Easy Strawberry Mousse

This no bake recipe is a beautiful blend of freshly pureed strawberry for a sweet, but tart taste, paired with honey to enhance their natural sweetness. Cool Whip is the perfect addition to create a light, fluffy and creamy final product that will satisfy all the sweet teeth at your gatherings.

Mousse is a light and airy dessert that has a dense foam-like texture. Typically, a strawberry mousse would be made with fresh fruit, sugar, heavy cream, egg whites or gelatin. We make this version with honey and icing sugar for sweetness, and xanthan gum instead of egg whites or gelatin.

This Easy Strawberry Mousse recipe was inspired by my love for strawberries, and needing a lighter, guilt-free dessert option.

• Easy: It is right in the title. This is such a quick recipe to whip up and serve the next day.
• Flavorful and Fresh: It is a light and airy dessert, but full of sweet freshness.
• Minimal Ingredients: With just a few ingredients, you have a lighter dessert option.
• No Bake: Everyone loves a no bake recipe that can be prepared in advance.

With only five ingredients needed, convenience is one of the best parts of making the dish.

See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

• Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are such a beautiful base for this delectable dessert.
• Honey: A natural sweetener to contrast the tartness of strawberry.
• Icing Sugar: An intense sweetness without adding a gritty texture.
• Xanthan Gum: A thickening agent to help set the mousse.
• Cool Whip: Creates that perfect creamy texture and add lightness to the dish.

For this recipe, you'll want to have on hand a food processor, spatula, measuring cups and spoons, medium bowl and 4-ounce serving bowls.

Here are some helpful ideas for you to customize this Strawberry Mousse.

• Maple Syrup: For a light caramel profile you can use this instead of honey.
• Light Corn Syrup: It might be a bit more sweet than honey but is a great substitute.
• Castor Sugar: Instead of icing sugar you can use castor sugar.
• Whipping Cream: If you prefer to make your own version of Cool Whip you can use whipping cream and some added sugar for sweetness.
• Fruit Alternatives: You can mix up any fruit in this recipe but for seedier ones like raspberries and blackberries you will want to strain out the seeds first.
• Frozen Strawberries: You can use frozen, but need to thaw them fully. They may hold more water, so you may need to add extra xanthan gum at the end. Keep in mind a little goes a long way.

As daunting as mousse may sound to some people, trust me, it is so simple.

Puree strawberries, honey, icing sugar in a food processor (note: it will likely be a watery consistency).

Add xanthan gum and mix well until it starts to thicken up (about 1-2 minutes).

Pour into a medium bowl and add Cool Whip. Mix until combined.

Portion into 2 4-ounce glasses (or one larger glass/bowl), and chill in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. Serve with any desired garnishes.

Hint: When incorporating your Cool Whip it is important not to over mix. Too much mixing could make the texture grainy so be gentle to keep it smooth and creamy.

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This recipe rarely lasts long enough to store, but here are some helpful hints if you end up with leftovers.

• Refrigerator: Place in an airtight container and store for 3 to 4 days.
• Freezer: The texture of mousse can change when freezing, so I prefer to freeze it in a small freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. It keeps for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, place into your serving dish and garnish prior to eating.
• Make Ahead: As it will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days you can make ahead and take out when ready to serve. Don’t worry, it cannot overset, it will still be creamy and delicious the next few days.

• Cookies: A crunchy shortbread cookie gives an added texture.
• Fresh Fruit: Keeping things lighter, you can serve with a platter of assorted fruits.
• Chocolate: We all love a strawberry-chocolate combo. Whether it is chocolate sauce or shavings directly on the mousse, or as a side there are many things you can try. A chocolate cookie, pie, or even hot chocolate. We have a great Hot Chocolate Crock Pot Recipe that you can whip up quickly. Also, our Cookies from Devil's Food Cake Mix are a super fast, chocolatey cookie you can make to serve alongside.

Trust the process. If you are not familiar with xanthan gum, I am here to tell you that a little goes a long way. Ensure you allow your food process to run for two minutes to see the consistency before adding any additional (and if you do, small increments).

Do you have questions about making Easy Strawberry Mousse?

We like to keep this recipe very simple and just cut the stems off our washed and dried strawberries. You can choose to hull them as well, but it is not necessary.

A typical mousse with gelatin can take a few hours to set, whereas with xanthan gum it does take longer. We prefer to leave it overnight in the fridge, but you can check on it after 6 hours.

The simplest way to garnish a strawberry mousse is by piping whipped cream on top. A freshly halved or chopped strawberries can be added. Some people like to use fresh mint, strawberry puree, or even chocolate drizzle.

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