Perfect Whipped Cream Recipe
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Make this easy homemade Whipped Cream recipe with just three ingredients and these easy tips in less than 5 minutes for the perfect whipped cream! Includes guide with success tips!
Fresh homemade whipped cream is so easy to make with just 3 ingredients and in 5 minutes without needing a heavy stand mixer! It tastes so delicious that you’ll turn to this recipe time and again! Follow my essential tips to learn how to make the best homemade whipped cream recipe!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy Recipe. You’ll just need three ingredients and 5 minutes for the perfect topping for your desserts, drinks, and more.
- Simple Ingredients. The three ingredients used in this delicious recipe are ingredients that we all know and most likely already have in our refrigerator and pantry. No artificial or unknown ingredients in this wholesome recipe!
- Perfect Peaks and Holds Shape. Follow my tips that result in sturdy, perfect peaks that hold their shape!
Homemade whipped cream is one of the easiest and most frequently made recipes in my kitchen! It is an essential recipe that I turn to time and again and can practically make with my eyes closed.
I love to use my fresh whipped cream to serve on any number of desserts throughout the year, from strawberry shortcake, sweet potato pie, and my Mama’s cream cheese pound cake. I also love it served with drinks like hot chocolate, a great cup of coffee, and my mocha punch for parties! It makes mornings even more special on top of a stack of buttermilk pancakes, waffles, my family’s favorite French toast. The possibilities are endless!
But first, let’s start with the basics.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
To make it, you’ll need just three ingredients. You’ll need the following:
- heavy whipping cream – I prefer to use heavy whipping cream vs. whipping cream as I find that it holds its shape longer and produces a creamier result. It also works well if you plan to pipe your whipped cream or use it to fill pastries. I explain the differences between heavy cream, whipping cream, and heavy whipping cream below.
- sweetener – you are able to choose your favorite sweetener to use. I generally use confectioner’s sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Confectioner’s sugar provides the most classic and flavor-neutral sweetener on this list.
- flavorings – the options for flavoring are endless! My go-to for classic whipped cream is to use vanilla extract. You can also flavor with liquors, other extracts, and spices. See my favorite flavorings below.
How to Make Whipped Cream
To make it perfect every single time, you must start cold. Then go high.
That’s it. That’s the trick. It sounds simple, but it’s oh-so-important.
- Start Cold
Chill your mixing bowl and whisk (yes, even those to your electric mixer) in the freezer for about 20 minutes to get as cold as possible. You’ll also want to make sure that your heavy whipping cream is as cold as possible, too.
- Go High
Add all of your ingredients into your super chilled mixing bowl and whisk together on high speed for about a minute until stiff peaks form. And you are done!
How to Make Flavored Whipped Cream
If you’d like to add another flavor to your recipe, you can substitute the vanilla extract, taste it, and add a bit more if you think it is needed.
You can also use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar, which adds flavor. You may decide that you don’t need to add anything else. Both options taste amazing.
If you add more liquid to the recipe, you may need to whip it a bit longer than one minute to reach the stiff peak stage.
Flavor Options for Whipped Cream
- Honey – Replace the sugar with honey
- Maple – Replace the sugar with maple syrup
- Cinnamon – Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- Coconut – Use 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
In addition to the above recipe substitutions where the vanilla or sugar is replaced, the following options keep those ingredients with some delicious additions.
Chocolate Whipped Cream
To make a chocolate version of this recipe, whisk three tablespoons of cocoa powder with the sugar and follow the recipe as written. All other ingredients and instructions remain the same.
Strawberry Whipped Cream
To make the strawberry version, follow the recipe as written until soft peaks form. Then, add 1/4 cup chilled strawberry jam or puree and beat again until medium peaks form. If not using immediately, store, covered, in the refrigerator.
How to Make Stabilized Whipped Cream
To make stabilized whipped cream, you will want to use an additional ingredient to help it last longer in the refrigerator. I like to use cream of tartar if I know that I will be making mine well in advance of serving. By adding a little cream of tartar to your heavy whipping cream, it will generally last much longer in the refrigerator.
For each cup of heavy whipping cream, add 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar along with the confectioner’s sugar when whipping.
Can Homemade Whipped Cream Replace Cool Whip?
Yes! Absolutely. This homemade whipped cream easily replaces frozen whipped topping (aka Cool Whip) in recipes. You will use an equal amount of whipped cream as Cool Whip is called for in a recipe.
Note that the amount of heavy whipping cream you use will double in volume in whipped cream. Therefore, if you need 2 cups of whipped cream, you will use 1 cup of heavy whipping cream.
What is the Difference Between Heavy Cream, Whipping Cream, and Heavy Whipping Cream?
- Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are essentially the same. Both contain at least 36% milk fat. The key word to remember here is the word “heavy,” as it means higher milk fat. It will make a whipped cream with stiffer peaks, holds form longer, and is great for filling pastries. It is my preferred cream to make perfect whipped cream every single time. I prefer to make whipped cream from heavy cream.
- Whipping cream, also called light whipping cream, contains between 30 to 35% milk fat. You can certainly use it in this recipe. It will just not produce the same stiff, well-formed peaks or hold shape for any length of time. It is best used immediately. I will use it on top of my hot chocolate from time to time.
Source for milk fat requirements: USDA.
How to Recover if Overmixed
Overmixed whipped cream will curdle and become lumpy. Slowly fold in 1 tablespoon at a time of fresh, liquid, heavy whipping cream by hand with a spatula until the lumps disappear.
