The photo appears to show a light, fluffy strawberry Jello mousse made with sugar-free strawberry gelatin. It is an easy no-bake dessert that works especially well in individual plastic cups.
Note: The exact recipe used for the pictured dessert isn’t visible from the photo, so the recipe below is a close copycat. Nutrition will vary depending on the whipped topping/cream you use.
Ingredients
Makes 6 generous cups or 8 smaller cups
1 box (0.3 oz / 8.5 g) sugar-free strawberry Jello
1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
½ cup (120 ml) cold water
1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp powdered erythritol or other powdered zero-calorie sweetener — optional
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup finely diced fresh strawberries — optional
A few whole strawberries for decoration
For an even easier version
Instead of whipping heavy cream yourself, use:
1 box (0.3 oz / 8.5 g) sugar-free strawberry Jello
1 cup boiling water
½ cup cold water
8 oz (227 g) thawed sugar-free/light whipped topping
This version will be especially close to the fluffy consistency in the photograph.
Full Method
1. Dissolve the Jello
Place the sugar-free strawberry Jello in a large mixing bowl.
Pour in 1 cup boiling water.
Whisk continuously for about 2 minutes, until all the gelatin crystals have completely dissolved.
Important: Don’t rush this step. Undissolved gelatin can leave little rubbery pieces in the finished mousse.
2. Add cold water
Add ½ cup cold water and whisk well.
Allow the mixture to cool for approximately 10–15 minutes.
It should be cool or barely lukewarm—not hot.
3. Whip the cream
Pour 1 cup cold heavy cream into another bowl.
Add:
2 tbsp powdered zero-calorie sweetener, if desired
½ tsp vanilla
Beat with an electric mixer until you have medium-stiff peaks.
Don’t overbeat or the cream can become grainy.
4. Combine
When the Jello mixture has cooled but has not yet set, gradually fold the whipped cream into it.
Use a spatula and fold gently.
You want to preserve as much air as possible.
The mixture should become:
smooth + fluffy + pale pink.
5. Add strawberries
If using fresh strawberries, gently fold in ½ cup finely chopped strawberries.
For the smoothest mousse like the picture, you can leave them out.
6. Portion
Spoon or pipe the mousse into 6 large or 8 small clear dessert cups.
For the appearance in your photo, use a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner cut off.
Pipe the mousse in a spiral, finishing with a small peak in the center.
7. Chill
Cover the cups and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
For the best texture, chill for 3–4 hours.
The mousse will become firmer as it sits.
How to Get the Exact Look in the Photo
The pictured cups have a very smooth, airy appearance.
For that result:
Use whipped topping rather than fresh whipped cream.
Let the gelatin mixture cool before combining.
Don’t add too much liquid.
Whip/fold until completely incorporated.
Pipe the mousse into the cups.
Refrigerate overnight if you’re preparing them for a party.
Put the lids on after piping, being careful that the mousse peak doesn’t touch the lid.
Approximate Nutrition Information
The following estimate assumes the recipe is made with:
1 box 0.3-oz sugar-free strawberry Jello
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp zero-calorie sweetener
½ cup strawberries
6 servings
Per large serving
Nutrient Approx. amount
Calories ~185 kcal
Protein ~1.5 g
Total fat ~19 g
Saturated fat ~12 g
Carbohydrates ~5 g
Fiber ~0.5 g
Total sugars ~2–3 g
Added sugar 0 g
Net carbs ~4–5 g
Sodium ~80–100 mg
These are estimates, not laboratory values. The biggest difference comes from the particular heavy cream, gelatin and sweetener brands.
If using light/sugar-free whipped topping
The calories and fat can be considerably lower, so check the nutrition panel of your particular whipped topping.
Allergens
The basic recipe is:
Gluten-free: Generally yes, provided your gelatin and other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
Egg-free: Yes.
Nut-free: Yes, assuming no cross-contaminated ingredients are used.
Peanut-free: Yes, assuming the ingredients are peanut-free.
Dairy-free: No when made with heavy cream or conventional whipped topping.
Vegetarian: Usually no, because traditional Jello contains gelatin derived from animal collagen.
Vegan: No.
For a dairy-free version
Use a suitable plant-based whipping cream.
For a vegetarian/vegan version
You’ll need a vegan strawberry gelatin alternative, such as an agar-based product, rather than conventional Jello.
Recipe Q&A
Can I use regular Jello instead of sugar-free?
Yes. Use one standard 3-oz (85 g) box, but you’ll need to adjust the liquid according to the gelatin package directions. The resulting mousse will contain considerably more sugar and calories.
Can I use Cool Whip?
Yes. In fact, whipped topping is one of the easiest ways to get the texture shown in the photograph.
Use approximately 8 oz (227 g) thawed whipped topping.
Why didn’t my mousse become fluffy?
Usually one of these happened:
The gelatin mixture was too hot when the cream was added.
The cream wasn’t whipped enough.
The gelatin was already starting to set before the cream was incorporated.
The mixture was overmixed.
Why is my mousse runny?
Give it more refrigeration time first. If it is still very soft after several hours, too much liquid was probably added or the gelatin wasn’t fully dissolved.
Can I make it ahead?
Absolutely. These are excellent make-ahead desserts.
Prepare them up to 24 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate.
How long do they last?
For best quality, eat within 2–3 days when refrigerated at 4°C/40°F or below.
Can I freeze them?
You can, but I don’t recommend it. The texture of whipped cream can become grainy or watery after thawing.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, but thaw and drain them very well first. Excess strawberry liquid can make the mousse softer.
Can I make it without sweetener?
Yes. Sugar-free Jello is already sweetened. Taste the mousse before adding any additional sweetener.
Can I make this keto?
It can be made very low-carb, but check the exact gelatin and whipped-cream labels. Use a zero-calorie sweetener if additional sweetness is needed.
Is sugar-free Jello actually sugar-free?
The sugar-free variety contains no sugar, but it may contain artificial or alternative sweeteners. “Sugar-free” does not necessarily mean calorie-free or carbohydrate-free.
Can children eat this?
Generally yes as a dessert, but check the ingredient label for allergies and sweeteners and follow the manufacturer’s serving guidance.
Optional Variations
Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse
Blend 4 oz (115 g) softened cream cheese into the cooled Jello mixture before folding in the whipped cream.
Strawberry Banana
Fold in very small pieces of ripe banana immediately before serving. This will increase carbohydrates and natural sugar.
Raspberry
Replace strawberry Jello with sugar-free raspberry gelatin and use fresh raspberries.
Chocolate Strawberry
Make the strawberry mousse and garnish with a small amount of shaved dark chocolate.
Fresh Strawberry Layer
Put a spoonful of diced strawberries at the bottom of each cup, pipe the mousse over them, then finish with another strawberry on top.
Best version for the photo
If your goal is the closest possible copy of the pictured cups, I’d use:
8.5 g sugar-free strawberry Jello + 1 cup boiling water + ½ cup cold water + 8 oz whipped topping.
Cool the dissolved Jello until it is no longer warm, fold in the whipped topping, pipe into cups, and refrigerate for 3–4 hours. This produces the characteristic pale-pink, airy, spoonable mousse shown in the image.
With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.
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