Knowing how to make whipped cream from scratch is handy for so many dishes and desserts. This recipe gives you all the steps, tips, and tricks to make it perfect every time.
Whipped cream is the best topping for crepes, trifles, pies, cakes, and so much more!
My oldest boy Grey could eat whipped cream by the spoonful if I let him. I blame his grandma for getting him hooked — while the husband and I were in Italy last Spring, my mom introduced my boys to Reddi-Wip® and gave them a spray of it every night before bed. Yes, the same mom that NEVER bought us Reddi-Wip growing up– haha!
While I’ll admit that spray whipped cream is just about as easy as it gets, there is nothing that compares to making it homemade. Plus, it’s super simple to make (not that much harder than purchasing it ready-made). Today I’m sharing how to make whipped cream, a few simple tips, and teaching you how to stabilize the cream.
How to:
- Chill the mixer: Start by putting your mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. The colder everything stays the better your cream will be!
- Add ingredients: Pour all the ingredients into the chilled mixing bowl and whisk it all together at a high speed for about 1 minute.
- Watch closely: Make sure you do not overbeat the mixture. If you added too much liquid, you may have to beat a bit more than 1 minute. Make sure to watch the mixture closely; it will go from soft peaks to overwhipped, stiff, and grainy very quickly.
- Use: Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Can whipped cream be made ahead?
Yes! You can make it up to 1 day ahead of time. To do so:
- Whip the cream (with the vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt) as usual, but beat it less stiffly than you want it to be when you’ll be serving it.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until you need it.
- As soon as you need the cream, grab a (cold) wire whisk and give it a few brisk strokes as needed. It will thicken right up and be ready to use!
How do you make whipped cream stay stiff?
If you want cream that will hold its shape and remain stiff, you’ll need to make what is called stabilized whipped cream. Once stabilized, it won’t deflate or weep, it will hold its shape well and is great for piping onto desserts.
To do this, you’ll need a few extra ingredients, but the process isn’t much harder. Check out this post for a full recipe and more information.
Quick tips
- Use a good heavy whipping cream. The best tasting heavy cream doesn’t have additives; if possible, find a brand that lists only one ingredient: cream.
- Use cold cream: The heavy whipping cream must be very cold to whip up to a gorgeous whipped cream. Make sure you’re using it straight from the fridge!
- Adjust the sugar: As the cream has become fluffy and thick from beating, it will taste less sweet. Make sure to give your nearly finished cream a taste and add a bit of extra sugar as needed.
Quick Tip
What’s the difference between heavy cream and heavy whipping cream? It’s all about how much butterfat is in the cream. Whipping cream has 30-36% fat. Heavy cream has 36-40 % fat. Heavy whipping cream also has 36-40% milkfat and also contains additional stabilizers to keep whipped cream peaks nice and stiff. The higher the milkfat content, the better the cream will whip.
Use your homemade whipped cream in these popular recipes:
French Toast (reader favorite!)
Hot Chocolate (or add to a Hot Chocolate Bar)
Sugar Cookie Turtle Pudding Bites
Homemade Crepes (or Banana Crepes)
How to Make Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (very cold)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Tiny pinch of salt
Instructions
- Place mixer bowl and whisk in freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to chill. Make sure the cream has been chilling in the fridge for at least an hour. (Don't use it straight from a grocery store.)
- Pour heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt into the cold bowl (attached to a stand mixer) and whisk on low speed to combine. Gradually increase to high speed until medium to stiff peaks form, about 1-3 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid overbeating. Near the end of the time, taste and adjust sugar to taste (adding more if needed).
- Store any unused whipped cream in an airtight container for up to 10 hours. When ready to use, briskly re-whisk (with a cold whisk) for 10 to 15 seconds.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How much whipped cream does 1 cup of cream make?
One cup of heavy whipping cream should yield about two cups of whipped cream!
Homemade whipped cream beats any whipped cream from the store (spray bottle or Cool Whip!)
Agreed! 🙂