Homemade Whipped Cream

Sweetened whipped cream

The Spruce

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 2 cups

Frozen, canned, and powdered whipped toppings are convenient and long-lasting, but nothing beats the flavor and texture of fresh, homemade whipped cream. Made simply by beating cold heavy cream until fluffy, it's also easy to make. This recipe adds a little sugar for just the right amount of sweetness and vanilla for flavor. Using just three ingredients and 10 minutes of your time, you'll have the perfect topping for your next dessert.

For the best results, use heavy whipping cream, whipping cream, or heavy cream. Just don't try to whip half-and-half, evaporated milk, or whole milk, since they don't contain enough fat for whipping. Make sure the cream is nice and cold—chilling your bowl and beaters helps, too.

Superfine sugar (also known as caster sugar) or powdered sugar both work well for sweetening the whipped cream. If you don't have superfine sugar, you can make it using a food processor or blender. Add once the cream is thick and keep whipping to help it dissolve. Whipped cream is best used fresh, but it can be stored for up to a day.

Fresh, homemade whipped cream is the perfect topping for fresh strawberries or strawberry shortcake and is lovely piled atop a luscious cream pie. It has endless uses and can be flavored, too.

"Whipped cream is a perfect way to level up dessert! It's a great addition to chocolate cakes or fruit tarts and makes them even more elegant! This recipe is simple, quick, and foolproof. You can also adjust the sweetness to your taste." —Tara Omidvar

Homemade Whipped Cream
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream, chilled

  • 2 to 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar or superfine sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. If you have time, place the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. The cream will whip faster in a chilled bowl.

    Ingredients for sweetened whipped cream
    The Spruce
  2. Add the cold cream to a medium mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Use an electric mixer at medium-low speed to whip the chilled cream until thickened and doubled in volume. This will take a few minutes as the cream goes from frothy to thick.

    Whip the chilled cream
    The Spruce
  3. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar or fine granulated sugar over the partially whipped cream and add the vanilla.

    Sprinkle sugar in cream
    The Spruce
  4. Continue beating the cream at medium speed to soft peaks. The trails left by the beaters will become pronounced and some whipped cream will cling to the beaters if you pull them out of the mixture, but the peaks will flop over.

    Beat the cream to soft peaks.

    The Spruce

  5. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. The trails will become stiffer, the mixture will be very fluffy, and, when you pull the beaters out, whipped cream will cling to the ends with peaks that stand up. Just the very end tip of the cream will flop over.

    Beat until stiff peaks form.

    The Spruce

  6. Use to top your favorite dessert and enjoy!

    Top your favorite dessert with whipped cream.

    The Spruce

Tip

Don't over-beat the cream. If solid clumps of butter are beginning to form, you've gone too far and have started making butter. Keep beating until solid, pour off the liquid, and use it as sweetened butter. Start over with chilled cream to make whipped cream.

Recipe Variations

  • Omit the sugar and vanilla and beat three tablespoons of dark maple syrup into the cream when it begins to form soft peaks to make maple whipped cream.
  • Add melted, cooled chocolate to make chocolate whipped cream.
  • To make spiced whipped cream, add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon along with the sugar.
  • Swap the vanilla for another extract, like almond or coconut. Start with half a teaspoon since some extracts are very strong.
  • Add a few drops of food coloring for a colorful, fun topping.
  • If you need to make the whipped cream ahead of time, consider making stabilized whipped cream. It will hold its shape and texture for longer.

How to Serve Whipped Cream

How to Store and Freeze

  • Whipped cream is best used just after making. It can be stored for up to a day in a covered container in the fridge, but the longer you store it the more the texture will be affected. Whisk briefly before serving leftovers.
  • To freeze whipped cream, drop or pipe mounds onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and then freeze until they're solid. Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to three months. Take the frozen mounds out of the freezer about 10 to 15 minutes before you plan to serve. 

What Is the Difference Between Heavy Cream and Whipping Cream?

Whipping cream (or "light whipping cream") contains 30 to 36% milkfat while heavy cream (or "heavy whipping cream") contains 36 to 40%. Heavy cream makes the creamiest whipped cream but both will work.

Is Cool Whip Whipped Cream?

Cool Whip is imitation whipped cream made primarily of hydrogenated oils and corn syrup. It does contain a small amount of dairy, so it is not dairy-free, but it does not contain heavy cream. Whipped cream is made solely of whipped cream and can have added flavors like sugar and vanilla.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
117 Calories
11g Fat
5g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 117
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 34mg 11%
Sodium 8mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 29mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)