This recipe for Homemade Whipped Cream walks you through tips for how to make whipped cream. The recipe is for a stabilized whipped cream without gelatin. It’s the perfect topping for cakes, cupcakes, pies, no-bake desserts and more. Ditch the Cool Whip and make a batch of homemade whipped cream instead.
I make a LOT of whipped cream in my house. Anytime I am making poke cakes, no-bake desserts, pies or even ice cream, I am probably making a batch of Homemade Whipped Cream.
Therefore, a lot of my recipes call for a batch of whipped cream whether it’s mixed into the filling or added as decoration to the top. While I like to offer the option of using a pre-made whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, I always want to encourage readers to try making it yourself. It’s much easier than you think!
This recipe makes a nice and thick whipped cream which is perfect for piping and decorating cupcakes, cakes, pies and more. Best of all, this is a whipped cream without gelatin.
I love playing around with different flavors of whipped cream such as hot chocolate or cake batter whipped cream. Yum!
Let me provide you with some helpful tips for how to make homemade whipped cream. The key to a successful whipped cream involves a few simple steps.
You need a stabilizer
The most important part of making a stabilized whipped cream is adding something to help stiffen it up. I prefer not to use gelatin myself. My preferred stabilizer is powdered sugar. You will notice that I tend to use a lot of powdered sugar to make my whipped cream nice and stiff, which is perfect for piping! This does make the whipped cream a lot sweeter, but again, it’s a personal preference.
You might also consider Mascarpone Whipped Cream for a more stabilized whipped cream.
Start with cold ingredients and utensils.
I always recommend placing your mixing bowl and your whisk in the freezer for 10 minutes or so to chill. It will help keep the cream nice and cold while it’s whipping. You’ll notice my video shows me making this in a glass bowl, but I prefer to use a metal mixing bowl because it gets colder than a glass bowl.
Whipped cream needs to be whipped at a high speed.
I always start on medium-high, which is speed 6-7 on my stand mixer. Once the whipped cream is bubbly and starts to thicken, add the powdered sugar slowly while reducing the mixing speed. Otherwise you’ll have quite a mess on your hands! Then, beat at a high speed until stiff peaks form.
Commonly asked questions about how to make whipped cream at home:
Can I make whipped cream without a stand mixer?
Yes, you will notice that a majority of my recipe videos show me preparing whipped cream using a hand mixer. I find the hand mixer cannot achieve the same stiff peaks as a stand mixer, however it still does the job.
If you’re using a hand mixer, I suggest using your spatula to turn the whipped cream from the bottom to the top and continue mixing to ensure it’s evenly mixed. I’ve also heard whipped cream can be made in a stand or immersion blender, but I have never tried it myself.
Are whipping cream and heavy cream the same?
All my recipes use heavy whipping cream, as opposed to heavy cream. Whipping cream contains a higher fat content, which will hold a better shape and produce a thicker whipped cream. Technically you can use either, but I recommend heavy whipping cream if it’s available.
Can I make whipped cream ahead of time?
My opinion? Not so much. If I am making a no-bake dessert or pie, I always prefer to prepare the whipped cream just prior to serving or at least the same day that I am serving it. However, it can also be frozen if needed. I want the whipped cream to be fresh, and I find it’s more stable at this point.
However, if you don’t have time and you need to make the whipped cream the night before serving, I suggest piping it onto your dessert at that time as opposed to leaving it in a bowl overnight.
How do I flavor my whipped cream?
Most recipes call for vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. This is all well and good but consider substituting things like almond, mint or peppermint extract, lemon or lime zest, lemon extract, maple syrup, cinnamon or nutmeg. I have also been known to add some Bailey’s Irish Cream or bourbon to my whipped cream. Get creative!
How much heavy cream do I need to make whipped cream?
I never use less than ¾ cup (177 ml) of heavy whipping cream or more than 1 ¾ cups (414 ml) of heavy whipping cream at one time. This is because I find it can be more difficult for the whipped cream to form properly when using less or more than these amounts.
