Learn how to make whipped cream with this easy 3- Ingredient Homemade Whipped Cream recipe! Skip the store-bought stuff – this stabilized sweet whipped cream is delicious and perfect for frosting cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, trifles and more!
Looking for more whipped cream recipes? Try these recipes for Baileys Chocolate Whipped Cream, Strawberry Whipped Cream and Mascarpone Whipped Cream!
*Post updated 3/21/19
Easy Homemade Whipped Cream
Growing up, we only knew of store-bought whipped cream. Making it homemade was just not a thing, so Cool Whip it was! When I made homemade whipped cream for the first time, I totally expected it to be difficult but it was SO easy! How had I not done this all along?! Once I realized my error, I never looked back!
How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream
You need three very simple things to make whipped cream. Just heavy whipping cream (or heavy cream), powdered sugar and vanilla extract. That’s it!
Start with cold cream. The colder the cream, the easier and more quickly it will whip. You could even freeze your bowl and whisk for 10-15 minutes before making it, but it isn’t really necessary.
I like to whip the cream on high speed and get a nice, stiff whipped cream. I’m usually using it to frost cakes, cupcakes or any other dessert and I want to make sure it stays put, so I whip it until stiff peaks form. What that means is that when you lift the whisk out of the cream after whipping it, it stays in place. You could whip it a little less, but that’s my preference in most cases.
Do be careful not to over-whip it though. You don’t want to walk away, because whipped cream happens quickly and if you leave it too long, you end up with butter. Cool, right?! But not what you want.
How to Stabilize Homemade Whipped Cream
Not only do I whip my cream until it’s stiff, I also use powdered sugar to ensure it doesn’t wilt. Because I use this whipped cream with desserts, it needs to stay in place for days at a time. I can easily pipe this whipped cream onto a cake or cheesecake and set it in the fridge and it’ll stay exactly as I left it. I’ve let things sit for a week or more and it stays as is.
My general rule for the ratio of heavy whipping cream to powdered sugar is 2:1. So for every cup of cream, I use about half a cup of powdered sugar. You can certainly reduce the powdered sugar a bit (and I often do) and it’ll stay fine, but that math is easy to work with if you’re making larger batches. I wouldn’t reduce it by more than a couple tablespoons though.
Can I Use Whipped Cream Instead of Cool Whip?
Because this whipped cream is so stable, it makes a great replacement for Cool Whip and other store-bought frozen toppings in recipes. And because I’ve been asked about that replacement so often, the recipe below makes the perfect amount for replacing 8 oz of Cool Whip.
Is Whipping Cream the Same as Heavy Cream?
They are very similar, but not the same. The difference is in the amount of milk fat. Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream contain 36% milk fat, while whipping cream (without “heavy” in the name) is lighter with 30% milk fat. Both will whip into whipped cream, but the “heavy” ones will hold their shape better and longer, making them the better option for this whipped cream.
More Whipped Cream Recipes:
Stabilized Mascarpone Whipped Cream
Strawberry Whipped Cream Two Ways
Baileys Chocolate Whipped Cream
Recipes to Use Homemade Whipped Cream With:
Black Forest Cake
Strawberry Shortcake Trifle
Tiramisu Cheesecake
Oreo Ice Cream Cake
Funfetti Cheesecake with Cake Bottom
Homemade Whipped Cream
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: about 2 1/2 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
If you’ve ever wondered how to make whipped cream you’ll love this easy recipe with only three ingredients!
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream or heavy cream, cold
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment.
2. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
3. Use the whipped cream on any number of desserts including ice cream, cake, cupcakes, cheesecakes, trifles and more. Whipped cream will stay stable when stored in the fridge for at least 5-7 days after piping onto a dessert. I suggest piping it onto your dessert shortly after making it.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 2 1/2 cups
- Calories: 753
- Sugar: 63.5 g
- Sodium: 42 mg
- Fat: 54.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 64.4 g
- Protein: 4.3 g
- Cholesterol: 169.5 mg
Keywords: homemade whipped cream, stabilized whipped cream, whipped cream, how to make whipped cream, whipped cream recipe, heavy whipping cream,
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Can this recipe be doubled to make a large Trifle
Sure!
Question-can this be used on a frozen dessert? If so, how far ahead can I make the dessert? As in how long can it be frozen and keep its consistency.
Yes, you can use it on a frozen dessert. I do it all the time. It freezes well. How far ahead you make it may depend a little on the dessert you’re adding it to. The whipped cream will be fine frozen if well covered for up to 3 months.
I love this recipe so much
Thank you for this recipe. Should I use regular powdered sugar? Or confectioners sugar?
They are the same thing. It’s also sometimes called icing sugar.
Thank you for the recipe, tried it and it came out okay and the piping I did last night stayed in tact but it was not stable after whipping. Wish I had read the comment to add cornstarch to my powdered sugar – in South Africa our baking suppliers mill their own powdered sugar and don not add anything to it. Lindsay, what would be the ratio of cornstarch to powdered sugar – I would love to test it again.
I’m sorry you had trouble. It’s always hard for me to know the differences between ingredients in various countries. Unfortunately, I’ve never had to add my own cornstarch so I’m not sure how much.
My whipped cream came out perfect with the perfect sweetness level.
★★★★★
So glad to hear that!
This is a good recipe and you do get peaks stiff enough to decorate the tops of cakes and pies, BUT the whip cream curdles after refrigeration, usually after 24 hours in the fridge. I don’t know if it’s because of the quality of powdered sugar (sifted) and heavy cream I use or not. I beat until stiff and it’s usually smooth after.
★★★
I have used this recipe so many times and for so many years and I have never had it curdle in the fridge. Once it’s on the cake or cupcake, etc, it stays exactly as it was. If you leave it sitting in a bowl and then pull it out of the fridge and stir it up again, it will start to deflate. But I have never, ever seen it curdle. I have used lots of different brands as well, but perhaps it had something to do with your ingredients.
This is so great to know! And so easy!
Question: do you use a powdered sugar that contain corn starch? Or one that is jus very finely ground (to a powder!) sugar?
I usually grind my regular sugar to a powder if I’m making frosting or what have you, but I’ll add a bit of cornstarch or but the pre-mixed kind if that’s important!
I use powdered sugar that contains cornstarch.