• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Skip to content
Preppy Kitchen logo
  • About
    • Meet John Kanell
    • Press
  • Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Breads
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Casseroles
    • Instant Pot
    • Appetizers
    • Drinks
    • Holiday
  • Cookbook
  • Shop
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Press
  • All Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Follow us on

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Eton Mess

    Eton Mess

    Published: February 8, 2022 · Modified: Feb 8, 2022 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    Light and sweet, this Eton Mess combines freshly whipped cream, sweet strawberries, and crushed meringue into a tasty dessert. It’s an impressive-looking dessert that is shockingly simple to make. Even better, you can prepare the components ahead of time for an easy and refreshing dessert.

    A glass of Eton mess with one in front with strawberries and meringue cookies around it.
    142 shares
    • Share
    • Reddit
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest graphic of a glass of Eton mess with meringues and strawberries by it.
    Pinterest graphic of an overhead view of three Eton mess desserts with meringues and strawberries around.
    Pinterest graphic of a glass of Eton mess with meringues scattered around.
    Pinterest graphic of a spoon lifting out of a glass of Eton mess.
    Pinterest graphic of three glasses of Eton mess with one in front with strawberries on the side.

    Eton mess is a simple but elegant no-bake dessert that your entire family will love. It is a traditional English dessert made with layers of whipped cream, crushed meringue cookies, and macerated strawberries. The creamy whipped cream, crispy meringue, and sweet strawberries make for a delicious combination of textures and flavors that’s a party in your mouth.

    While it makes for a wonderful spring or summertime dessert, using sugar to macerate the strawberries means you can make this recipe year-round as the technique helps sweeten the berries and release their natural juices. I love that you can throw together this dessert with only a few simple ingredients in no time. As the “mess” part of the name indicates it’s not the neatest desserts, you don’t have to make it look perfect! If you have an abundance of strawberries, try making my chocolate covered strawberries recipe, Strawberry Cake, or strawberry shortcake recipe.

    What You Need to Make This Recipe

    Ingredients needed to make Eton mess.

    Strawberries – for the best Eton mess, pick the brightest-looking berries you can find for maximum sweetness! If strawberries are not in season, opt for frozen strawberries.

    Heavy cream — it is vital that you use heavy cream with a fat content of over 35% to ensure that the whipped cream will thicken. The higher the percentage of fat, the better! The cream whips best when cold, so do not let the cream sit at room temperature. Check out my whipped cream recipe for more tips.

    Meringue cookies — I use my homemade meringue cookies recipe for this Eton mess recipe, but you can use store-bought meringue cookies if you don’t have time to make homemade ones.

    How to Make Eton Mess

    Set of two photos showing sugar added to strawberries and cream being beaten.

    1. Place a third of the strawberries in a medium bowl and mash with a fork or puree in a blender. Cut the remaining strawberries into quarters and add them to the bowl. Add ⅓ cup sugar, and stir until well combined. Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

    Set of two photos showing meringues cookies crushed and folded into the whipped cream.

    3. Place 8 meringues in a sealable plastic bag and coarsely crush with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy glass.

    4. Fold the crushed meringue cookies into the whipped cream.

    Set of two photos showing meringues broken by hand and Eton mess assembled.

    5. Break the remaining meringue cookies with your hands into various-sized pieces.

    6. In small clear cups or dessert bowls, layer the cream, strawberries, and broken cookies, creating as many layers as you want. Serve immediately or chill for up to 3 hours before serving.

    A glass of Eton mess with strawberries and meringue cookies scattered around.

    Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

    • If you buy store-bought meringue cookies, try chocolate meringue, swirled meringue, or lemon meringue to change up the flavor.
    • This recipe works great with all kinds of seasonal berries and fruits. Some of my favorites to swap in are raspberries, blackberries, peaches, cherries, and plums.
    • If you do not have fresh berries, you can use frozen berries.
    • Put your mixing bowl in the freezer before whipping the heavy cream. The colder bowl helps whip the cream faster and increases its thickness.
    • Making this for a crowd? Place each part of the Eton mess out, buffet-style, and let your guests assemble their own bowl.
    • A drop of real vanilla extract adds a nice touch of vanilla flavor to the whipped cream.
    • While you can whip the cream by hand, I highly recommend using an electric mixer as it’ll require a lot of elbow grease!
    • When you fold the meringue into the whipped cream, do so gently as not to deflate the whipped cream.
    • Allow the whipped cream and crushed meringue mixture to sit in the fridge for up to 3 hours if you’d like the meringue to soften into a marshmallow-like texture. Allow the mixture to sit for a shorter time if you prefer the meringue to be more crisp.

    Overhead view of three Eton mess with strawberries and meringue cookies scattered around.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I make this ahead of time?

    While it’s best to eat this dessert the day you make them, you can make components ahead of time. You can macerate your berries up to 2 days ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.

    Homemade meringue cookies last for up to 2 weeks at room temperature. Since the meringue softens as it sits in the whipped cream, you don’t want to combine them too far in advance. The whipping cream will also deflate over time, so avoid making that too early in the day. Only assemble as much as you’re able to eat.

