Learn how to make fresh sweetened homemade whipped cream with only 3 simple ingredients. With its light and billowy texture, whipped cream is the perfect topping for pies, cakes, cupcakes, crepes, cheesecake, trifles, and so much more!
I originally published this recipe in 2018 and have since added some new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips. This recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
One reader, Michelle, commented: “I was really surprised by how much better this tastes than store-bought whipped cream. This is easy to make and delicious. The vanilla really elevates the flavor. There’s no reason to purchase whipped cream ever again. ★★★★★“
After years of buying frozen whipped topping and cans of store-bought whipped cream filled with who-the-heck-knows-what, I can say with confidence that HOMEMADE whipped cream tastes 100% better in both the texture and flavor departments. Fresh whipped cream is made with just 3 simple ingredients and comes together in only a few minutes. It’s so creamy, so light, and so so so delicious.
Whipped Cream Video Tutorial
What You Need
- Electric mixer: handheld or stand mixer with whisk attachment
- Mixing bowl
- Cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- Sugar to sweeten
- Pure vanilla extract (or homemade vanilla extract)
A Note on the Sugar: Some bakers swear by granulated sugar in whipped cream; others swear by confectioners’ sugar. If you’re only working with a couple Tablespoons, it doesn’t really make a difference. But if you’re working in larger batches, you may begin to taste the granules of granulated sugar.
You could also use brown sugar, and I love doing that for certain desserts, like pecan pie cheesecake and butterscotch pie.
Did you know? Because we’re sweetening the whipped cream and flavoring it with vanilla extract, this is called crème chantilly in French. 🙂
How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream
- Start with cold heavy cream. The colder the cream, the easier and more successful it will whip. Cold cream also creates the lightest whipped cream! Slightly warm or room temperature cream does not equate to whipped cream. If you’re ambitious, you could even chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla together on medium-high speed. This speed is perfect for whipped cream, which will whip air into the cream at a medium pace. I find that high speed easily over-whips cream, and low speed under-whips cream.
- Don’t walk away! Whipped cream only takes a couple minutes, but it’s only a few seconds between soft whipped cream and over-mixed whipped cream. Over-mixed whipped cream is curdled and grainy. Soft whipped cream, the ideal sweet spot, has a billowy and smooth texture. Stand by your mixer so you know when it’s ready.
- Look for medium peaks. What are medium whipped cream peaks? When you lift the beaters or whisk out from the bowl, a semi-sturdy peak should form on them. The peak will slightly droop down, but not lose its shape entirely. It won’t be too soft and liquid-y, it won’t be heavy and curdled. Don’t be afraid to stop the mixer and check the consistency of the whipped cream as you go.
Looking for flavored whipped cream? Try adding tequila and lime like we do for these mini margarita cheesecakes, strawberry filling like we do for strawberry shortcake cupcakes, almond extract like we do for berry icebox cake, or espresso powder and cocoa powder as detailed in these flourless chocolate cake and mocha chocolate pudding pie recipes. For more ideas, check out all these flavors!
How to Fix Over-Whipped Cream
If you accidentally over-mix the cream, and it looks curdled and heavy, pour in a little bit more heavy cream, and fold it in gently by hand with a spatula until it smooths out.
Can Whipped Cream Replace Cool Whip?
Yes. This homemade whipped cream can replace Cool Whip (store-bought frozen whipped topping) in recipes. Use the same amount.
The amount of heavy cream you use doubles in volume as you whip it. So if you need 2 cups of whipped cream, use 1 cup of heavy cream. (Plus the sugar to sweeten, and vanilla extract.)
What Is the Difference Between Heavy Cream and Whipping Cream?
This can definitely be confusing! Their difference is in the percentage of milk fat. Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream contain 36% milk fat and whipping cream (without “heavy” in the title) is a little lighter, with 30% milk fat.
They can all be used interchangeably in most recipes, but when it comes to whipped cream, heavy cream/heavy whipping cream will hold its shape longer. They are ideal for homemade whipped cream.
Can I Pipe This Whipped Cream With Piping Tips?
Yes, you can pipe this whipped cream on your desserts. I recommend using large star tips and my favorites include Wilton 8B (as shown on this lemon cake), Wilton 1M (as shown on this ice cream cake, peanut butter pie, and blueberry cream pie), and Ateco 849 (as shown on this cookies & cream pie). You could also just spread whipped cream on your confections with a knife, large spoon, or icing spatula.
For a sturdier whipped cream that you could use as a stable frosting for layered cakes, try my whipped frosting. It’s exactly what we used for this cookies and cream cake, with the addition of Oreos!
What to Serve With Homemade Whipped Cream
There are so many options!
- Pavlova, of course!
