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Bookmark this homemade whipped cream recipe! In just 5 minutes, you’ve got sweetened whipped cream that tastes infinitely better than store bought.
Not much can beat the taste sensation that is real whipped cream. It takes only a few minutes, and the final product is unlike anything you’ll get at the grocery store. Light, fluffy, rich and full of flavor, each bite of this lightly sweetened whipped cream is heaven. Move over, Cool Whip!
If you’re learning how to make real homemade whipped cream from scratch for the first time, don’t stress. Alex and I have used this homemade whipped cream recipe for over a decade. It’s our tried and true topping desserts, perfect for piling on strawberry shortcake or a tall glass of raspberries and cream.
Sweetened whipped cream ingredients
How do you make this homemade whipped cream recipe? Once you’ve made it once, you’ll never go back to store-bought: trust us! The homemade variety is so simple to make, a shaker can is absolutely not necessary. And all you need is three ingredients! Here are the whipped cream ingredients you’ll need:
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
Are heavy cream and whipping cream the same?
What is whipping cream? Heavy cream and whipping cream close to the same product: both must contain at least 36% or more milk fat. Whipping cream is lighter and has 30% to 35% milk fat; heavy cream has 36% or more milk fat. You can use either heavy cream or whipping cream in this recipe.
Can you make whipped cream with half and half or milk? Do not even attempt it! Both half and half and milk don’t have enough fat content to thicken when they are whipped.
Tips for making whipped cream
Before you jump in, here are a few tips for making homemade sweetened whipped cream recipe:
- Whip back and forth. You want to whisk the cream back and forth, kind of like you’re cutting through it (not around and around).
- Chill the bowl and cream before starting. This makes it whip up faster, which your forearms will thank you for later.
- Whip until you reach the desired consistency. You can go with a looser cream, which is a nice for topping a shortcake or a chocolate cake. Or whip more to get to firm peaks: this will have a fluffier texture. Just don’t whip too long, or it will turn to butter!
- Add more or less powdered sugar to suit your tastes. We like our whipped cream lightly sweetened, especially if we’re enjoying it with sweet, in-season fruit. If you’d like a sweeter whipped cream recipe, add half a tablespoon of powdered sugar in at a time.
Storing leftovers
This homemade whipped cream recipe is best made the day of serving. But how long does whipped cream last? Stored in a sealed container, whipped cream can last 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. Bring it back to life by whisking it up moments before serving. Personally we prefer making it fresh right before serving, but this method works too!
Can you freeze whipped cream? You actually can! Place small dollops onto a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze them, then peel them off and place them in a sealed container.
Can you use a KitchenAid for whipped cream?
Yes, you can use a stand mixer or KitchenAid for this whipped cream recipe, using the whisk attachment. Follow the instructions below and allow the mixer to whisk to the desired consistency. We often like to whisk by hand because we enjoy the satisfaction of making it with our own two hands. But if you prefer, by all means use your KitchenAid mixer!
Types of homemade whipped cream
There are lots of types of homemade whipped cream recipes, from healthy to bourbon-infused to dairy free! Here are our favorite variations.
Yogurt Whipped Cream
Sub half of the whipping cream for yogurt and you've got a healthy spin on whipped cream that's even more delicious! Serve with berries or on cakes and pies.
Vegan Whipped Cream
What’s vegan whipped cream made out of? It’s not surprise that it is…drumroll…coconut! Coconut milk serves as the basis for this dairy free whipped cream.
Infused Alcoholic Whipped Cream
This infused alcoholic whipped cream has a hint of bourbon that adds nuance and warmth as a dessert topping. Other booze can stand in, too: rum, kahlua, Irish cream, etc!
More dessert recipes
This lightly sweetened homemade whipped cream recipe pairs recipe well with any number of desserts. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Berries and Yogurt Whipped Cream uses Greek yogurt to make for a tangy, lightly sweet cream that has a boost of health.
- Simple Raspberries and Cream is favorite way to eat this whipped cream recipe: simply with ripe summer berries!
- Strawberry Shortcakes are perfect when it’s the season! We like ours topped with crunchy turbinado sugar.
- Bananas Foster is delicious with a dollop of whipped cream instead of ice cream.
Dietary notes
This homemade whipped cream recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. If you’re trying to avoid refined sugars, you can omit the powdered sugar (it’ll still taste good, but it won’t be sweet).
Frequently asked questions
It’s best to use powdered sugar as it dissolves more easily and creates a smoother whipped cream. Granulated sugar can leave a grainy texture.
To ensure your whipped cream holds its shape, make sure your cream, bowl, and beaters are all cold. You can chill them in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes before starting. Also, make sure to whip until it has stiff peaks.
Whipped cream is ready when soft peaks form. This means that when you lift the beaters out of the cream, the peaks will hold their shape but slightly droop at the tips.
Absolutely! Get creative with your flavors. You can add other extracts like almond or peppermint, spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, or even a splash of liqueur.
Homemade Sweetened Whipped Cream Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Description
Bookmark this homemade whipped cream recipe: in just 5 minutes you’ve got sweetened whipped cream that tastes infinitely better than the store bought stuff!
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place a bowl in the freezer to chill for a few minutes.
- Combine the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in the chilled bowl.
- With a large whisk, whip the cream by moving the whisk back and forth quickly (try to whisk in a line instead of a circular motion). Whip to your desired thickness is reached. You can use a looser cream for more of a “drizzle”, or a stiffer whipped cream for the traditional Cool Whip style texture. Tip: You can place the bowl in the sink to whip the cream so that it is a bit lower than a table, which helps to make the whisking motion easier. *Alternatively, place the ingredients in the bowl of a KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until the desired consistency is reached.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mixed
- Cuisine: American
I tried homemade whipped cream for the first time and failed miserably. It separated. Did some research and think it never came to stiff peaks before breaking because heavy cream was room temp and I didn’t chill the bowl. Next time I try I will use this recipe and chill bowl and keep the cream in the fridge until ready to use. Wish me luck.
Good luck! Yes, the cold factor really makes a difference :)
Yea temp plays a huge role in it all coming together!! Where I live gets very hot 120+ daily is not uncommon here, so baking of any kind during the summer here is torture for sure!! During winter I can whip up whip cream no real issue, summer started an 3 batches of my homemade whip failed an fell flat on me!! All down to temp!! Hope this helps ya out, keep everything you can as cold as you can as long as you can!! An as always good luck to yas!!
Interesting, that is generally what we do over here in Australia, as we don’t have ‘cool whip’ actually we don’t have a lot of US packaged food here. We just use fresh ingredients and cook from scratch mostly, with packaged food or take-aways a sometimes food :) Love reading and drooling over your recipes. Sam the Aussie :)