    Where did the name originate?

    It’s believed to have originated at Eton College, where during a cricket match, a dog squashed a post-game strawberry pavlova, but the players ate it anyways. The dessert was also served at the school’s tuck shop.

    If you love this recipe try these out!

    • A mason jar filled with strawberry jam with a spoonful scooped out.

      Strawberry Jam

    • A slice of chocolate strawberry cake on a plate in front of a cake stand with the rest of the cake.

      Chocolate Strawberry Cake

    • A piece of strawberry pie on a porcelain plate.

      Strawberry Pie

    • A strawberry margarita in a cocktail glass with a halved strawberry on the rim with the ingredients out of focus in the background.

      Strawberry Margarita

    • A strawberry cupcake with half a strawberry on top of the pink frosting. More cupcakes and milk in the background.

      Strawberry Cupcakes

    If you’ve tried this Eton Mess recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

    Two glasses of Eton mess with strawberries and meringue cookies scattered around.
    Print
    5 from 4 votes

    Eton Mess

    This Eton Mess recipe is a refreshing no-bake dessert that comes together quickly and easily in a few simple steps. Made with whipped cream, strawberries, and meringue, each bite is both creamy and crisp.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine British
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 0 minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 414kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • Electric or stand mixer
    • Small glasses or dessert bowls

    Ingredients

    • 1½ pounds fresh strawberries hulled (675g)
    • ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar (caster sugar) (90g)
    • 2 cups heavy whipping cream (480ml)
    • 16 meringue cookies

    Instructions

    • Place a third of the strawberries in a medium bowl and mash with a fork or puree in a blender. Cut the remaining strawberries into quarters and add them to the bowl. Add ⅓ cup sugar, and stir until well combined. Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
    • Place 8 meringues in a sealable plastic bag and coarsely crush with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy glass. Fold into the whipped cream. Break the remaining meringue cookies into various-sized pieces.
    • In small clear cups or dessert bowls, layer the cream, strawberries, and broken cookies, creating as many layers as you want. Serve immediately or chill for up to 3 hours before serving.

    Video

    Notes

    • If you buy store-bought meringue cookies, try chocolate meringue, swirled meringue, or lemon meringue to change up the flavor.
    • This recipe works great with all kinds of seasonal berries and fruits. Some of my favorites to swap in are raspberries, blackberries, peaches, cherries, and plums.
    • If you do not have fresh berries, you can use frozen berries.
    • Put your mixing bowl in the freezer before whipping the heavy cream. The colder bowl helps whip the cream faster and increases its thickness.
    • Making this for a crowd? Place each part of the Eton mess out, buffet-style, and let your guests assemble their own bowl.
    • A drop of real vanilla extract adds a nice touch of vanilla flavor to the whipped cream.
    • While you can whip the cream by hand, I highly recommend using an electric mixer as it’ll require a lot of elbow grease!
    • When you fold the meringue into the whipped cream, do so gently as not to deflate the whipped cream.
    • Allow the whipped cream and crushed meringue mixture to sit in the fridge for up to 3 hours if you’d like the meringue to soften into a marshmallow-like texture. Allow the mixture to sit for a shorter time if you prefer the meringue more crisp.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 1180IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!
    « Better Than Sex Cake
    My Cookbook is Now Available! »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Preppy Kitchen!

    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

    Search

    Follow Us On

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Preppy Kitchen Newsletter

    Sign up to receive recipes, recommendations and tips straight to your inbox!

    Buy My Book

    Preppy Kitchen Cookbook

    As Seen On

    As seen on Elle Décor, People, Food Network and more

    Top recipes This Month

    • A stack of peanut butter cookies on a small wooden board

      Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

    • An Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookie next to a glass of milk

      Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    • Lemon bars dusted with powdered sugar on a green and white plate.

      Lemon Bars

    • A group of pink macarons on a serving tray next to flowers

      Macaron Recipe

    • A photo of a vanilla cupcake on a cupcake stand with vanilla buttercream frosting beautifully piped on top.

      Buttercream Frosting

    • A plate with multiple cake pops on it with one with a bite taken out.

      Cake Pops

    • A group of shortbread cookies. some are stacked while others are on crumpled paper.

      Shortbread Cookies Recipe

    • A cake stand with a slice of red velvet cake cut out and placed on a plate in front.

      Red Velvet Cake

    • A slice of vanilla cake on a plate in front of the cake on a cake stand.

      Vanilla Cake Recipe

    • A slice of lemon cake on a plate in front of a cake stand holding the rest of the cake.

      Lemon Cake

    Footer

    As Seen On:

    Elle Décor, People, Country Living, Better Homes & Gardens, Food Network, Woman's Day, forkly, Yummly, the Bump, Buzz Feed, Home and Family and New York magazine.

    The Brand

    • About John
    • Press

    Preppy Kitchen Logo

    Dessert Recipes

    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes
    • Pies
    • All Desserts

    Main Course Recipes

    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Casseroles
    • InstantPot
    • Soups
    • Salads

    COPYRIGHT © 2015–2023 PREPPY KITCHEN | PRIVACY POLICY

    142 shares