I've turned a popular British dessert into sweet chewy Eton Mess Cookies filled with white chocolate, meringue pieces and freeze dried strawberries. These chunky cookies are super pretty for summer time, and they're so easy to make and enjoy. The additional decoration is optional, but it really adds to the appeal of these yummy cookies.
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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
- I used unsalted butter for this recipe, a baking spread will work but butter produces a nicer taste.
- You can find freeze dried strawberries in the shops (such as Waitrose and Sainsburys) but I tend to buy them on Amazon because you can get a larger amount for better value. They last quite a while and you can them in so many recipes, or sprinkle them on your cereal for example.
- I used ready made meringue nests and broke them up into chunks.
- You can use either white chocolate chips or a chopped up white chocolate bar for the cookies.
- For the best flavour, use a vanilla extract and not an essence.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Eton Mess Cookies
Mix the butter, caster sugar and light brown soft sugar together, ideally in a mixer with the paddle attachment for 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and mix in.
Then mix in the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add the freeze dried strawberries, meringue and white chocolate chips and mix briefly. Divide the mixture into portions and roll into balls with your hands. Place on a lined baking tray and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. When ready to bake, arrange on a lined baking tray with space in between the dough balls. Bake for 12 minutes, leave to cool for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack (or eating!) Once the cookies are fully cool, melt the white chocolate and drizzle it all over them, then add a freeze dried strawberry slice on top.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Do you have to chill the cookies before baking them?
I highly recommend chilling them before baking, otherwise the cookies spread too much and are thinner and less gooey. For thicker and more gooey cookies, definitely chill them before baking.
How do you get perfectly round cookies?
As soon as they come out of the oven get a round cookie cutter, or a glass held upside down, that is larger than the cookies and put it over each cookie. Move it in a circular motion, pressing against the sides of the cookies gently to adjust any irregularities. This is called "scooting" or "hula hooping" the cookies.
How should the cookies be stored and can they be frozen?
You can keep the balls of unbaked cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months, and you can bake them straight from frozen whenever you fancy a fresh cookie. The baked cookies will last for 3-4 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze the baked cookies too, wrap them well or store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Put a square of baking paper between each one to stop them from sticking together.
Do you need any electric mixer to make this recipe?
While an electric mixer is helpful in making these cookies and will give the best results, you don't need one to make them. You can absolutely make the cookies by hand with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease. If you have an electric stand mixer, then you can use the paddle attachment to make these cookies.
Can this recipe be made gluten free?
For gluten free you can replace the plain flour with a gluten free plain flour blend. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. Please check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
Can this recipe be made dairy free?
For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread instead of butter for the cookies. You will also need to use dairy free white chocolate chips. Please do check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
More tips for making the Eton Mess Cookies:
- Make sure to leave space between the balls of cookie dough on the baking trays as they will spread when baking, about 2" should ensure they don't stick together. If you make bigger cookies, you will need to leave more space.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for at least 5 minutes (nearer to 10 minutes is ideal) before trying to move them onto a cooling rack. Otherwise they will be too soft and will break or stick to the baking paper.
- The white chocolate drizzle on top is optional. Or you could dip half of the cookie in white chocolate, or add a circle of white chocolate on top of the cookie and some red sprinkles too!
Troubleshooting
If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients
- Baking trays
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Cooling rack
- Kitchen scales
- Stand mixer
- Freeze dried strawberries
- Freeze dried strawberry slices
- Piping bags
- Meringue drops
- Round cutters
- White chocolate
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More summery strawberry recipes...
Eton Mess Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 125 g Butter softened, unsalted
- 125 g Caster sugar
- 75 g Light brown soft sugar
- 1 Egg large
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 250 g Plain flour
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 125 g White chocolate chips
- 15 g Freeze dried strawberries
- 30 g Meringue broken up
For decoration
- 50 g White chocolate melted
- 14 Freeze dried strawberry slices
Instructions
- Ideally using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, caster sugar and light brown soft sugar together until fluffy and paler in colour. This will take 3-5 minutes in an electric mixer (I use speed 3)
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix in
- Add the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix them in until just combined
- Then mix in the white chocolate chips, freeze dried strawberries and meringue briefly, just to evenly distribute them
- Divide the dough into portions, I weighed the dough out to make each cookie an equal size (they were roughly 56g each)
- Roll the dough portions into balls using your hands, place them on either a lined baking tray, or into a tupperware container lined with baking paper. Chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes
- Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 180C Fan/400F/Gas Mark 6
- After the 30 minutes is up and your oven is pre-heated, place the dough balls onto lined baking trays, leaving space (at least 2") between them to spread. If you don't have enough baking trays, keep the dough in the fridge and bake the cookies in batches
- Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven and leave the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking trays before moving to a cooling rack
- Enjoy warm, or once fully cooled decorate them with the melted white chocolate and freeze dried strawberry slices
- Store in an airtight container and eat within 3 days. They also be frozen
Video
Notes
- Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
- I used unsalted butter for this recipe, a baking spread will work but butter produces a nicer taste.
- You can find freeze dried strawberries in the shops (such as Waitrose and Sainsburys) but I tend to buy them on Amazon because you can get a larger amount for better value. They last quite a while and you can them in so many recipes, or sprinkle them on your cereal for example.
- I used ready made meringue nests and broke them up into chunks.
- You can use either white chocolate chips or a chopped up white chocolate bar for the cookies.
- For the best flavour, use a vanilla extract and not an essence.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
jacqui
What a great idea I am sure I would like these cookies very much!
thebakingexplorer
Thanks Jacqui!
TurksWhoEat
I'm not familiar with Eton Mess, but based on these cookies I'm sure it would be great! These cookies look so yummy, and I think serving them with a side of whipped cream is a wonderful idea.
thebakingexplorer
If you've not tried Eton Mess before, I highly recommend it!
Colleen
Whipped cream on the side works for me! Thanks for sharing on Fiesta Friday! - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck - Colleen
thebakingexplorer
Me too! I wish I'd tried it!
Jhuls
The cookies sound delicious! They are perfect to be paired with a cup of tea. 😀 Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!
thebakingexplorer
Thank you!
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie
Oh what a lovely idea - I love foodie mashups, and this one is particularly good. Thanks for linking it up to #CookBlogShare! Eb x
thebakingexplorer
Thanks Eb!
jenny paulin
I bet these were yummy, the flavours are so appealing. x
thebakingexplorer
They certainly didn't last long!
Kate - gluten free alchemist
Lovely Combo Kat. Love Eton Mess..... Love Cookies! Seems to be a good marriage! x