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Home » Recipes » Party Recipes

Best Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe

Published: Jul 22, 2024 · Modified: May 20, 2025 by Chef Ryan Littley

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If you’re looking for the best homemade whipped cream recipe, look no further. I promise that after one taste, you’ll never buy the store-bought stuff again.

The whipping technique is the secret to making decadent, light whipped cream with no additives. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make

Homemade whipped cream in a jar with a spoon coming out.


 
Table of Contents:
  • Audio Player
  • Ingredients to make Homemade Whipped Cream
  • Can I use other ingredients to make Homemade Whipped Cream?
  • How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • More Recipes You’ll Love!
  • Recipe: Best Homemade Whipped Cream

Audio Player

Homemade whipped cream is the perfect topping for fresh fruit, waffles, pancakes, brownies, pies, and cakes. It also takes hot chocolate to the next level of decadence.

Adding homemade whipped cream to strawberry shortcake.

Homemade whipped cream has so many uses. Our individual strawberry shortcakes are an easy-to-make dessert that your whole family will love.

If you love desserts with homemade whipped cream, try our banana cream pie and our legendary tiramisu recipe.

Ingredients to make Homemade Whipped Cream

Ingredients to make the recipe.

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make our homemade whipped cream recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Can I use other ingredients to make Homemade Whipped Cream?

I always get asked why I don’t use powdered sugar to make this recipe. Confectioner’s sugar will actually begin breaking down whipped cream as it sits. If you’re going to use it all in one sitting, but if you plan on keeping it for a day or two, you’re not going to be happy.

Using superfine sugar and taking your time while whipping makes the best whipped cream, which will hold up for days without having to use unflavored gelatin or cream of tartar. If you can’t find superfine sugar, you can use regular sugar; it just takes a little longer to dissolve.

If you’d like to change the flavor, you can add lime or lemon zest to the mixture as it whips. Cocoa powder will make a chocolate version, and other flavored extracts can be used in place of vanilla extract.

For a deeper vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste instead of pure vanilla extract.

How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream

Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make homemade whipped cream in your home kitchen.

image showing how to finish the recipe.
  • Add the cold heavy cream (aka heavy whipping cream), sugar, and vanilla extract into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or a large bowl and electric hand mixer).

*Chilling the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes before making the whipped cream will help the process. The cream needs to be very cold, and starting with a cold bowl is the best way to keep it cold.

image showing how to finish the recipe.
  • Start at a low speed and gradually build up to a faster speed (this will give you better consistency for your whipped cream than over-beating it from the beginning).
  • Continue beating the cold cream until stiff peaks begin to form (just a little past soft peaks). The process should take 7-10 minutes.
    *Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

*You will eventually reach high speed, but it’s important to take time and gradually increase the mixer speed.

Black forest cake with homemade whipped cream.

Our homemade whipped cream made the perfect frosting for our Black Forest Cake. This sinfully delicious creamy whipped topping has so many uses that you’ll be making it on a regular basis.

And once you taste homemade, you’ll never go back to the canned version or gasp….cool whip.

Save any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container or well-covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I use light cream to make homemade whipped cream?

No, you can’t. The fat content of light cream and half-and-half is just not high enough, and it won’t thicken. When it comes to making whipped cream, it’s all about the milk fat, and if there’s not enough fat, it’s just not going to happen.

How much sugar should I use?

The amount of sugar can vary depending on your taste. A rule of thumb is two tablespoons of sugar for every cup of heavy cream. You can adjust this based on how sweet you want your whipped cream to be. I like mine with a little less sugar.

Can I make whipped cream without a mixer?

Absolutely. You can use a whisk to whip the cream by hand. It’ll require a good amount of effort and possibly a little more time, but it can be done. Just make sure the bowl and whisk are well chilled and that the cream is very cold.

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    Homemade Vanilla Custard Recipe

Adding homemade whipped cream to strawberry shortcake.

Best Homemade Whipped Cream

Chef Ryan Littley
Made with 3 simple ingredients homemade whipped cream will take your desserts to the next level, with its creamy, rich and decadent flavor. After one taste, you'll say goodbye to store-bought varieties.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Listen to the Post
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Topping
Cuisine American, French
Servings 12
Calories 110 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoon sugar Superfine or caster sugar if possible – add ½ 1 tablespoon more sugar if you prefer sweeter whipped cream.

Instructions
 

  • Add the cold heavy cream (aka heavy whipping cream), sugar, and vanilla extract into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or a large bowl and electric hand mixer).
    *Chilling the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes before making the whipped cream will help the process. The cream needs to be very cold and starting with a cold bowl is the best way to keep it cold.
  • If you can't find superfine sugar, you can use regular sugar. It just takes a little longer to dissolve.
  • Start at a low speed and gradually build up to a faster speed (this will give you better consistency for your whipped cream than over-beating it from the beginning.
  • Continue beating the cold cream until stiff peaks begin to form (just a little past soft peaks). The process should take 7-10 minutes.
    *Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
    *You will eventually reach high speed, but it’s important to take time and gradually increase the mixer speed.

Notes

Can I use other ingredients to make Homemade Whipped Cream?
I always get asked why I don’t use powdered sugar to make this recipe. Confectioner sugar will actually begin breaking down whipped cream as it sits. If you’re going to use it all in one sitting, but if you plan on keeping it for a day or two, you’re not going to be happy.
Using superfine sugar and taking your time while whipping makes the best whipped cream that will hold up for days without having to use unflavored gelatin or cream of tartar.
If you’d like to change the flavor, you can add lime or lemon zest to the mixture as it whips. Cocoa powder will make a chocolate version, and other flavored extracts can be used in place of vanilla extract.
For a deeper vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste instead of pure vanilla extract.
Can I use light cream to make whipped cream?
No, you can’t. The fat content of light cream and half-and-half is just not high enough, and it won’t thicken. When it comes to making whipped cream, it’s all about the milk fat, and if there’s not enough fat, it’s just not going to happen.
Can I make whipped cream without a mixer?
Absolutely. You can use a whisk to whip the cream by hand. It’s going to require a good amount of effort and possibly a little more time, but it can be done. Just make sure the bowl and whisk are well chilled bowl and the cream is very cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 8mgPotassium: 29mgSugar: 3gVitamin A: 437IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 0.03mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!

Comments

    5 from 2 votes

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Lisa says

    July 22, 2024 at 7:34 am

    5 stars
    It really is the best whipped cream!

    Reply
    • Sha says

      August 06, 2024 at 9:21 am

      5 stars
      I had never had homemade whip cream until I went to my then fiancé’s parents home for dinner. I watched his mom make the whip cream for the dessert. No more can whip cream after that! I’m going to try your recipe using superfine sugar. If you can’t find it just put sugar in food processor or blender and process the sugar until superfine.

      Reply


My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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