Homemade Whipped Cream
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
A dollop of homemade whipped cream makes every dessert special, and it takes just 5 minutes to make.
Whipped cream, or Chantilly cream, is a luscious, versatile topping that elevates any dessert—from strawberry shortcake to key lime pie to hot fudge sundaes. It is a simple mixture of heavy cream and sugar whipped in a mixer or by hand until it’s soft, billowy, and doubled in volume. With only two ingredients, it takes just minutes to make, and the taste and texture are so much better than the imitation store-bought stuff. However, like most super-simple recipes, it’s easy to mess up! The key is to avoid over whipping it—whipped cream can go from perfectly silky and voluminous to grainy and curdled in an instant. You’re aiming for soft to medium peaks when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl. To avoid over whipping, keep a close eye on it the whole time, and when it’s close to done, remove the bowl from the mixer and finish whipping by hand.
“I made this recipe and followed it to a T and wouldn’t change a thing. Everybody loved it!”
What You’ll Need To Make Whipped Cream
- Cold Heavy Cream: You’ll need heavy whipping cream (30% to 35% fat) or heavy cream (minimum of 36% fat) – these two creams are interchangeable in recipes. For the fluffiest whipped cream, the cream must be very cold, so keep it in the fridge right up until you’re ready to use it. Note that organic heavy cream will give your whipped cream an off-white/yellowish hue, while regular cream will make bright white whipped topping.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Confectioners’ sugar not only sweetens but also stabilizes the whipped cream, helping it maintain its shape longer. Granulated sugar also works but confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) is ideal because it dissolves easily. You’re going for a subtlety sweet whipped cream, so just 2 tablespoons is sufficient.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
If you have time, stick the bowl and whisk in the fridge or freezer for 10 to 15 minutes prior to making. (This is not absolutely necessary but it helps to give the cream more volume.) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or, if using a hand mixer, use a large bowl and the beaters), beat the cream on medium speed (or medium-high speed if using a hand mixer) until it starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.
Add the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating on medium speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Keep a close eye on it – it’s always done before you think it is, and it goes from perfectly smooth and billowy to grainy and curdled in a few seconds. For extra insurance, when it’s close to done, remove the bowl from the mixer and finish whipping by hand (you don’t need to dirty a whisk; simply hold the whisk attachment with your hand). It should have a smooth, creamy texture and dollops should just barely hold their shape, like the image below.
Use the whipped topping on any of your favorite desserts, crepes, pies, pancakes, waffles, fresh berries, hot chocolate, and more!
Frequently Asked Questions
Whipped cream is best made right before serving but can be made up to three hours ahead of time. If you don’t plan on serving it immediately, it’s best to under whip it slightly and then whisk it by hand to the desired consistency right before serving.
You’ll know you’ve over whipped the cream if the texture becomes curd-like and clumpy. The image below shows cream that is over whipped by just a few seconds. At this stage, you can still salvage it by adding a few more tablespoons of cold cream and gently whisking it in by hand until smooth.
However, if you take it way too far (i.e., it looks almost like butter, like in the image below), there is no way to fix it and it’s best to start over. Don’t throw it away though! You can whip it until stiff, add a pinch of salt, and use it as fresh-made butter for spreading on toast.
You May Also Like
Whipped Cream
A dollop of homemade whipped cream makes every dessert special, and it takes just 5 minutes to make.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- If time allows, stick the bowl and whisk in the refrigerator or freezer for 10 to 15 minutes prior to making the whipped cream.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat the cream on medium speed (or medium-high if using a hand mixer) until it starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue beating on medium speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes more. Keep a close eye on it – it's always done before you think it is, and it goes from perfectly smooth and billowy to grainy and curdled in an instant. It should have a smooth, creamy texture and dollops should just barely hold their shape. If you're nervous about over whipping it, when it's close to done, remove the bowl from the mixer and finish whipping by hand (you don't need to dirty a whisk; simply hold the whisk attachment with your hand). Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 hours. If you don’t plan on serving it immediately, it’s best to under whip it slightly and then whisk it by hand to the desired consistency right before serving. Leftover whipped cream will keep for a few days in the refrigerator but will lose some of its volume. You may need to rewhip for a few seconds before serving.
- Note: If you accidentally over-whip the cream by a few seconds, you can salvage it by adding a few more tablespoons of cold cream and gently whisking it in by hand until smooth. If it's beyond repair (i.e., it looks like butter), continue whipping until stiff, add a pinch of salt, and spread it on your toast.
- Note: One cup of cream makes about eight ¼-cup servings. If you need more whipped cream for a larger dessert, keep in mind that whipping will approximately double the volume of cream, so if you need 3 cups of whipped cream, start with 1½ cups of heavy cream and 3 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (8 servings)
- Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 110
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 11 mg
- Cholesterol: 41 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I added vanilla extract to mine as well. It gave it a little bump in flavor.
I did the same. Yum. Just a splash was enough.
I made this recipe and followed it to a T and wouldn’t change a thing. Everybody loved it!
I’ve made whipped cream this way for years but recently experimented with adding mascarpone to that basic mixture, after getting the whipping cream partially whipped. After adding some mascarpone (amount varies/haven’t measured it – just experiment!), I continue the whipping process with the cream, mascarpone and confectioners sugar, and it has turned out great. It holds its stability much longer, has a delicious creamy flavor and is, as you might expect, very rich.
This is what I’ve always done for whipped cream! Lol, I didn’t know there was a special name for it! (I thought I made it up, haha)….didn’t even know there was a science to it, which was interesting to read, yes, I’ve done all the right and wrong ones! It is FAR better than store bought, esp on hot cocoa!
Do you ever use a food processor to whip cream? I read that it makes for a more stable cream. Thank you and I always love your recipes. I find them so reliable and delicious!
So glad you like the recipes! I can’t say I’ve used a food processor. I’d be concerned that I’d overwhip it.