Learn how to make whipped cream with this simple recipe. Whipped cream is really quick and easy to make at home and tastes so much than store-bought!
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make whipped cream:
- Heavy whipping cream or heavy cream (30-38% fat). Don’t try to use half and half or milk, they have not enough fat and won’t whip up. The higher the fat – the more stable whipped cream will be. Whipping cream (without the ‘heavy’ in the title) is not recommended – it will not make a stable whipped cream.
- Powdered sugar or granulated sugar (I prefer powdered sugar). The amount depends on your preferences, I like lightly sweetened whipped cream. I’m adding only 2 tablespoons when using whipped cream as a topping for a sweet dessert (such as Key lime pie) and 3 tablespoons when serving it with something less sweet such as fresh strawberries. Honey or maple syrup can also be used.
- Vanilla extract – is optional but I just love to add it to anything sweet. You could also use other flavorings such as cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, cocoa powder, kahlua (coffee liqueur), coconut rum, or bourbon.
You will also need a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment (although it can be made by hand with a whisk if you like a good workout!)
How to make it
Add the cream, sugar, and vanilla into a mixing bowl.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment whip the cream over medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
The mixture will look frothy and bubbly at first, then it will thicken but still be pourable. After some more mixing, it will form stiff peaks which means when you lift the beater out from the bowl a peak of whipped cream will stay tall without drooping off.
You may want your whipped cream less stiff (medium-soft peaks) if you’re not planning to pipe it but to dollop it on a pie. Check the cream every 10 seconds to get the preferred consistency.
If you see that your cream has thickened, you can check it every couple of seconds to make sure you will not overbeat it (even 5-10 seconds of beating the cream can take it from whipped to overbeaten). Properly whipped cream should stay on your beater for quite some time and not fall down.
Top tips
- Heavy cream should be cold – this will make whipping cream much easier. You can also put your beater and mixing bowl in the fridge or freezer for 20 minutes.
- Mix the cream over medium speed, low speed is too slow and by mixing it on high speed it’s easy to overbeat the cream.
- If you overbeat the cream it will look grainy, if you beat it even longer, you will make butter – yes, regular butter! sometimes I overbeat the cream of purpose in order to make butter if I don’t have any left in the fridge.
- Homemade whipped cream is great as a topping but not stable enough to spread between the layers of a cake – you would need stabilized whipped cream with gelatine or cream cheese added.
- Don’t put it on very warm food or it will become too runny (the exception are drinks such as hot chocolate when it’s desirable!).
- The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
- If your cream is curdled/lumpy (overbeaten): mix in fresh, unwhipped cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, with your mixer on low speed until the lumps disappear.
Storage
You can store your whipped cream for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
It can also be frozen although it does not taste as good as freshly made.
I’ve heard a tip from a friend that adding 1 tablespoon of vanilla instant pudding to the whipped cream helps it last in the fridge longer, but I have yet to try that for myself.
What to serve it with
- The BEST Key Lime Pie Recipe
- Key Lime Pie Bars
- Blueberry Pierogi or Sweet cheese pierogi
- make this Cream Cheese Crepe Filling or fill your Crepes (or chocolate crepes) with plain whipped cream and strawberries
- use as a topping for Coffee Mocha / Pumpkin spice hot chocolate / Strawberry banana milkshake / Amaretto Coffee
- Brioche Bread Pudding
- on this Passion fruit tart instead of meringue
- Chocolate omelet
- Chocolate lava cake
Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!
How To Make Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup COLD heavy cream or heavy whipping cream 240ml
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Add the cream, sugar, and vanilla into a mixing bowl.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment whip the cream over medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- SOME TIPS:
- For quicker results, place your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer to chill for at least 15 minutes. It’s optional that the mixing bowl and beaters are cold, but the cream must be cold.
- The mixture will look frothy and bubbly at first, then it will thicken but still be pourable. After some more mixing, it will form stiff peaks which means when you lift the beater out from the bowl a peak of whipped cream will stay tall without drooping off.
- You may want your whipped cream less stiff (medium-soft peaks) if you’re not planning to pipe it but to dollop it on a pie. Check the cream every 10 seconds to get the preferred consistency.
- If you see that your cream has thickened, you can check it every couple of seconds to make sure you will not overbeat it (even 5-10 seconds of beating the cream can take it from whipped to overbeaten). Properly whipped cream should stay on your beater for quite some time and not fall down.
- The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
- Calories = the whole recipe (this is only an estimate!).
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