Go Back
Print Recipe

No-Bake Strawberry Mascarpone Dessert Cups

Creamy mascarpone mousse with a soft strawberry layer - all without turning on the oven. These are chilled strawberry mascarpone dessert cups look fancy in a glass, but the steps are simple and the fridge does most of the work. They are perfect for date night, a dinner party, baby showers, Mother's Day or anytime you want a make-ahead dessert that looks impressive. Scroll down for the ingredients and step-by-step.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Chill Time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Servings: 4
Calories: 375kcal
Author: Chop and Cheers

Ingredients

Strawberry mixture

  • 1 lb strawberries frozen or fresh (about 450 g)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar about 37 g

Mascarpone cream

  • 1 3/4 cups mascarpone about 14 oz, 400 g
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream about 80 ml
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar about 60 g
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml

Gelatin

  • 1 tablespoon gelatin about 9 to 10 g
  • 1/2 cup water 120 ml

For serving (optional)

  • Fresh strawberries
  • White chocolate drops

Instructions

Prepare the gelatin

  • In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon gelatin with 1/2 cup water and let it sit for 5 minutes until it forms a sponge-like texture.
  • Place the bowl with the gelatin in a heatproof container filled with hot water. Stir until the gelatin dissolves completely. Set it aside to cool slightly before adding it to the mousse mixture.

Cook the strawberry mixture

  • In a small saucepan, combine 1 lb strawberries and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar.
  • Heat over medium heat until the strawberries soften and the sugar dissolves, allowing the mixture to thicken slightly, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let it cool completely.

Make the mascarpone cream

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
  • Beat until smooth and well-combined.

Blend half the strawberries

  • Once the strawberry mixture has cooled, blend half of it in a blender until smooth. Reserve the other half with whole strawberry pieces.

Fold and chill

  • Gently fold the blended strawberry mixture into the mascarpone cream.
  • Refrigerate for about 20 minutes to firm up slightly.
  • Add gelatin to the blended strawberry mixture
  • Just before assembling, mix the dissolved gelatin into the blended strawberry mixture.

Assemble the cups

  • In serving glasses, layer the mascarpone cream with the reserved whole strawberries, filling each glass almost completely.
  • Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the strawberry-gelatin mixture on top of the mascarpone cream.
  • Garnish with fresh strawberries and white chocolate drops (optional).

Chill and serve

  • Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours to set. Serve chilled.

Notes

  • For the cleanest layers, chill the filled cups for 10 minutes before adding the strawberry-gelatin topping.
  • If you want an extra-smooth topping, strain the blended strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve before adding gelatin.