- Lemon Berry Trifle
- Angel Food Cupcakes
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Banana Cream Pie
- Ice Cream Cake with Homemade Hot Fudge
- Homemade Chocolate Mousse
- Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
- Cheesecake, Lemon Cheesecake, or Cheesecake Pie
- Brioche French Toast
- Choux Pastry & Eclairs
- Chocolate Swirl Pistachio Ice Cream
- Crème de Menthe Pie
- Lemon Cake
- Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie, or Sweet Potato Pie (or really any of your Thanksgiving pies!)
- Pumpkin Pie Bars or Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
- Cranberry Curd Tart
- Crepes or on Tiramisu Crepe Cake
- Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
- Pecan Pie or Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Lava Cakes or Peanut Butter Lava Cakes
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie
- Caramel Turtle Brownie Pie
- Key Lime Pie or Key Lime Pie Bars
- Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie
- Apple Pie
- Mille-Feuille (on it’s own or mixed with pastry cream!)
- Dutch Baby Pancake
- Skillet Brownie
- Baked Apples or Maple Baked Pears
- As a filling for your favorite cupcake recipe (see my How to Fill Cupcakes tutorial for exactly how to do this—so easy!)
And on ice cream, milkshakes, waffles, pancakes, berries, and so many more wonderful dessert recipes!
Print
Homemade Whipped Cream
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: Frosting
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Learn how to make fresh sweetened homemade whipped cream with only 3 simple ingredients. With its light and billowy texture, it’s the perfect topping for pies, cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, trifles, and so much more! This recipe is also in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240g/ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar or confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3–4 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks, and are the perfect consistency for topping and piping on desserts. If you accidentally over-whip the cream, and it looks curdled and heavy, pour in a little bit more cold heavy cream, and fold it in gently by hand with a spatula until it smooths out.
- Use immediately or cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Use immediately or cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Freezing prepared whipped cream sometimes causes it to lose its creamy texture, but it definitely works.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
- Double Batch: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. The amount of heavy cream you use doubles in volume as you whip it. So if you need 2 cups of whipped cream, use 1 cup of heavy cream.
- Sugar: Some bakers swear by granulated sugar in whipped cream; others swear by confectioners’ (powdered/icing) sugar. You could also use brown sugar. If you’re working with just a couple Tablespoons of sugar as listed in the recipe above, it doesn’t really make a difference. But if you’re working in larger batches, you may begin to taste the granules of granulated sugar, so confectioners’ sugar is the way to go.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I was wondering if I don’t have a mixer. Is a whisk ok to use?
Yes! Your arm will have a nice workout, but it will work. The key is to make sure the cream peaks.
Can this replace the whipping cream I buy at Whole Foods?
Yes 100% I tastes way better than store whipped cream my kids love it!
No need to purchase store whipped cream or that cool whipped frozen topping again. I had no idea you could use homemade whipped cream to replace it in recipes, by the way. Thanks Sally. We love this stuff. Great instructions, too.
Love love love this recipe!! Tastes better than store bought and so extremely simple. I don’t know why I never tried this before, but it is now my go to for whip cream!!
I love your recipes! If there’s anything I want to bake, I always come in Sally’s baking addiction!
Same, I always check here first!! I definitely trust her with me and my family’s tastebuds! 🙂
Sally, I always used to over whip this stuff but reading through your recipe helped. It was always greasy and curdled looking. Perfectly soft now!
Do you have any tips for making large batches of this whipped cream?
I will be making it for my Son’s wedding dessert bar. Thank you!
Ps… I love your blog/recipes!
Hi Sherry, This recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled!
I’m a cooking beginner and even I got a perfect result!
I just made chocolate pudding pie. Can I make the whipped cream now then put it on my pie until the morning? Will it be ok?
Definitely. Cover and store it in the refrigerator overnight.
Fantastic recipe. We usually ask pumpkin or pecan, this time we get both. Recipe was written beautifully and precise. We loved making this.
As always, thank you!
Cheryl
Hi Sally, How long can I store this in the fridge for? I plan on using an air-tight container 🙂
I recommend using immediately or covering it tightly in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Never made homemade whipped cream before, but I made french toast and therefore NEEDED some (I put preserves and whipped cream on french toast instead of syrup). I decided to give it a whirl and OMG. So easy, so delicious, never buying store-bought whipped cream again. Thank you for the recipe!
Question: can I use regular mixer blades instead of the whisking ones you recommend?
Thanx Sally
The whisk attachment for the stand mixer is ideal. Or the beaters for a hand mixer.
Hi sally,
Thanks for the recipe. Actually I am a beginner in cake decorating..Is it necessary to stabilize the whipped cream.. I can directly apply your showed whipped cream to the cake right ?? After decorating the cake with whipped cream do we need to refrigerate or freeze the cake ??
