An easy, airy, strawberry mousse recipe that requires just 4 ingredients. The perfect light dessert that can also double as a stabilized strawberry whipped frosting!
We love strawberry mousse. I mean, seriously love it especially when it only takes 4 ingredients and is super easy to make.
This strawberry mousse recipe is a light, airy, creamy dessert that can be made in all different flavors but strawberry is one of our favorites. If you like mousses as much as us, you’ve gotta check out these other recipes:
- EASY 3-INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE – eggless and whips up in less than 5 minutes!
- RASPBERRY MOUSSE – eggless and made with fresh raspberries.
- RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE – sooooo good!
- MINT MOUSSE – easy, unique and perfect with a chocolate cup.
EASY AS 1-2-3-4!
This strawberry mousse recipe is so easy and tastes amazing. It only takes 4 ingredients and 4 simple steps to make.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS STRAWBERRY MOUSSE RECIPE:
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy cream
- Strawberry Jello Mix (in the box)
- Water (and a few ice cubes)
HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY MOUSSE:
- Dissolve jello mix in hot/boiling water. Set aside to cool. Don’t let it get chunky though.
- Whip heavy cream and powdered sugar together until medium peaks form.
- Once Jello mixture has cooled and is slightly warm to the touch, slowly pour it into the cream mixture with mixer on low speed. (If jello mixture is to warm and 2-4 ice cubes to it to help cool but make sure it doesn’t cool too much and become jelly. This will cause your mousse to have clumps in it.)
- Finish whipping strawberry mousse mixture until stiff peaks are formed then refrigerate until ready to serve.
HOW MUCH DOES HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY MOUSSE COST TO MAKE?
This strawberry mousse is easy to make and inexpensive! It whips up fairly quickly when following the 4 easy steps above. This mousse recipe yields about 4 to 4 1/2 cups which I’d say is 6-8 servings and can be used as a whipped frosting for cakes, cupcakes or enjoyed all by itself.
Prices for supplies may vary depending on the location and store you purchase groceries from. I try to shop bulk food stores, use coupons, watch ads and shop sales (like case lot), buy supplies in bulk to save money in the long run, and use homegrown produce and herbs when available. These are a great way to stay within my grocery budget without sacrificing flavor or nutrition.
Here’s a breakdown of how much this delicious mousse recipe cost me to make:
- Powdered sugar – $0.25
- Heavy cream – $2.54
- Strawberry jello mix (small box) – $0.50
- Water & ice cubes – FREE
This recipe only cost me $3.29 to make. That’s only about 65¢ per 1/2 cup serving. With 4 simple ingredients, 4 easy steps, and an inexpensive price tag, this strawberry mousse is a fun, easy way to add a touch of elegance to any night of the week.
CAN I USE STRAWBERRY MOUSSE AS FROSTING?
YES, this mousse recipe can double as a whipped, light frosting for cakes and cupcakes.
With wonderful characteristics such as sweet but not too sweet, light, airy, beautifully colored, and can be ready for frosting in less than an hour (you’ll want to make sure you allow it to chill and set before frosting a cake or cupcakes) this strawberry mousse recipe is a fantastic choose to use as a frosting.
If you’re a lover of strawberry shortcake, imagine this strawberry mousse inside this amazing Strawberry Shortcake recipe from my friend over at Sweet Spicy Kitchen! YUM!!!
LOOKING FOR THE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE?
I hope you enjoy this light delicious mousse recipe as much as we have! Here’s the full printable recipe.
Easy Strawberry Mousse
An easy, airy, strawberry mousse recipe that only requires 4 ingredients. The perfect light dessert that can also double as a stabilized strawberry whipped frosting!
Ingredients
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 3oz box of strawberry jello mix, just the powder
- 1/2 cup hot/boiling water, plus 2-4 ice cubes if desired to cool quicker
Instructions
- Dissolve jello mix in hot/boiling water. Set aside to cool. Don't let it get chunky though.
- Whip heavy cream and powdered sugar together until medium peaks form.
- Once Jello mixture has cooled but is still runny (not chunky) slowly pour it into the cream mixture with mixer on low speed. (If jello mixture is to warm add 2-4 ice cubes to it to help cool but make sure it doesn't cool too much and become jelly. This will cause your mousse to have clumps in it.) NOTE: If jello mixture is too warm it will deflate the cream and become very runny).
