How To: Make Homemade Whipped Cream
Nothing beats the real, homemade version! Heavy cream, vanilla extract and a little powdered sugar. This recipe for homemade whipped cream is the three ingredient staple every home cook needs in their repertoire. It’s so easy and there’s no special equipment needed other than a sturdy whisk and a large mixing bowl.
Looking for the perfect compliment to a homemade crisp or a slice of pie? Give this homemade whipped cream a spin and you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff again! Homemade whipped cream is delicious on top of chocolate raspberry crisp, chocolate bourbon pecan pie, or blueberry streusel pie, or just a simple cup of hot cocoa. Have fun amazing your friends and family while you whisk away, transforming a simple bowl of heavy cream into a beautiful whipped cream. It really is magic!
Ingredients to make homemade whipped cream
- Heavy whipping cream – the colder, the better. Wait to pull it out of the fridge until just before you plan to use.
- Vanilla extract – Save your favorite vanilla extract for your whipped cream, where a little really shines!
- Powdered sugar – Feel free to adjust the measurement to your desired sweetness. I like mine only slightly sweet.
How to make homemade whipped cream by hand
This is my preferred method. Pour chilled heavy whipping cream into a large bowl, and, with a sturdy whisk (the bigger the better here), start whisking. You’ll get a great arm workout and it’s so satisfying to see it thicken before your eyes. I like to stop whipping when it’s still a little soft in consistency but you may like yours on the thicker/stiffer side. At this point, gently stir in your powdered sugar and vanilla extract. If you’re planning to pipe or make designs with the whipped cream, you’ll want to whip it until it’s stiff.
How to make whipped cream with a mixer
Pour chilled heavy whipping cream into bowl of stand mixer or large bowl, and, with a whisk attachment or beaters turn your mixer to medium speed. Once the heavy whipping cream begins to thicken, you can turn up to high speed. If the cream splatters out of your bowl, you’ll know you’ve turned it up too high, too soon. Turn mixer off when the whipped cream is still a little soft and add vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Continue mixing until it’s between soft peaks and firm peaks, depending on your preference. If you’re planning to pipe or make designs with, you’ll want to whip it until it has formed firm peaks. A word of caution: it’s easy to over whip the cream in an electric mixer and before you know it you’ve ended up with the beginnings of homemade butter, and at this point, there’s no going back.
Mixing Things Up
Once you see how easy it is to make this homemade whipped cream, you’ll be dreaming up all kinds of flavor profiles. Here are some of my favorites. You’ll want to add them once the cream is almost fully-thickened.
- almond whipped cream – add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- mocha whipped cream – add 1 teaspoon good instant coffee granules, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- cinnamon whipped cream – hello, hot chocolate! Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
More Recipes to Try with Your Homemade Whipped Cream
Homemade Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream chilled
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, with a whisk or a whisk attachment, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until you form soft peaks.
- Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for a few hours, until ready to serve.