Whipped Cream Recipe

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Whipped cream is the perfect topping for your favorite desserts, ice cream, or hot beverages. Whether it’s piped beautifully onto pies, generously layered in cakes, or simply spooned into a bowl of fresh fruit, slightly sweetened whipped cream adds richness and decadence to so many things!

And it is beyond easy to make with 3 humble ingredients and about 5 minutes. Technically, you only need cold heavy whipping cream, but since I prefer to make it with vanilla extract and powdered sugar to give it a heavenly scent and a touch of sweetness, it can also be called Chantilly cream. For more sweet recipes that pair perfectly with whipped cream, try my easy strawberry shortcake recipe, ice cream cake, or homemade hot chocolate!

What You Need to Make this Recipe

Ingredients needed to make whipped cream.

Heavy whipping cream — for the cream to whip up nicely into soft peaks, it must be cold. So don’t take it out of the refrigerator until you are ready to whip.

Sugar — you’ll need a few tablespoons of powdered sugar (also called icing sugar or confectioners’ sugar). Feel free to use more or less depending on how sweet you want the cream. You can substitute extra-fine granulated sugar in a pinch or make your own powdered sugar.

Vanilla — vanilla extract adds flavor and a divine scent. Because this recipe has so few ingredients, opt for high-quality vanilla extract for the best flavor possible.

How to Make Whipped Cream

Set of two photos showing whipped cream added to a mixing bowl and then powdered sugar spooned in.

1. Start off by chilling your equipment. Yes, you read that right. Not only do you need to start off with cold heavy cream, but you also need cold equipment for the best result. If you want to whip the cream by hand, you’ll need to chill a large bowl and a whisk. If you use a hand mixer or stand mixer, the bowl of the stand mixer and beaters or whisk attachments all go into the fridge or freezer until cold. Chill them for at least 20 minutes. Pour the cold heavy cream into the cold bowl.

2. Add the sugar to the bowl. You can use anywhere from 1 to 3 tablespoons of sugar, depending on how sweet you need the chantilly cream to be.

Set of two photos showing vanilla extract added to a mixing bowl then whipped cream on a whisk.

3. Lastly, pour in the vanilla extract.

4. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until the mixture is frothy and starting to thicken. Then, increase to medium-high speed and continue to beat until soft peaks form. This will take another minute or two. Don’t leave the electric mixer unattended. Cream whips really fast and, when over-whipped, it curdles. Once the cream is whipped, transfer to a piping bag or spoon it into a bowl for serving.

A cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream and shaved chocolate on top.

Pro Tips for Making this Recipe

Use cold equipment. The bowl and whisk attachment need to be chilled in the fridge or freezer for about 20 minutes to help the cream stay as cold as possible.
Use cold cream. The heavy cream needs to come straight out of the fridge and into the mixing bowl. The fats in the cream need to stay cold for the cream to trap air and whip up into fluffy clouds.
Control the sweetness of the chantilly cream. Feel free to use more or less powdered sugar depending on how sweet you want it to be.
Be aware of the quantity. One cup of heavy whipping cream yields 2 cups of whipped, so keep that in mind!
Keep a close eye on the mixer. The mixture can go from soft peaks to medium peaks to stiff peaks to over-whipped in mere seconds. Cream that is over-whipped becomes grainy and lumpy. If you’re worried about this happening, start mixing on low speed, then gradually increase the speed as the cream thickens.
You can beat cream by hand! It will just take some arm-muscle power! I recommend using a large balloon whisk to help incorporate the most air in the fastest time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is heavy cream the same as heavy whipping cream?

Yes, heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are typically the same, but the name varies based on the brand. Heavy cream has a milk fat content of 36%. Whipping cream (also called light whipping cream) is different, typically has 30% to 36% milk fat, and does not retain its shape as well when whipped. For this recipe, heavy cream is the best option.

How to fix over-whipped cream

Put the mixer on low, or whisk by hand, and slowly drizzle in 1 tablespoon at a time of cold heavy cream until you have fluffy chantilly cream again.

How long does it last?

It will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container, but it will start to turn yellow and slowly deflate as it sits in the fridge. I recommend using it all as quickly as possible. If serving it on top of a dessert, like a homemade pumpkin pie that you make in advance, pipe it on right before serving or spoon onto individual slices as you serve them.

Can you freeze it?

You can freeze whipped cream! Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The texture won’t hold up quite as well as its frozen counterpart, Cool Whip, but it’s well suited for topping treats like hot cocoa or ice cream.

If you love this recipe try these out!

If you’ve tried this whipped cream recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

4.99 from 100 votes