How to Make Homemade Whip Cream

Who doesn't love whip cream! Discover how to make homemade sweetened whipped cream with only 3 ingredients.

Whip cream is a popular topping that is used to top many foods, especially desserts. It is easy to make, and can be made in a variety of flavors. Whip cream always looks nice and shiny when served, and is a great way to add a delicious and tasty topping to your food.

I have spent years buying cool whip or jars of store-bought whipped cream filled with who-the-heck-knows-what, and I have learned that HOMEMADE whipped cream tastes far superior, both in texture and in flavor.

With its light and billowy texture, whipped cream is the perfect topping for pies, cakes, cupcakes, crepes, cheesecake, trifles, and so much more! 

You can make fresh whipped cream with just three ingredients, and it's ready in a matter of minutes. There's nothing like it. It's so light, so creamy, and so delicious.

Supplies You'll Need

1. Electric mixer – a KitchenAid stand mixer or a hand-held mixer
2. Mixing bowl
3. Cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
4. Sugar to sweeten
5. Vanilla extract

For whipped cream, some bakers prefer granulated sugar; others prefer confectioners' sugar.

Honestly, if you're only using a couple Tablespoons of the stuff, it won't really matter. But if you’re working in larger batches, you may taste the granules of granulated sugar.

How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream

You probably already know that you can make whipped cream out of whole milk by putting it in a bowl and beating it with a hand mixer.

The same technique can also be used with a blender, which will give you a creamier consistency, will be more stable, less fluffy, and is easier to flavor.

We begin with cold heavy cream - Whipping cream that is colder is easier and more successful. Cold cream also makes the lightest whipped cream! Cold whipped cream is not the same as slightly warm or room temperature cream. You could even freeze the bowl for 15 minutes or chill it for 30 minutes if you're feeling ambitious.

Whip the Cream - Start by whipping the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla together on medium-high speed. Whipping cream at this speed will whip air into the cream at a medium speed. High speed easily over-whips cream and low-speed under-whips it.

Stay near the mixer - Don’t walk away! It only takes a few minutes to make whipped cream, but it only takes a few seconds to over-mix it. When whipped cream is over-mixed, it becomes grainy and curdled. The perfect sweet spot is whipped cream, with its fluffy and smooth texture. Stand by your mixer so you know when it's ready.

Watch for medium peaks. How does whipped cream reach medium peaks? Beaters or whisks should form a slightly sturdy peak when lifted out of a bowl. There will be a slight drooping of the peak, but it will not lose its shape entirely. It won't be too liquidy or heavy. Stop the mixer from time to time to check the consistency of the whipped cream.

Exchanging Cool Whip for Real Whip Cream

The answer is yes. You can use this homemade whipped cream in place of Cool Whip (store-bought frozen whipped topping).

The amount should remain the same.

What is the Difference Between Heavy Cream and Whipping Cream?

This can be confusing! The difference between them is in the amount of milk fat. Whipping cream (without "heavy" in the title!) has 30% milk fat as opposed to heavy cream, which contains 36% milk fat.

While you can use all of them interchangeably for most recipes, heavy cream/heavy whipping cream will keep its shape better than light cream. Making homemade whipped cream is easy with them.

Desserts to Serve with Homemade Whipped Cream

There are so many options to choose from!

And on ice cream, milkshakes, crepes, waffles, pancakes, smoothies, and so much more!

We use it on:

• Mini Pumpkin Pie
• Mini Cheesecakes
• Creamy Mousse
• Strawberry Shortcake

How to Make Homemade Whip Cream