Today I’m sharing a simple, 3-ingredient homemade whipped cream recipe. Skip the store-bought and make your own using just heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, ready in just 5 minutes!
A Simple, Stable Whipped Cream Recipe
If you’re still buying your whipped cream from the grocery store in a little plastic tub, this recipe is going to be a game changer for you.
Today we are ditching those store-bought, synthetic, poor excuses for whipped cream and we’re making it at home, from scratch. And you’re never going to look back. All you need is three ingredients (heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract) an electric mixer, and about five minutes.
This is a completely different animal from the store-bought variety. The taste is fresher, richer, better. Ever since sharing this recipe with my family, my siblings won’t even touch any imposters from the store. Even better, my recipe is essentially foolproof, perfected to be easy, stable, and pipe-able. It’s the perfect whipped cream recipe, great for topping off a slice of cheesecake or using in your strawberry shortcake.
How to Make Whipped Cream:
- Chill a medium-sized bowl in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
- Combine (cold) heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in chilled bowl.
- Beat ingredients together with an electric mixer on high speed until cream is thick and billowy and stiff peaks form.
That’s it. Sweet, simple, and from-scratch. Three ingredients, three steps, and about three minutes standing between you and your own homemade whipped cream.
How Long Will Whipped Cream Last?
I’m bragging, but this recipe is the longest-lasting I’ve ever used. I’ve made it up to 3 days in advance and it has held its shape and consistency perfectly for me and I’ve never had it weep or run.
However, because I know recipes can be fickle and can vary depending on the environment in which they are made (especially during humid summer months), I generally recommend making whipped cream the same day you intend to use it, just to be safe.
What Makes It Work?
I credit the stability of this recipe to a few key factors:
- We’re using powdered sugar rather than granulated. Just enough to keep it stable without over-sweetening. Because this cream is slightly sweetened, it’s also known as Chantilly Cream.
- We’re whipping our cream long enough to convince it to hold its shape. Many recipes stop shy of this, but we’re going all the way to stiff peaks (a bit more on that below!).
- I recommend using heavy cream and not whipping cream. Whipping cream will work, but heavy cream holds its shape better.
I was so sick of weepy, weak, flat, whipped cream recipes as my only alternative to store-bought, which is why I perfected this recipe in the first place. I think you’re going to really love how simple and stable this one is.
A Few Tips
- Whipped cream is easiest to make not only when all of your ingredients are cold, but when your tools are, too. Because of this I recommend using a metal bowl if you have one and popping it in the freezer for a few minutes before whipping. A glass bowl will also work great, but a metal bowl will get cold even faster.
- Use an electric mixer. This can absolutely be made by whisking by hand, but it’s going to take you a heck of a lot longer than 5 minutes and you’re going to get an intense arm workout.
- For Step 3 above (beating ingredients together), start with your mixer on low speed and gradually increase to high. Otherwise you’ll be finding heavy cream splatters on your kitchen walls, utensils, and appliances for weeks to come (ask me how I know).
- “Stiff peaks” simply means that when you lift the beater out of the cream, the peak that forms on the beater will hold its shape even when you turn the beater upside down (if you’ve made my meringue cookies, you’re familiar with this technique, but here is a great visual on the different kind of peaks). You want to stop right when you reach stiff peaks, or you run the risk of over-beating your cream and ending up with a slightly curdled-looking cream. Don’t panic, it’s still going to taste amazing.
Perfect Pairings:
Alright, now that you’ve made your whipped cream, you need something to to do with it, right? Here are a few of my favorite options:
- Angel Food Cake (with strawberries, of course!)
- Pancakes
- Chocolate pie
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- No-Bake Cheesecake (or mini cheesecakes!)
- Banana Cream Pie
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Pound Cake
- Gingerbread
Or… really just about anything goes great with it, to be honest. Let me know what your plans are!
Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream¹ cold (355ml)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (60g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
Instructions
- Place a medium-sized bowl (preferably metal) in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to chill.
- Once bowl has chilled, remove from freezer and add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Using an electric mixer², beat ingredients on low speed, gradually increasing speed to high, and beat until stiff peaks form. Don't over-beat, but don't stop beating until cream has reached a thick, billowy consistency (think the thickness of Cool Whip).
- Keep unused whipped cream refrigerated in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Treat yourself to a FREE E-BOOK!
This recipe was originally published 10/27/2017. Updated 07/27/2019.
Araceli says
Hello is heavy whipping cream okay to use?