Can You Freeze Whipped Cream?
YES! Place large spoonfuls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and flash freeze. Once frozen, you can then place it in freezer-safe containers and freeze it. When ready to use, thaw for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
- as a filling or topping in recipes such as Strawberry Shortcake, Trifle, Cream Puffs, French Silk Pie, Pavlova
- Cake and Pie: as a dollop on a slice, such as Pecan Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, or Coconut Cream Pie
- Fresh fruit like macerated strawberries and fruit salad
- Topping on Hot Chocolate or a mocha
Here’s my Perfect Whipped Cream recipe. I hope you love it!
Perfect Whipped Cream Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (238 g) cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) sugar, confectioner's sugar, honey, or maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) vanilla extract, or other extracts or flavorings
Instructions
- Prep. Place mixer bowl and whisk in freezer for at least 20 minutes to chill.
- Whip. Pour heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla into the cold bowl and whisk on high speed until medium to stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Do not over beat.
- Serve. Serve immediately or see notes for how to store and freeze.
Notes
- Honey – Replace the sugar with honey
- Maple – Replace the sugar with maple syrup
- Cinnamon – Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- Coconut – Use 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract.
- Chocolate Whipped Cream – Whisk three tablespoons of cocoa powder with the sugar and follow the recipe as written above.
- Strawberry Whipped Cream – Make the recipe above until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup chilled strawberry jam or puree and beat until medium peaks form again. If not using immediately, store, covered, in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
can I make about 3 hrs. before and then serve
Hi Tina,
I like to make my whipped cream as close to serving as possible, but I will say that if you wrap it will store well in the refrigerator before serving. It may lose a bit of the initial volume. But, I have included information on adding cream of tartar so that you have a more stabilized whipped cream.
I don’t have cream of tar tar. Is it possible to use corn starch instead? Or anything else in place of the c t.t? I’d like this to have a bit of a fridge life.
I do not have a mixer and tried whipping it by hand. I put the bowl and whisk in the freezer for an hour prior to mixing. I whisked it for 5 minutes – no change, and I could feel the bowl warming up. I put it all back into the freezer for a half an hour, and whisked for another 5 minutes. Still nothing. I guess I have creamer for my coffee, but no homemade whipped cream for my dessert.
I guess you need an electric mixer.
Really!!!!!!!!!!!! That’s a shame. I was going to try the recipe but I do not have an electric mixer. Thx for saving me time.
I whipped it by hand and only chilled the bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes because I am impatient. It did take longer than 2 minutes and my arm definitely got a very good workout, but it still worked. After a few minutes with very little change, I started “speed” whipping it like a mad woman- trying to immulate an electric mixer. After about 10-15 minutes of intense whipping and (and a little bit of sweat!), I was left with the most delicious whipped cream ever! Plus, that was my very first time ever making my own and let me tell you, I am never buying the store made kind again! So good!
How much of the ingredients would you use if you were just icing one cupcake?
Thank you for a simple, yet super delish, recipe. It came out perfectly. I topped my irish coffee with this treat! (And it was great eating it right off the spoon too!)
Hi, I was just wondering if you can make the whipped cream with whipping cream 35% fat because I only have that in my fridge and I can’t seem to find it in nearby grocery stores!
I figured I would add my two cents here since I just made this recipe and I think I can answer some questions I see. I used granulated sugar and it worked just fine! However I did add a tiny bit more to factor in that powdered sugar obviously will fit more on the spoon than the granulated. I did try with the original amount suggested and it just needed that extra little bit. I recommend adding the sugar and mixing it as directed and then taste test it while slowly adding more until you get it where you want it. For me, I found that double the amount worked best with granulated sugar. And I see people saying that it took them a while to mix it. Same for me. I have a brand new stainless steel Kitchen Aid mixer and it took me closer to ten minutes to mix on high. So to those who get it mixed and thick within 2 minutes, I applaud you! (Ha) Lastely, a few people asked if this can be frozen. It can. I had no choice but to freeze mine because I made it before reading that it should be used immediately. Oops. I made it the night before I needed it. Anyway it’s fine. Pretty much any cream concoctions will freeze just fine. Hense, ice cream and store bought frozen whipped creams. Hope I helped.
I added a little Christmas spin on this excellent recipe… I put some candy canes in a processer and folded the powdered canes into the finished product. Then dollop a little bit at a time onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet and sprinkle some crushed candy canes on each and then freeze the tray. Add a frozen dollop to a cup of hot chocolate and you have an instant hit with young and old alike. Thank you for the recipe!
I’m a little late but I wanted to say thank you so very much for sharing your recipe with us. The night before Thanksgiving I realized I didn’t have want cool whip for my Butterfinger cake so I went to the only 2 stores in my town and naturally they were out. So I started looking up recipes and found yours. It was Heaven sent let me tell you. Everyone bragged on my cake and of course I had to tell everyone it was the homemade whipped cream. It made all the difference. So thank you again from me and my family.
Thank you so much Nicole! xo
Can I use 1/2 and 1/2 if I don’t have heavy whipping cream? I have made this recipe before. It is great, I just don’t have heavy cream this go around.
I’m sorry, Sandy, but half-and-half does not have enough fat to whip the cream.
Does this work well used in a trifle the day before it’s to be served?
It took exactly 2 minutes and i doubled the recipe. It’s perfect! I used icing sugar for mine.