Hi Divya, Yes, you can apply it directly to a cake. You do not need to stabilize the whipped cream if you are going to serve the cake immediately (or cover it tightly in a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before putting it on your cake). If you would like it to last longer then you can stabilize it.
If I don’t have whisk beater for my hand held, can I just use the regular beaters? Or should I whisk it by hand?
Yes! The whisk beater is for the stand mixer. Use the regular beaters that come with your handheld. 🙂
Hi this may seem like a basic question but could I add food coloring to this to color it???
Sure can! A small amount of liquid or gel food coloring would be OK.
Any suggestions for making chocolate whipped cream?
Hi Jessica, I haven’t tested it, but I have seen other recipes that use one 1 TBS of sugar and then use 1 TBS of cocoa powder with the 1 cup of cream. Let me know if you try it!
I used your recipe to top off a lemon pie, it was delicious, and tonight I used it to make a dirt pie and it blended in easier abs better than cool whip. Thank you Pam in Odum Ga
Hi Sally, I love your strawberry buttercream recipe. I am trying to make a cake with whipped cream frosting instead as my friends like the lighter frosting. Do you think I can follow the whipped cream recipe and add in powdered freeze dried strawberry to give the yummy strawberry taste and color?
That shouldn’t be a problem. Gently fold the strawberry “dust” into the whipped cream after it’s prepared. The whipped cream may wilt a little, but not much.
WAY better than store bought. Thank you, Sally. I used this to make funny face pancakes for my 5 and 7 year old boys … great summertime brunch! I decreased the amount of heavy cream slightly to sweeten it up to and compliment the blueberries. 90 degrees and 100% humidity, and it stood up perfectly. I chilled the cream, bowl and whisk (stand-up mixer) in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Scooped whipped cream into a ziplock bag and put in the fridge while I made the pancakes. Boys said it tasted just like that big store bought brand.
I can aways count on your blog. Thanks for the post and for your reference to freezing — both came in handy and took our French toast to a new level this morning!
I made this without sugar because my boyfriend is diabetic – it still came out wonderfully. Thank you for this recipe. I have a question – what is the best way to store this in the fridge? In tupperware? A glass jar?
Hi Janice! Glad you tried it, thank you! I usually store in an airtight tupperware container.
this cream is so frothy and sweet its awesome I give it five stars
Everytime I make whipped cream it just doesn’t get to stiff peaks. It just doesn’t airate. Is it because I live in a humid area? I tried 4 times. I just put the mixer bowl in the freezer. Hoping that will help!
Humidity will prevent the whipped cream from setting up. A super cold mixing bowl always helps though! You could even put the sugar and vanilla extract in the refrigerator too!
I put the sugar and vanilla in a metal bowl with the heavy cream inside the fridge for 20-30 minutes. It dissolved the granular sugar like I was hoping and was cold enough to get medium peaks after 5 minutes with a plug in mixer. It will never be as stiff as cool whip or reddi whip with only these 3 ingredients, but it works great and tastes amazing!
I always use a cold metal bowl ( just use the one from your stand mixer), never plastic nore even glass!
How much does the recipe make?
2 cups
I’ve found that powdered sugar helps the whipped cream hold its shape better–I think b/c of the cornstarch. Since using this ingredient requires no extra steps, that seems the best way to go.
How long does it last and keep its shape? I’d like to use it for decorating a cake but don’t want it to wilt .
Thanks Sally! Love everything you make!!
The whipped cream holds its shape for at least 1 day. 🙂
Made this for Banoffee pie, I used honey instead of vanilla. Absolutely delicious
Maybe this is a US-thing, that making whipped cream at home isn’t the norm? Here in Germany, almost everybody does it, it’s simple and easy, also the store-bought versions aren’t convincing at all and very suspicious because of strange added ingredients – if you visit someone over here and they serve you that stuff they’ll most likely apologize for it… 😀
There’s a couple different store-bought options for whipped cream topping sold here. Fresh tastes so much better, as you can imagine!
I tried and found this works to stabilize whip cream:
1 tbsp sifted skim milk powder for every 1 cup of whip cream, whip till stiff. Last a long time in fridge. Don’t forget the sugar and vanilla extract.
There is a whipping cream stabilizer called “Whip it” which works very good. It’s a powder which you add during the whipping process and it dissolves just fine. By Dr. Oetker Brand, maybe you can find it at Amazon.
I’ve tried it with gelatin, and I found it best to temper the gelatin before pouring into the cold cream. That way you don’t end up with gelatin worms in your whipped cream.
So you bloom the gelatin in cold water first. Then heat it up. Mix it with a little room temp cream to bring down the temperature of the gelatin. then you drizzle it into the cold cream while whipping.
YES! Homemade whipped cream can replace Cool Whip in any recipe that calls for Cool Whip. Same amount.