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Home cooking is all about adding special touches whenever you have the time and energy, and homemade whipped cream is an easy way to take any dessert over the top. As a classically-trained chef, I learned the secret to perfect whipped cream at home, every single time you whip it up.
Start by chilling the bowl and whisk first, and ideally, the heavy cream too. 10 to 15 minutes in the freezer for all of it will make a huge difference in your efficiency and end result.
There is some room for tweaking your perfect whipped cream, too, depending on how sweet you want it and whether you’d like to add any extracts or liquors for flavor. Best of all, you can make whipped cream about to 10 hours in advance so you can get a head start on your next special dessert.
Table of Contents
Whipped Cream Recipe Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Heavy cream: Chill in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before whipping to ensure the ultimate fluffy results and easiest whip.
- Vanilla extract: This is completely optional. You could swap in almond extract, peppermint extract, orange extract, or any other flavor that pairs nicely with how you plan to use the whipped cream. Or, stir in a flavored spirit such as Limoncello as I did for this Lemon Cake with Limoncello Cream.
- Powdered Sugar
How to Make Whipped Cream
- For best results, chill metal mixing bowl and metal whisk in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Combine cream, sugar, and vanilla (if using) in mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes, or until stiff peaks form, about 6 to 8 minutes (the stiffness of the peaks depends on what you want for your particular application). Whipped cream can be stored covered, in the refrigerator, for 10 hours.
Whipped Cream Recipe Tips & Variations
- Yield: This recipes makes 2 cups, enough to garnish approximately 8 individual servings of dessert or drinks with ¼ cup whipped cream each.
- Storage: Store any extra whipped cream in the refrigerator, covered, and use within 10 hours (it’s dreamy atop Baked French Toast the next morning!).
- Make ahead: Homemade Whipped Cream is best made just before you plan to use it, but it can be reserved up to 10 hours, covered, in the refrigerator.
- Chill everything: You want cold heavy cream, yes. But you also want a cold mixer bowl and beater, for best results.
- Speed limit: If you’re using a stand mixer or hand mixer, medium-high is ideal. If the speed is too low, you’ll be there all day (and the cream may never quite whip). If your mixer speed is too high, you’ll end up with butter!
- Put it to delicious use: Homemade Whipped Cream is a treat to savor by the spoonful straight from the bowl. Perfect for your next Ice Cream Sundae Bar, or enjoy it on all your favorite drinks, desserts, and brunches, like Cream Puffs, Key Lime Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, Chocolate Mousse, Pumpkin Cheesecake (or any cheesecake), Black Forest Cake, Angel Food Cake, Croissant French Toast, or Irish Coffee.
Recipe FAQs
Homemade Whipped Cream is best made right before you plan to use it, but you can make it up to 10 hours in advance. Just store it covered in the refrigerator.
For mixer-free whipped cream, chill a large bowl, whisk, and cream well before mixing (30 minutes in the refrigerator or 15 minutes in the freezer). Add the cream to the bowl, and use a whisk to beat the cream back and forth until soft peaks form. Once you have soft peaks, add the sugar and continue whipping until medium peaks form. If you whip the cream too much, fold in a little liquid cream (1 tablespoon at a time) until you have the right consistency.
Yes, you can make whipped cream in a blender, in a food processor, or even with an immersion blender. These high-powered devices make whipped cream fast, so don’t walk away or you’ll wind up with a bowl of butter! For best results, chill you blender before you start, and then expect whipped cream in 5 to 10 seconds.
Whipped cream preparation time is affected by the temperature of your tools, the heavy cream, and the speed you select from your mixer. With a properly-chilled mixing bowl and whisk and cold heavy cream, you can plan on whipping up soft peaks in 3 to 4 minutes and stiff peaks in 6 to 8 minutes.
Lemon Cake with Limoncello Cream
The ultimate spring dessert recipe has arrived! Topped with a sweet lemony glaze, Limoncello whipped cream, and plenty of fresh berries, this lemon yogurt cake is a bakery-quality dessert recipe that you’ll turn to time…
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Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream cold (see note 1)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract optional (see note 2)
Instructions
- For best results, chill metal mixing bowl and metal whisk in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Combine cream, sugar, and vanilla (if using) in mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes, or until stiff peaks form, about 6 to 8 minutes (the stiffness of the peaks depends on what you want for your particular application).
- Whipped cream can be stored covered, in the refrigerator, for 10 hours.
Notes
- Heavy cream: Chill in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before whipping to ensure the ultimate fluffy results and easiest whip.
- Vanilla extract: This is completely optional. Alternatively, you could swap in almond extract, peppermint extract, orange extract, or any other flavor that pairs nicely with how you plan to use the whipped cream.
- Yield: This recipes makes 2 cups, enough to garnish approximately 8 individual servings of dessert or drinks with ¼ cup whipped cream each.
- Storage: Store any extra whipped cream in the refrigerator, covered, and use within 10 hours (it’s dreamy atop Baked French Toast the next morning!).
- Make ahead: Homemade Whipped Cream is best made just before you plan to use it, but it can be reserved up to 10 hours, covered, in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Perfect quick and easy whipped cream recipe. I appreciated the suggestion to chill the bowl and beater.
Yummy!! I have always wanted to try making my own whipped cream and this recipe was so simple. Never buying pre-made whipped cream again!