each time you open the door.

Can you make strawberry mousse ahead of time?

Strawberry mousse is a great make-ahead recipe, but you can make it only about one day in advance. Any sooner and the mousse may deflate and turn watery. This recipe requires several hours of chilling before serving, so a few extra hours in the fridge will ensure the mousse thickens and sets up beautifully.

Strawberry Mousse Tips

TASTE OF HOME

Why is my mousse chunky?

If your strawberry mousse recipe is dense and chunky, the cream was likely over-whipped. Beating the cream just a hair too much can quickly turn it from stiff peaks to a thick and grainy consistency—the first step to making butter. To avoid this, keep a watchful eye on your cream while whipping.

Why is my mousse runny?

If your mousse is runny or flat, your cream was under-whipped or the ingredients needed to be folded together more gently. Vigorous stirring will deflate the air pockets in the whipped cream, resulting in a heavier mousse with less volume.

Can you make strawberry mousse with frozen strawberries?

Yes, you can substitute frozen strawberries for fresh strawberries. When strawberries are in season, fresh is best! However, frozen strawberries may give the mousse a more distinct berry flavor when berries are out of season. Thaw frozen berries in the fridge overnight, then drain any excess liquid in a colander or by blotting the berries with paper towels before pureeing.

Can you substitute half-and-half for heavy cream in mousse?

No, you can’t replace the heavy cream with half-and-half. Half-and-half has a thinner consistency and won’t whip well because it contains less fat than heavy cream. Fat is what helps trap and hold air in the whipped cream. If you’re wondering about heavy cream vs. whipping cream, either can be used in this strawberry mousse recipe.