Basic Homemade Whipped Cream (With Variations)

Written by
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher is a journalist and food writer who has authored multiple cookbooks.
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Stephanie Gallagher
Updated 07/07/19
Homemade whipped cream recipe

The Spruce 
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
53 Calories
5g Fat
1g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 53
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 17mg 6%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Protein 0g
Calcium 10mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This whipped cream recipe only takes about 10 minutes to prepare. The important thing is to use the right type of cream and to make sure your bowl and beaters are very cold. Unfortunately, you can't make whipped cream with milk, half and half, or light cream, as they don't have a high enough fat content to thicken when whipped. So make sure that you have the appropriate cream on-hand. Heavy cream, whipping cream, or double cream – basically anything that has a fat content of 30% or higher – are ideal for this recipe.

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream (or whipping cream or double cream, cold)
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Whipped cream recipe
    The Spruce

  2. Place a stainless steel mixing bowl and the beaters of your electric mixer or a wire whisk (whichever you plan to use to whip the cream) in the freezer for 10 minutes.

    Stainless steel
    The Spruce 

  3. Remove them both from the freezer, and pour the cream into the bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then gradually increase speed, beating until the cream becomes thick. This will take anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes. You can also use a wire whisk and beat the cream by hand, but it will take quite a bit longer.

    Whipped cream in bowl
    The Spruce 

  4. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.

    Add vanilla
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  5. Continue whipping the cream until it reaches the desired consistency.

    Whipped cream
    The Spruce 

  6. Serve on top of hot chocolate, pumpkin pie, or any recipe that calls for whipped cream.

Tip

  • You can store this homemade whipped cream in the refrigerator in an airtight container for one week.

Recipe Variations

  • If you want to create different flavors to complement different desserts or beverages, try using a different flavor of extract. For example, almond, mint, peppermint, coconut, banana, hazelnut, coffee, lemon, orange, pumpkin pie, or raspberry can help jazz up any type of sweet treat that you are serving.
  • Depending on what flavor extract you use, you can add a drop or two of food-grade dye and have the color of the whipped cream match the flavor! For example, if you're making a peppermint flavored whipped cream to top your hot cocoa, you can add a drop of green food coloring to create a very fun version!