Below is a table of helpful measurements that will ensure a nice, stiff whipped cream. This is a general guide, and, as always, there are exceptions to my rules.
- ¾ cup (177 ml) heavy whipping cream plus 1/4 cup (33 g) powdered sugar makes 7 ¼ ounces (205 g), or about 2 cups (150 g) prepared.
- 1 cup (237 ml) heavy whipping cream plus ½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar makes 10 ounces (284 g), or about 2 ¼ cups (168 g) prepared.
- 1 ¼ cups (296 ml) heavy whipping cream plus ½ cup and 2 tablespoons (114 g) powdered sugar makes 12 ounces (314 g), or about 2 ¾ cups (207 g) prepared.
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) heavy whipping cream plus ¾ cup (98 g) powdered sugar makes 14 ounces (397 g), or about 3 ½ cups (263 g) prepared.
- 1 ¾ cups (414 ml) heavy whipping cream plus 1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar makes about 16 ounces (454 g), or about 4 cups (300 g) prepared.
See below for my full recipe for how to make whipped cream. As alway, I’d love to hear from you! Do you have a favorite whipped cream recipe? Leave me a comment below.
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How to Make Whipped Cream
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 6 min
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 2 1/4 cups prepared
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
The recipe is for a sweetened, stabilized whipped cream without gelatin. It’s the perfect topping for cakes, cupcakes, pies, no-bake desserts and more.
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill.
- Prepare the whipped cream. Pour the heavy cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric or stand mixer to beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until the cream starts to thicken.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Notes
Whipped cream must stay refrigerate. Hot or humid climates are no good for whipped cream.
- Category: Frosting
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Batch
- Calories: 641
- Sugar: 62.2g
- Sodium: 33.6mg
- Fat: 43.3g
- Saturated Fat: 27.6g
- Carbohydrates: 63.1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 3.4g
- Cholesterol: 135.6mg
Keywords: Whipped Cream, Whipped Cream Recipe, How to Make Whipped Cream, Whipped Cream Frosting
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Amy says
What kind is attachments should I use if I am using a hand mixer? Does it have to be whisk attachments or your basics attachments?
Beyond Frosting says
You can use your standard two whisks that it comes with
Victoria says
OMG this frosting was amazing!!!
★★★★★
Beyond Frosting says
Awesome! Thanks Victoria!
brigitte sieler says
hi, I need to frost cake by Saturday if I frost Thursday will it separate?
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Brigitte, I recommend frosting the day of if you can.
krina shah says
Hi. Can I add cream cheese in whipped cream to decorate my cupcakes? Will it remain stable?
Beyond Frosting says
Yes- here is the actual recipe for cream cheese whipped cream
Isabella says
Can you please suggest few store brand or name brand?
I tried some heavy whipping cream.but it doesn’t become fluffy and light.what should I do to make fluffy and light , cloudy whipping?
Anthony Howard-Erevia says
I whip with my mixer (I used to do it by hand, no mixer, and my right forearm now looks like Popeye) for at least 5 minutes. The longer you mix the cream, with the powdered sugar, the lighter it gets. I have used generic and name brand heavy whipping cream. Mine usually comes out rally light, so I suggest keep that blender on a few more minutes. Then refrigerate it and let it set. That helps a LOT! I hope this helps!
Beyond Frosting says
Thanks for sharing!
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Isabella, as previously mentioned, this will vary greatly by regionally offering. I’ve used mostly Target’s private label, Walmart’s private label, Kroger’s private label.
Isabella says
Can you please suggest a good whipping cream available in the market?
Beyond Frosting says
Hi Isabella. It totally varies by region. I purchase both store brand and name brand whipping cream depending on where I am shopping and what’s on sale. As long as it’s heavy whipping cream, it should do the trick.
Karen says
Thank You! I googled that I wanted whipped cream frosting without gelatin and this was the first that came up and it had EVERYTHING I needed to be successful all in one clear recipe without having to search, I so appreciate that!
Beyond Frosting says
LOVE that Karen!