Homemade Whipped Cream

Make homemade whipped cream with just three ingredients in only 5 minutes! Once you taste fresh, sweetened whipped cream, you'll never want to grab a tub or can from the grocery store again. It's the perfect accompaniment to fruit, to top your favorite cakes or pies, and to add as layers in pretty trifles.

I originally published this recipe in April 2014 and have since updated the recipe, added new photos, and included more helpful tips. 

Fresh whipped cream might seem like second nature to most people, but when I first started making it myself years ago, I was admittedly intimidated. While there's nothing better than a pie piled high with clouds of fresh whipped cream, there is certainly a sweet spot when it comes to getting it whipped up perfectly. If you stop too soon, you'll end up with watery whipped cream; if you whip it for too long, you'll end up with butter.

Once I landed on the perfect combination of ingredients and technique, I've never looked back. This may seem basic to many, but I'm sure there are others out there like me who may be intimidated by it or who can never get it quite right.

Homemade whipped cream definitely deserves its own little corner of the Internet, and whether you choose to top a pie, dollop it on a bowl of fruit, or pipe some rosettes on a cake, this recipe will serve you infinitely well.

Simple List of Ingredients

Technically, you only need one - heavy cream! But if you want something at least a little bit sweet (you do, trust me!), then you need three total ingredients:

1. Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream)
2. Powdered Sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar)
3. Vanilla extract

You may have seen both heavy cream and heavy whipping cream at your grocery store and wondered if they are the same thing, or if they can be used interchangeably. Let's discuss…

The Difference Between Heavy Cream and Whipping Cream

This all comes down to fat content. Heavy cream has a slightly higher fat content than whipping cream; they will both turn into delicious bowls of fresh whipped cream, but heavy cream will hold its shape for a longer period of time, while the whipping cream will give you a lighter, softer texture. I always use (and recommend!) heavy cream.

How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream

This comes together easily and quickly! Here's how we do it…

• Place the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl (you can use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or use a hand mixer).
• Beat at medium until frothy and beginning to thicken, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until the mixture reaches soft peaks and you start to see trails left by the beaters.
• Stop and scrape the bowl. I find that sometimes the cream along the sides and bottom of the bowl don't get whipped up very well, so once we're close to finished, I like to scrape the bowl so the straggling cream gets whipped in well too!
• Beat until stiff peaks form - I like my whipped cream nice and thick, but you don't want it to become curdled. It's important to watch closely at the end so you don't overmix it (if you're new to making whipped cream, I find that a hand mixer allows for more control and lessens the chance of overbeating it). If you take the beater out of the cream, it should hold its shape and not droop off of the beater.

Flavor Variations

While this homemade whipped cream recipe is absolutely perfect as-is, you can definitely experiment with different flavorings, spices, etc. Here are some ideas:

• Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting – For a whipped cream-based frosting that is sturdier and will hold up longer, I use a cream cheese base. You can find this version in my pumpkin spice latte cupcakes recipe.
• Cinnamon Whipped Cream – Start by adding ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and go from there, tasting and adjusting to get as much or as little flavor as you’d like.
• Maple Whipped Cream – This would be perfect on just about any fall-inspired treat! Reduce the powdered sugar to ¼ cup, add 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, and keep everything else the same. You could also choose to use maple extract (I would recommend 1 teaspoon) and keep everything else the same in the recipe instead of using maple syrup.
• Honey Whipped Cream – You can choose to use just honey as a sweetener (the whipped cream will be thinner and not hold up as long as with the powdered sugar as a stabilizer). You can use 2 tablespoons of honey with the cream, or play around with the ratios of powdered sugar and honey.
• Salted Caramel Whipped Cream – Add a couple tablespoons of salted caramel sauce, just as you did with the honey above.
• Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream – If you love seeing those flecks of vanilla bean, substitute vanilla bean paste for the vanilla extract. You can substitute 1:1, meaning use the same amount of vanilla bean paste as extract called for in the recipe.

Recipes that Use Fresh Whipped Cream

Aside from topping fresh fruit, hot chocolate, pancakes, or waffles, you can use it for all of these delicious desserts:

• Easy Strawberry Shortcake
• Pavlova Layer Cake with Whipped Cream & Berries
• Caramel Tres Leches Cake
• Strawberry Pie
• Chocolate Cream Pie
• Tres Leches Cake
• Banana Cream Pie
• No Bake Peanut Butter Lover's Pie
• Banoffee Pie
• Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
• Coconut Cream Pie
• Add a dollop to your favorite pie (hello, pumpkin pie!)

Storing and Freezing Instructions

Short-Term Storage – While best used the same day it is made, homemade whipped cream can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. It may soften while in the fridge; use a large balloon whisk to re-whip it briefly before using.

Freezer Storage – Whipped cream can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then re-whip with a balloon whisk to stiffen it up again before serving.

Watch the Recipe Video:

If you make this homemade whipped cream recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give the recipe a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️