Fresh, homemade whipped cream is one of those recipes that might feel overrated, or too much fuss when you’re already making other things for a big meal. But whipped cream can really put a dish, like pie or hot chocolate, over the top! Plus homemade whipped cream is SO easy to make—anyone can do it.
Related: Here are a few more recipes your dessert-loving heart may need: Peanut Butter Frosting, Sweetened Condensed Milk Buttercream, German Chocolate cake frosting, tips for using edible flowers, how to use edible gold leaf, and royal icing.
Ingredients
- Heavy whipping cream
- Granulated white sugar – or confectioner’s sugar will work as well
- Vanilla extract
Heavy whipping cream is sometimes shorted and called simply heavy cream. They both have around 36% milk fat, ideal for whipped cream. Probably the most common mistake people make when they try to make fresh whipped cream is using the wrong kind of cream (milk). The only one I recommend is heavy whipping cream, sometimes called heavy cream.
Milks that will NOT make whipped cream: Half and half, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, 2%, skim milk, etc.
Directions
Start with a cold bowl and whisk. You will also want the heavy whipping cream to be cold, but it likely is as it should always be refrigerated.
In the stand of an electric mixer add the cold cream, sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. This usually takes 2-3 minutes, but it’s best to keep an eye on whipped cream so you don’t over beat it. Feel free to stop the mixer and check after a minute or so if needed, to see how stiff the peaks are.
If you don’t have a stand mixer you can do this with an electric mixer or even by hand with a cold, metal bowl and a whisk.
Tips & Variations
- Place your bowl and whisk (or whisk attachment) in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or the freezer for 10 minutes before making whipped cream. While is isn’t absolutely necessary it will make your cream whip faster and be lighter and more airy. Perfect whipped cream consistency!
- Replace the vanilla extract with another extract, like mint or almond, for a slightly different flavored whipped cream.
- Add a drop of two of food dye if you want to color your whipped cream.
- This is called crème chantilly in French because we sweetened and flavor the cream.
Serving Suggestions
This is the perfect addition to SO many treats:
- Strawberries – the perfect, light dessert togther
- Add it to your mocha or homemade Frappuccino
- Top any pie with it but a must is Chocolate Silk pie
- Angel food cake with berries and this recipe is the dream!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use half & half to make whipped cream?
No. You need heavy whipping cream (36% milk fat) to make homemade whipped cream.
How do you know if whipped cream is over whipped?
It will look lumpy and grainy. It also may leak or have some of the liquid seeping out from the rest of the whipped cream.
How do I fix over beat whipped cream?
Add a little more heavy whipping cream to the mixture and using a rubber spatula fold the liquid into the whipped cream until it becomes soft again.
Can fresh whipped cream replace Cool Whip in recipes?
Yes, usually. Whipped cream and cool whip are similar consistencies and weights so they can usually be substituted for one another in recipes.
Easy right? Add a little to ice cream, brownies, warm pie or to top off a cake. Enjoy! xo. Emma
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Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
- stand mixer
Instructions
- In the stand of an electric mixer add the cold cream, sugar and vanilla.
- Beat on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. This usually takes 2-3 minutes, but it’s best to keep an eye on whipped cream so you don’t over beat it.
- Feel free to stop the mixer and check after a minute or so if needed, to see how stiff the peaks are.
Notes
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Nice post.
Thanks!
Love!!!!
This is a great new series, Elsie. I love seeing how other artists come up with their ideas and their process. Thanks for sharing!!
Here’s a top tip that a friend does – you can whip cream by putting it into a glass jar with a plastic marble. Screw a top on and shake it – the marble creates friction and whips the cream. Just don’t ever use a glass marble because it will break the jar.
Next kitchen basic update, whip it even longer and you have butter.
Lol, this is just to funny! I didn´t belive that there are people in the world who don´t know how to do whipped cream. That is just crazy and funny 🙂 It´s crazy how a such a simple thing that we take for granted that everybody know´s how to do, that you are used to buy whipped cream in a can. I think I have bought one of does sometimes but they taste like shit. Whipped cream is so easy to do and delicious if you it on your own 🙂
Eeeh, are you people serious? You didn’t know how to make wipped cream?! I would never buy already-wipped cream, much more artificial and sugary.
You can whip cream in a jar without a beater.
Just put in a jar and shake… in about 7 minutes you have whipping cream… add sugar and enjoy.
If you keep going, it will take about 3 more minutes to separate into butter – yum. And buttermilk… pancakes anyone?!?!?
I’m sorry, but this actually made me laugh. A lot. Like some other already pointed out, this must be a cultural crash. I’m from sweden and we allways whipp our own cream. I think I bought cream in a can once, and that was when my electric handmixer was broken. And really, it does not taste good with cream from a can…
Hehe. Funny how diffrent it can be in other countries 🙂
such a great new feature!! I’d love to see a post on different spice rack ideas… either favorites, or DIY, or vintage… I’m at a loss with my abundance of spices!
Whipped. Cream. Pretty self-explanatory, no? *sigh* Americans…
“The first time I whipped up a batch I was totally blown away by how simple the process was. And having fresh whipped cream ready at your next family dinner is an easy and fun way to impress!”
Sorry, but this is so funny! 😀
In Europe you wouldn´t impress anyone by making whipped cream. Very few buy these instant whipped cream spray cans. It is disgusting, expensive and it starts to melt if you don´t eat it immediately. So please spread the word to your fellow countrymen how simple it is to make real whipped cream. But don´t expect the Nobel prize if you discover that you can make your own butter too! 😉
Sweden here too 🙂
R u ppl serious when you say you don´t know how to boil an egg or whipp cream?
Really?
Do you only eat things that r processed to the limit?
Wow.
You sure have missed out a LOT of good AND healthy stuff!!
Yeah, uhm, I’m also from Sweden and we do have the cream-from-a-jar-thing in the store, but whipping your own is a given and it does sound hilarious to us that someone wouldn’t know how to. 🙂 Cultural crash absolutely! 🙂
Those pics just triggered my sweet tooth!
only you can make a basic like whipped cream looks so sexy
x
cammi
ooooh please share tips for alfredo sauce, and ranch dressing. tried it once but tastes completely different….
Another schocked swede reporting in!
(Whipped cream in a can, that’s not really cream if you read the label, is it?) It’s really fun to see theese small cultural differences. Like when I went to england and they didn’t have antyhing for shaving(?) the cheese.
On the other hand, many swedes I know have no idea you can actually whisk the cream by hand, so maybe I should direct them here to ^^
Thanks for a super blog!
this is so funny, can’t stop laughing!
Are you guys serious?? Dont´t you know how to make whipped cream?? Here is one more mind blowing fact for you:
1. Put cream in a jar
2. Shake the jar
3. Shake the jar
4. After some more shaking the cream will start to separate
5. Shake some more
6. When the cream has separated into thin liquid and a lump..
7. Pour out the liquid
8. Put the lump in a bowl
9. Stir in som salt
10. And what do you have now??? YOU´R VERY OWN HOME MADE BUTTER. Made from scratch LOL
This is how butter is made, it´s that easy. Butter bought in the store is made the same way, but instead of doing it by hand machines do the job.
If you care to impress your unenlightened friends some more, add fresh herbs, garlic or lime.
Kind regards from Norway
PS. Please contact me if you would like to know about som more basic cooking skills, like making your own cream cheese .D