Sam says
I recommend heavy cream over whipping cream as heavy cream will hold its shape better ultimately, but whipping cream will work! Enjoy 🙂
Jaz says
Taste like vanilla ice cream! Yummy!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed the whipped cream so much! 🙂
Karen says
Peach cobbler
Sam says
Hi Karen! I do have a recipe for peach cobbler. 🙂
Kathryn says
Once made, how long will this whipped cream last in the refrigerator l ?. Can you add gelatin to help stabalize it?
Sam says
I have kept it for several days in the refrigerator but to be safe I recommend using it the same day you make it. I’m sure you could add gelatin to stabilize even more.
Eman says
Hello,
Thanks for the recipe. It just comes on time. I want to ask you about soft serve cream. I bought it as a whipping top cream. I never knew it is for ice cream. Is there any way to make it thick and use it for cake decoration? I do not have ice cream machine and I do not want to throw it away either.
Thanks again,
Eman
Sam says
Hi Eman, I’m sorry but I am not familiar with soft serve cream so I’m afraid I can’t advise.
Annette Herreravvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvcancan says
Absolutely delicious 😋 with strawberry & shortcake. Followed your instructions to the Tee and was perfect in every way. I have such fond memories growing up in the Midwest on the hot summers evening’s, just after getting the dinner dishes all washed up and then Mom would meet us outside at the patio table with a freshly made bowl of whipped cream topping and fresh sliced and slightly sweetened🍓 strawberries with surup and a plate of homemade biscuits at room temperature….
Thank you for the most important ❤️ missing ingredient…
Sam says
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the whipped cream so much, Annette! Thank you so much for commenting, I appreciate it 🙂
Patti says
I’m working with a client who’s had swallowing issues, every liquid needs to be thickened. Her favorite dessert has always been cool whip but she can no longer tolerate it. Today is her 72nd Birthday and her last. She will probably not last 2 more weeks.
With your recipe she’ll be able to enjoy it till it’s finished.
Thank you!
Sam says
I’m so sorry to hear that Patti. I hope she loves the whipped cream.
Judy says
This is the first time I followed a recipe for whipped cream. I usually just start whipping the cream and gradually add sugar. It always turns out great. This recipe failed for my granddaughter and me. We did everything exactly as explained but the cream never whipped up fluffy. It got thicker and never moved on. We started out using my hand mixer. I thought maybe..it wasn’t,’t powerful enough. So I put the beater to my stand mixer in the freezer. I put the bowl of cream in the freezer as well. We waited 10 min and then tried to whip it on the stand mixer. No change. I don’t understand what happened
Sam says
Hi Judy, what kind of cream did you use?
Estelle says
Hello. Can I use it to make homemade ice cream. If yes how can I make it. Thank you
Sam says
Hi Estelle! See my Strawberry Rose Ice Cream for reference and alter it for your personal taste. 🙂
Dani says
Using this recipe to add on top of my Italian sweet berry cheesecake. So excited to try it!
Sam says
I think you’re going to love it! This is the only whipped cream my family will ever eat anymore 🙂
Rocio says
Does this whipped cream hold up better than the whipped topping mix (the one that you add only milk)?
Thank you,
Sam says
I’m sorry, I am not familiar with that mix so I can’t provide a good answer.
Cathy Kennedy says
Sam,
I made your recipe. It held together beautifully. The finished product I folded into another recipe – German Sweet Chocolate Pie which calls for Cool Whip. I’ll report back on how well it does in the freezer, as this is how the pie sets up. I happened to have some Cool Whip in the refrigerator, which I compared to your recipe and the homemade whipped topping is far superior. I figured it would be but I’m glad to have done the comparison. Have a good weekend!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed the whipped cream, Cathy! Homemade is always better if you ask me. 🙂
colleen says
Can this be made with regular granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar? Just to save me a trip to the store.. !
Sam says
Hi Colleen! It should work, you will probably want to use less sugar. It will also be less likely to stay as fluffy. 🙂
Laura says
Made an amazing topping for my strawberry pie. Held up well for a couple of days!
Sam says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the whipped cream, Laura! Thank you for commenting 🙂
Kristina P says
Absolutely perfect and delicious! Used it to top my fresh strawberries and homemade pound loaf cake! Found my Mother’s Day dessert! ❤️
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Kristina! I lovvveeee whipped cream and strawberries together. 🙂
Kristina P says
Absolutely 5 stars!! Thank you so much!