Eton Mess is an easy and classic British Dessert that’s made with strawberries, whipped cream, and meringue cookies. The flavor is so bright and the strawberry syrup cuts the sweetness perfectly. It comes together quickly and is always a crowd-pleasing summer dessert.

Just like our Coffee Affogato or Strawberries Romanoff, you’ll love that this is a no-bake, no-cooking required dessert. Watch the video tutorial and learn how to make a Strawberry Eton Mess. 

Strawberry eaton mess in glass serving cups

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Strawberry Eton Mess Recipe

It’s no wonder this recipe is so popular – it’s simple but has such a beautiful presentation and the flavors are exciting with the fresh strawberry sauce and chunks of fresh strawberries poured over lightly sweetened whipped cream. Those bits of meringue cookies add a fabulous crunch and you get a little bit of every layer with each bite.

This is bound to become your new favorite summer strawberry dessert. It works great for parties because you can make smaller portions divided between ramekins or glasses. It’s also a naturally gluten-free dessert.

Top view of Eton Mess with strawberries, cream and meringue

Eton Mess Video Tutorial

Watch Natasha make this Strawbery Eton Mess. You will be surprised at how easy it is and how quickly it comes together. The flavors are memorable and I hope this becomes a new favorite strawberry dessert for you.

Ingredients

You can use either store-bought meringue cookies for the easiest version or homemade meringue cookies. We used Trader Joe’s Meringue Cookies but you can also find them at bakeries or order Meringue Cookies on Amazon.

  • Vanilla meringue cookies – you’ll need about 10 cookies that are 1 1/2″ wide.
  • Strawberries – we blend or mash up 2/3 of the strawberries and quarter the rest to keep a chunky consistency.
  • Lemon – make sure to zest the lemon first then squeeze the juice. Adding both the zest and the juice to the strawberries adds an extra layer of flavor.
  • Sugar – lightly sweetens the whipped cream and strawberry mixture. If your strawberries aren’t very sweet, you can add more sugar.
  • Heavy whipping cream – heavy cream has a higher fat content than regular whipping cream and is much easier to beat into whipped cream. Also, make sure it’s very cold right out of the refrigerator before beating.
Ingredients with strawberries, meringue, cream, lemon and sugar

Pro Tip: You can change up the fruit for variety. Try a mixed berry Eton mess or a tropical spin with Mango. Diced stone fruit is also delicious in this classic dessert.

How to Make Eton Mess

  1. Crush the Meringue – Set your meringue cookies into a zip-top bag and crush them into course crumbles with a rolling pin or with the smooth side of a meat mallet, or even a small saucepan. Whatever gets the job done! 
  2. Make Strawberry Topping – In a medium bowl, add 2/3 of your sliced strawberries along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 2-3 Tbsp of sugar depending on the sweetness of your strawberries. Mash the strawberries into a chunky consistency. Stir in the remaining 1/3 of your quartered strawberries and add more sugar to taste if needed. 
  3. Beat Whipped Cream – Beat cold heavy cream and 1 Tbsp of sugar on medium/high speed with an electric mixer with a whisk attachment for 3-4 minutes or until the cream has stiff peaks. 
Step by step how to make the strawberries, whipped cream and crushed meringue

Pro Tip: You can also substitute the mashed strawberries with our Strawberry Sauce. This dessert is a fantastic way to use up leftover Strawberry Sauce or even Cherry Sauce.

How to Assemble an Eton Mess

Add your ingredients to clear drinking glasses, sorbet cups, or your serving dish of choice. Spoon some cream into the bottom, top with a heaping spoonful of the strawberry mixture, add crumbled meringue and repeat with cream, fruit, and meringue to fill the cup. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.

How to assemble Eton Mess in a glass serving dish

Pro Tip: Depending on the size of your serving cups, you can get 4-6 servings of Eton Mess with this recipe but it’s easy to scale up or down. 

Layers of Eton mess in a glass serving cup

Make-Ahead

If you want to make this a day ahead of time, it’s best to keep all of the 3 parts separate (meringue, strawberries, and whipped cream). Cover and refrigerate the strawberries and whipped cream separately and store the meringue at room temperature. Assemble just before serving.

  • To Refrigerate: I found these to have the best texture if they are eaten right away or covered and refrigerated for up to 3 hours before serving. After that, the meringue starts to get soft and melty.
  • Freezing: Eton Mess dessert is not freezer friendly.
Fully assembled Eton Mess

The best part of an Eton Mess is eating it! Every spoonful has layers of strawberries, whipped cream, and crushed meringue. The taste and texture are refreshing and such a delight. P.S. Keep this one in mind for Valentine’s Day or your next special occasion.

More Easy Dessert Recipes

If you love this Strawberry Eton Mess and are looking for more easy desserts, you will find some new favorite dessert recipes here. These are also our most-requested party desserts.

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Strawberry Eton Mess Recipe

5 from 20 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
Eton Mess is a no-bake, classic British dessert with layers of fresh and blended strawberries, lightly sweetened whipped cream and crushed meringue cookies. The strawberries give it vibrant flavor and cuts the sweetness. Eton Mess is so easy to put together and is perfect for gatherings.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 people
  • 3-4 ounces vanilla meringue cookies, 10-12 count, 1 1/2” wide cookies
  • 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered, divided
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 3-4 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided and added to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  • Crush the Meringue: Set your meringue cookies into a zip-top bag and crush them into course crumbles with a rolling pin.
  • Strawberry Topping: In a medium bowl, add 2/3 of your sliced strawberries along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 2-3 Tbsp of sugar depending on the sweetness of your strawberries. With a potato masher or immersion blender, coarsely blend up your strawberries into a chunky consistency. Stir in the remaining 1/3 of your quartered strawberries and add more sugar to taste if needed.
  • Beat Whipped Cream: In the bowl of your stand mixer, add cold heavy cream and 1 Tbsp of sugar. Beat on medium/high speed with the whisk attachment until whipped and spreadable, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Assemble: Add your ingredients to clear drinking glasses or your serving cups or dishes of choice. Spoon some cream into the bottom, top with a heaping spoonful of the strawberry mixture then meringue. Repeat with cream, fruit, and meringue to fill the cup.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Keyword: Eton Mess, Eton Mess Recipe, Strawberry Eton Mess
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Jodi
    April 13, 2024

    This was so easy to make and it was beautiful and delicious. It tasted every bit as good as the Eaton Mess I had at Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant! Everyone around the table loved it!