- Finish whipping strawberry mousse mixture until stiff peaks are formed then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
This recipe can be used as a light airy whipped frosting on cakes or cupcakes. The gelatin in the jello mix offers stability to the cream. If using as a frosting, allow mousse mixture to chill and set in the fridge for at least an hour. This will allow the gelatin to set so you get beautiful pipping tracks when using a pipping tip.
O.P. 7.1.19 Updated: 3.6.21
Hi Kelli, It sounds like the jello mixture was too hot (in step 3 I note that if the mixture is added when it’s still to warm it will deflate the whipped cream and become runny). When this happens, all is not lost. The final product may not be as light and airy but it will still taste creamy and delicious AFTER it has set (been refrigerated for a couple of hours). There’s a delicate balance with what temperature the jello mixture needs to be to get the right consistency. Too hot and it will make the cream runny. Too cold and it will create chunks in the cream rather than being incorporated. I hope this helps.
I followed recipe. It would not thicken up when whipping. I added more powdered sugar and cool whip. Then I put in refrigerator and it thickened up when it cooled. I don’t know- seemed like too much heavy whipping cream. But the taste is good!
Wonderful, quick, easy & fun dessert go to
Maggie… YUM! I love this as a cake filling. Thanks for sharing.
Followed all the directions and it turned out great for me! Used it as filling for a funfetti birthday cake 🙂
Hi Marta! Thanks for sharing. We’ve tried other flavors like cherry and raspberry and loved them.
Just tried this recipe came out delicious and yummy
Thanks
Next time I will try a different jello flavor
I’m sorry you had a struggle with this. It sounds like the jello was too cool even though it wasn’t set, if it’s too cool the second it hits the cold cream it will set creating little clumps of jello. If the temperature of the jello mixture was fine but you didn’t incorporate it quick enough, allowing it to cool before mixing it into the cream, that would cause it to gel and clump too.
I typically stick with the Jello brand for this but have used other brands and flavors with no issues. I’ve even made it with sugar-free jello (because that was the only kind I had on hand at the time).
My best guess on the flavor… If your jello clumped then the flavor, color and sweetness could go wonky because it wasn’t incorporated into the cream correctly. The cream would still taste sweeter than a whipped cream you put on a pie or dessert (that’s usually made with 1 cup cream to 3 tablespoons powdered sugar). There are 16 tablespoons in one cup. If we were just making sweetened whipped cream we would only need 9 tablespoons for 3 cups of cream.
A cup of powdered sugar plus the sugar and sweetness from the jello is ampule enough to sweeten and flavor 3 cups of cream if your timing is right and the jello mixture is incorporated correctly. Also, if made correctly, this mousse will set beautifully and works great as a frosting.
Sadly this did not turn out as I expected. I just threw 3 cups worth of heavy whipping cream, 3oz of jello and 1 cup of powdered sugar down the drain. The brand of jello I used makes a very tasty jello but I could barely taste the cherry flavor in this mousse. I’m not someone who likes things very sweet and yet I couldn’t even taste the powdered sugar in the mousse. The taste was that of basically what heavy whipping cream taste like before you add any sweetness to it. On top of all of that I had bits of jello throughout the mousse. Now that threw me because I made sure not to let the jello set. This just wasn’t edible 😕. I’ve made a frosting using instant jello pudding mix many times. Now that I will say can be used as a true frosting. Even a filling if you don’t put to thick of a layer down but this? It was a bust. As you can read from my 1st comment I had such high hopes…
Awesome! Sounds delish Tammie!
Thanks to Des, my question has been answered. I can’t wait to make this. I’m planning to use the Starburst cherry flavored jello. That in itself makes such an intense cherry jello I can only imagine how it’s going to taste as a mousse. I’m going to pair this with a chocolate sponge that I already have made and frozen. Plan to put a layer of vanilla pastry cream in between the layers then use the mousse to frost with. I’ll come back to let you know how it went. Thanks for the recipe…
You can use jam in place of Jello but the mousse will not be as stable because jam does not have gelatin in it. Also, do not use HEATED jam, this will deflate the cream and make your mousse runny or thin. Use jam staight from the fridge or at room temperature. I hope this helps. Enjoy!
Instead of the mix can you use heated jam for the strawberry flavour?
