Learn how to make whipped cream from scratch with just one ingredient! Top all of your favorite desserts with easy homemade whipped cream or try a yummy flavor variation.
I have to confess that I feel kind of silly writing up a homemade whipped cream recipe. It’s one of those things that you think everyone knows how to make, except that they don’t.
I mean, I personally went 25+ years without knowing how to make it…clueless until my stepmom showed me how to create this same whipped cream recipe one afternoon.
I had brought dessert for family dinner. Probably something like Triple Fudgy Brownies, Slow Cooker Peach Cobbler, or Cast Iron Blondies – this was a few years ago so I don’t quite remember what it was.
But I do remember saying, “I’m sorry I didn’t bring whipped cream!” and she said, “Don’t worry, let’s make some!”
Since baking is a learned skill, and we all have to learn from someone, I’m sharing with you today the easy method my stepmom taught me for how to make whipped cream!
HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM RECIPE
WHY should you follow a homemade whipped cream recipe?
Two words for you: hydrogenated oils.
They’re icky, they’re gross and they’re super bad for you. It’s also one of two ingredients we absolutely do NOT allow into our real food house. (The other is high fructose corn syrup.)
Unfortunately, the Cool Whip “whipped topping” that comes in a tub AND the canned whipped cream with a nozzle has one or both of these ingredients.
I know whipped cream isn’t something we eat every day, but it’s so easy to make, why not take a baby step and try making whipped cream yourself?
HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM INGREDIENTS
You really truly only need one ingredient to make this home made whipped cream recipe, and that’s:
- heavy whipping cream.
Note: Some recipes call for heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, or even cream of tartar. And while those are all simple ingredients, you don’t really NEED any of those to make whipped cream. You just need heavy cream for whipping. Your heavy cream will double in volume as you whip it.
WHICH CREAM IS BEST FOR WHIPPING?
1. You’ll want to use heavy whipping cream. Not regular, not lite – HEAVY.
Most heavy cream for whipping at grocery stores nowadays contains carrageenan, a dairy additive you should avoid because it’s known to cause inflammation. Do your best to find heavy whipping cream that doesn’t have it, but if you can’t, don’t stress out over it.
2. You need COLD heavy cream.
Not frozen, but you want it to be as cold as possible. This makes it possible to beat air into it and in turn, make light and fluffy whipped cream. You could even put it in the freezer for a few minutes before whipping it up.
3. You want a chilled bowl too, but this is completely optional.
My stepmom made sure to use a chilled mixing bowl and beaters of her stand mixer. Any time she had the slightest inkling that she was going to be making homemade whipped cream, she put her tools in the refrigerator. Maybe it was because it was summer. Maybe she did it because that’s how she was taught to make it.
Me though? Not so much.
I almost always make my homemade whipped cream recipe using a bowl that is 100% room temperature. My whipped cream hasn’t suffered yet, but maybe one day I’ll try her trick and see if it’s any more delicious.
HOW TO MAKE WHIPPED CREAM
So how do you make whipped cream? Simple!
Step 1. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer (I have this one) with a whisk attachment, or into a large deep bowl if you plan to use an electric mixer or hand mixer.
Step 2. Set the mixer on high speed and beat the whipping cream until it begins to look more solid than liquid.
Step 3. If you’re using flavors, turn the mixer off and add them at this time.
Step 4. Continue beating until stiff peaks form when the attachment is pulled out of the whipped cream. Be careful not to over-beat the whipping cream. If you do, the whipped cream will lose its structure and not be as stiff.
Stay by the mixer, and don’t be afraid to stop it and check to see if your whipped cream has the right consistency. If it doesn’t, keep mixing. If it does, you’re done!
HOW DO YOU MAKE WHIPPED CREAM WITH FLAVOR?
Once you’ve learned how to make whipped cream, you can jazz it up and make flavored whipped cream! Use all sorts of fun flavors and turn it into a really special treat for the family.
1. SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM
I’m not saying to go crazy here by adding tons of sugar, but you always have the option of adding sugar to your whipped cream to sweeten it a bit.
Most bakers will say to start with 2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar and adjust from there. You can also try different types of sugars to get different flavors of whipped cream…
2. ADD SPICES
Adding up to 1 ½ teaspoons of various spices would be a super fun way to mix up the flavor in this homemade whipped cream recipe. Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, vanilla bean powder… these all come to mind as great flavors to complement holiday baking.
3. ADD EXTRACTS
Traditional flavored homemade whipped cream calls for 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract, but what if you used almond extract or lemon or peppermint?! Imagine how much fun the whipped cream would be!
Note: It’s perfectly fine and delicious to flavor homemade whipped cream, but remember the more ingredients you add, the heavier the cream will be and the harder it is to whip enough air into it. Err on the side of caution, especially with heavy liquids like honey and maple syrup.
If you’d like a specific recipe for a flavored whipped cream try this Chocolate Whipped Cream!
HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM TIPS
- Fresh whipped cream is best enjoyed immediately, although I’ve kept it in the fridge for a few days and the kids haven’t complained. It does get a little bit softer and droopier the next day, but it still tastes good! Store leftovers in an airtight container for the best freshness.
- I recommend making this no more than an hour or two ahead of when you plan to serve it – the morning of serving AT MOST if you’re looking to impress people (a la Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner at the in-laws’ house).
- If you’re like me though and your plans to impress simply mean the kids putting their own plates in the dishwasher, feel free to make it the day before. I won’t tell anyone.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH HOMEMADE WHIPPED TOPPING
Use your homemade whipped topping on all sorts of treats! Cakes, pies, breakfasts, and drinks!
- Healthy Homemade Pumpkin Pie
- Apple Slab Pie
- Slow Cooker Blueberry Cobbler
- Healthy Homemade Chocolate Pie
- Homemade Chocolate Pudding
- Chocolate Waffles or Pancakes
- Crockpot Hot Chocolate
- Or serve a dollop of whipped cream in a bowl with some fresh berries. Yum!
PERFECT WHIPPED CREAM RECIPE FAQS
Is whipped cream just milk?
Not quite. Homemade whipped cream is made with heavy whipping cream. Milk doesn’t have enough fat in it to solidify into whipped cream.
How long should cream be whipped?
Until the whipped cream holds its shape and resembles soft peaks when the attachment is pulled out of the whipped cream. Be careful not to over-beat the whipping cream. If you do, the whipped cream will lose its structure and not be as stiff.
Can you make chocolate whipped cream?
Yes! For a delicious chocolate version of this homemade whipped cream recipe, you’ll add cocoa powder and sweetener to your homemade whipped cream. Find all the details for Chocolate Whipped Cream here.
MORE HOMEMADE BAKING STAPLES
- How to Make Brown Sugar
- Homemade Powdered Sugar
- Homemade Vanilla Extract
- 15 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking
- How to Make Buttermilk
- Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk
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Learn how to make whipped cream from scratch with just one ingredient! Top all of your favorite desserts with easy homemade whipped cream or try a yummy flavor variation.
- Prep Time: 10-20 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Optional Ingredients for Vanilla Whipped Cream
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp vanilla powder
Instructions
- Pour the heavy whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer (I have this one), or into a large deep bowl if you plan to use a hand mixer.
- Set the mixer on the high speed and beat the whipping cream until it begins to look more solid than liquid.
- If you’re using flavors, turn the mixer off and add them at this time.**
- Continue beating until the whipping cream resembles stiff peaks when the attachment is pulled out of the whipped cream. Be careful not to over-beat the whipping cream. If you do, the whipped cream will lose it’s structure and not be as stiff.
Notes
** It’s perfectly fine and delicious to flavor homemade whipped cream, but remember the more ingredients you add, the heavier the cream will be and the harder it is to whip enough air into it. Err on the side of caution, especially with heavy liquids like honey and maple syrup.
Nutrition
- Calories: 809
I often make myself a small batch of whipped cream to have for dessert. I just make it in a tall glass and use my immersion blender with the whisk attachment!
Ooh – I’ve never tried it that way before. Brilliant!
My husband’s secret weapon dessert is whipped cream with berries. Sometimes he shaves chocolate on it or adds chocolate chips, but usually it’s just whipped cream and berries. The kids go bananas, and I’m a huge fan myself. It’s also great for last minute entertaining. My husband usually drinks his coffee black, but every now and then he adds cream, so we usually have a small carton on hand.
How does this compare to Cool Whip in the tub? I live overseas and have been desperate to try to make recipes calling for “one tub of Cool Whip” but I can’t buy it here!
Also, how do you avoid turning it into butter??
Hi Jessixa! You can substitute this for one tub of cool whip easily! I don’t remember how many ounces a tub of cool whip is, but 1 cup of heavy whipping cream will give you about 2 cups of whipped cream.
And you avoid turning into butter but stopping when the peaks are JUST stiff. If they’re stiff and you keep going to make them stiffer, you get butter. 🙂
Oh, and if you beat it a little too long just add a little sweetner and pretend you were aiming for butter cream frosting :). It doesn’t taste bad 🙂
Nice save!!
Organic whipping cream usually doesn’t have extra stuff in it but it’s expensive. Horizon’s is at most stores I’ve seen. Dairymen’s (not organic) is a regional brand (Ohio) that I’m pretty sure does NOT have extra stuff in it,
I love making my own. I’ve read that you can freeze whipped cream, especially in individual servings. I’ve frozen it in one batch but I don’t remember how well it stood up because it wasn’t for company, just us :). I usually lightly sweeten mine with regular sugar and add a little bit of vanilla. I like the ideas of trying the spices.
I love to make chocolate whipped cream! I use it to top my triple chocolate cream pie or sometimes we like to just whip it up to dip our fresh chocolate chip cookies in. Just be careful not to turn your whipped cream into butter 🙁 Don’t ask me how I know this…
LOL – I’ve come close myself!! Also, great minds think alike. I made chocolate whipped cream too, and it’s getting it own post!