Can I make whipped cream ahead of time?

Yes. Homemade whipped cream is best enjoyed fresh, but you can make it up to 24 hours ahead and store it in the refrigerator. If it loses a little volume, gently whisk it again before serving.

Can I freeze whipped cream?

Absolutely. You can freeze it in any freezer-safe container or bowl for up to 3 months. Or you could pipe or dollop it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer container. (Great for topping hot chocolate!)

Why is my whipped cream runny?

Usually the cream wasn’t cold enough, didn’t contain enough fat, or needed more whipping time. Be sure to use cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream and whip until medium peaks form.

Can I use half-and-half or milk to make whipped cream?

No. Half-and-half and milk do not contain enough fat to whip into whipped cream. For best results, use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.

Homemade Whipped Cream - Sally's Baking

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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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 Instructions: You can freeze prepared whipped cream in any freezer-safe container or bowl for up to 3 months. Or you could pipe or dollop it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer container. (Great for topping hot chocolate!) Thaw in the refrigerator. After thawing, whipped cream may not be quite as creamy as it was when fresh.
Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
Make Sure the Heavy Cream is Cold: For best results, use cold heavy cream or cold heavy whipping cream.
Do Not Use Whipping Cream, Half-and-Half, or Milk: Whipping cream (without “heavy” in the title) has a lower milk fat percentage; it works but will not hold its shape quite as long. I strongly recommend heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Likewise, avoid half-and-half or milk because they do not contain enough fat to whip properly.
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.