    Reply

  • Elsie Louise Pfleider
    October 15, 2023

    I made this exactly as directed and it was perfect. I loved it. So did everyone else. You were right about the lemon and lemon zest. They lifted the whole dessert beautifully. Thank you for this recipe. It goes into my box of reliables.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 15, 2023

      Glad to hear that the recipe was a huge hit! Thanks so much for sharing that with us.

      Reply

  • Cristina
    August 5, 2023

    I want to make this dessert, it looks delicious, but I can’t find vanilla meringue cookies anywhere in Calgary, Canada.
    What can I do? Amazon have them but too expensive!!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 5, 2023

      Hi Cristina. We by them from Amazon or Trader Joe’s. You could use homemade meringue cookies too, but it’s more time consuming.

      Reply

    • Mary Momot
      August 9, 2023

      Try Winners/Homesense or Marshalls. They often have them in their food section.

      Reply

  • Tara
    May 14, 2023

    So light, decadent, and tasty!!! Absolutely delicious and festive looking!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 15, 2023

      Thanks for your good feedback, Tara!

      Reply

  • Jane Ormrod
    February 12, 2023

    Late to the game here, but Sharky came in at roughly 5:02, when you tasted the dessert and said “Wow”.

    Wow indeed! This is so fast and really good. Great for camping if you can keep ingredients cold and have an electrified campsite.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 12, 2023

      Great catch and thank you for your comments and review!

      Reply

  • Teresa
    August 31, 2022

    I LOVE meringue desserts, I think I am gonna play around with this and do blueberry with lemon meringues or raspberry with the vanilla, my husband is horribly allergic to strawberries..Isnt that an awful allergy to have..lol

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 31, 2022

      All of those flavors sound delicious, Teresa! 🙂

      Reply

  • MARY WOOD
    August 28, 2022

    SHARKY CAME DOWN ESIDE YOUR HEAD WHEN YOU WERE TASTING THE DESSERT. IT LOOKS YUMMY.

    Reply

  • Larisa
    August 28, 2022

    I made it, people loved it.

    Quick question: would the dessert be better with cream cheese in the cream, or it would be too much?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 28, 2022

      Great to hear that you loved this recipe, Larisa. I haven’t tested that to advise, we’d love to know how it gooes if you do an experiment!

      Reply

  • Suzane Cole
    August 27, 2022

    looks delish—saw sharkie come down behind your hear on your side of your head head

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 27, 2022

      Good eye! 🙂 I hope you get to try this recipe, Suzane! 🙂

      Reply

  • Jessica
    August 27, 2022

    This was absolutely AMAZING!! I hadn’t heard of it before so I wanted to try it as soon as I saw it. I’m so glad that I did because it’s now a favorite!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 27, 2022

      That’s wonderful, Jessica! I’m so glad you tried it and loved it. 🙂

      Reply

  • DeeLynna DeBord
    August 27, 2022

    One word wow ( 🦈 ) 5 minutes 3 seconds ✨👀🦈 recipe sounds delicious I must try this one ✨❤️

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 27, 2022

      Good eye, DeeLynna! Sharky couldn’t wait to try the Eton Mess! THank you for watching!

      Reply

  • Erin
    August 27, 2022

    I love how quick and easy this was! Everyone loved it. Thanks a bunch!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 27, 2022

      So glad it was enjoyed! Thank you, Erin.

      Reply

  • lynnz
    August 26, 2022

    saw the shark at 5:02 on the video. This quick summer dessert looks so refreshing. must try

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 26, 2022

      I hope you get a chance to try it. 🙂

      Reply

  • Lee
    August 26, 2022

    Spotted sharky around 5:02 in the Eton Mess video. Great easy recipe Natasha!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 26, 2022

      Thanks, Lee! 🙂

      Reply

  • Melissa
    August 26, 2022

    YUM – as soon as I saw your recipe I knew I had to try it! So delicious and such a beautiful dessert.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 26, 2022

      Thank you, Melissa! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

      Reply

  • Tammy
    August 26, 2022

    Oh my heck….I am so making this soon…..soo yummy 😋
    Thanks Natasha! Your blog is amazing!!!!!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 26, 2022

      Hi Tammy! Thank you. I hope you love it! 🙂

      Reply

  • Ela Kowalczyk
    August 26, 2022

    So tasty and refreshing. Really fast to prepare once you have all the ingredients. Thanks.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 26, 2022

      Thank you for the wonderful feedback, Ela! I’m glad it was enjoyed!

      Reply

  • Diane Moloney
    August 26, 2022

    A perfect light dessert with zest, crunch, fruit and whipped cream! My guests will love it!
    Thanks Natasha!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 26, 2022

      I hope they do, Diane! Thank you 🙂

      Reply

      • Pamela
        August 27, 2022

        Wow!amazing thank you and it’s really great to watch your blog

        Reply

        • NatashasKitchen.com
          August 27, 2022

          Thank you, Pamela! 🙂

          Reply

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