Nope, you will use the dry jello packet according to the MOUSSE recipe. You will not follow the jello box recipe at all. If extra water is added, this will effect the mousse’s stability and texture. I hope this helps.
With the jello, do you add cold water as well as boiling water as directed on packet?
Hi Trisha. Folding in fresh strawberries will change the structure but would taste great. The more the berries are cut the more it would effect the structure as the liquid that comes out of the berries will increase the more you chop them. If serving in individual serving dishes, I think you’d be fine to do it either way, strawberries mixed in or placed on top. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi,
If I’ve missed this question that’s been asked and answered, I apologize.
Can I fold in some fresh chopped strawberries or will it mess with the structure? If need be, i can always add fresh sliced on top when I serve it.
Ty so much for you help.
Hi Samar. I’ve never made this with cream shanti powder. I would think it would work with this recipe. If you try it I’d love to hear how it turns out. Good luck.
Can i ues cream shanti powder instead of whipping cream to make this recipe for cake filling please
thanks
Hi Tolu. The jello in this recipe is critical for stability, texture, and flavor. You could use fresh strawberry puree and unflavored gelatin (probably 1/2 cup puree to 1 packet of unflavored gelatin) but if you can’t get jello you may not be able to get unflavored gelatin.
Hi, thanks for this recipe, what other substitute can I use in place of jello, they don’t sell it in my area.
Hi Sara! I’ve never tried it but I’m guessing it would work great. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it goes.
Can this mousse be froze and used in a mirror glazed cake?
Hi Catherine! How awesome are you?!?! I love this version. It sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Hi all!
I made this with lime jello and used only 2 cups of whipping cream because that’s what I had on hand. It’s super refreshing and yummy. Topped it with homemade keto granola. It’s reminiscent of key lime pie! I also only added 2T of powered monk fruit, and the sweetness was perfect for me.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I was getting tired of the same ‘ol keto desserts!
Looking forward to trying it with all sugar free jello flavors! 😉
Hi Nat. Great questions. I would try to use this within 2-3 days of making it. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Hope this helps.
Hi! How long can it be stored before using?
Hi Felicia! I wouldn’t recommend adding COOKED strawberries to this recipe. Cooked strawberries are much sweeter than fresh. I’ve tried this recipe by heating the berries and to be honest, it’s not very good. I have added about a 1/4 – 1/2 cup fresh berry puree in place of the ice cubes. I added them after the mixture had cooled slightly to make sure the fresh berries didn’t get cooked. I hope this helps.
Thanks for the recipe! Do you think I could add pureed strawberries (cooked, so it’s hot) in place of the hot water, for a more intense strawberry flavour? Or would it get runny? I haven’t worked much with Jello before, I’m unsure how it would react.
So glad to hear you liked it. We love this recipe too.
This recipe worked out Great! My it made my desserts so BOMB!!! I’m so glad it worked out. I followed your steps and it worked out.
Yes, thank you! I think I had the speed too high. I missed the step where it says to reduce speed and it looked like watery cottage cheese!
Hi Ashley! Sorry to hear this. If it got really stiff then watery and clumpy it was over whipped (basically turned into strawberry butter and milk). If it was right after you added the jello mixture, your jello mixture may have been too hot or too cold but I don’t think that’s the case. If it was too hot the whipped cream would deflate and become soft (runny) but not clumpy. If the jello mixture was too cold it would be chunky or turn clumpy when it hit the cold cream but not make the cream go watery. I’m not sure if this helps. I’m guessing it was over whipped. Whipping cream can go from perfect stiff peaks to butter in a matter of a few seconds and that would cause the mixture to go watery and clumpy.
Help! My mousse turned watery & clumpy in a matter of seconds! What could I have done wrong?
Fabulous to hear, Des! My girls would love a cherry version of this mousse. Thanks for sharing.
Tried this with cherry jello instead and 1/2 cup of the sugar not 1 cup…super delicious. Thank you for this recipe!
Yes! Thanks for stopping by!
Can i use sugar free jello?
Yes, it can!
Can the prepared mousse be stored in the refrigerator to be used the following day?
You can but it won’t be as sweet.
Can I omit the powdered sugar?
Hi Amy! Yes, this recipe could be used as a cake filling. I would recommend letting it chill for a bit before using it. That way it will have more structure when the second layer of cake is placed on top. You might be fine using it immediately but to be safe I’d probably chill it for an hour or 2 before.
Could this be used as cake filling?