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Homemade vanilla whipped cream made in 5 minutes with just 3 ingredients! This how-to recipe walks you through the simple steps to make whipped cream at home. It’s the perfect topping for everything from classic pound cake to Belgian waffles!
If you’ve never made whipped cream before, consider this your invitation to try. Homemade whipped cream is light, billowy, and the dreamiest dessert topping! I love it with everything from fresh berries to a slice of chocolate pecan pie.
It’s so easy to make from scratch (I could eat it by the spoonful) and tastes infinitely better than the store-bought variety. Gather your ingredients (heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla) and let’s begin!
Tips for Success
- Use a chilled mixer bowl. I like to chill my stainless steel mixer bowl in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or in the freezer for 15 minutes) before using. You can also chill the wire whip attachment. Keeping things as cold as possible helps the cream whip up easily.
- Cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (36% milk fat) whips quickly with a light texture. I keep the cream cold while I’m chilling the mixer bowl and use it straight from the fridge. Do not use half-and-half or whole milk – neither has the fat content necessary to whip up.
- For silky smooth whipped cream, use powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar). Powdered sugar dissolves smoothly in the heavy cream and also contains a small amount of cornstarch, which helps thicken the whipped cream.
- Pure vanilla extract adds rich flavor (I use and love Rodelle Gourmet Vanilla Extract). You can also use vanilla bean paste or the seeds of a vanilla bean.
- Avoid overbeating or overmixing. If you overmix, the whipped cream can start to develop a grainy texture or separate. Whipping to medium peaks is ideal for most uses. If you’d like to make a thicker whipped cream that you can pipe, see note in the recipe card.
How to Make Whipped Cream
Pour cold heavy cream into a chilled mixer bowl fitted with the wire whip attachment. Add powdered sugar and whip the mixture on medium speed until cream begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
Add vanilla extract to the mixer bowl, then whip the cream on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes.
At this point, use immediately or transfer to an airtight container in the refrigerator. The texture holds up well for at least 12 hours, but you can make whipped cream up to 24 hours in advance.
Favorite ways to use whipped cream:
- Serve with sour cream pound cake
- Pipe onto lemon cheesecake
- Dollop over pumpkin bread pudding
- Top classic raspberry pavlova
- Fill homemade cream puffs
- Enjoy with lemon pound cake
Did you try this Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!
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Easy 5-Minute Homemade Vanilla Whipped Cream
- Prep Time: 1 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Description
Homemade vanilla whipped cream made in 5 minutes with just 3 ingredients! This how-to recipe walks you through the simple steps to make whipped cream at home. It’s the perfect topping for everything from classic pound cake to Belgian waffles!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 g) cold heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp (22 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pour heavy cream into a chilled mixer bowl fitted with wire whip attachment.
- Add powdered sugar and whip on medium speed until cream begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract and whip the cream on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes.
- Use whipped cream immediately, or cover and transfer mixer bowl to the refrigerator until ready to use. The texture holds up well for 12 hours.
Notes
Whipped cream that you can pipe: Pour 1 cup (240 g) cold heavy cream into a chilled mixer bowl fitted with wire whip attachment. Beat cream on medium-high speed until cream begins to thicken; gradually add 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar. Add vanilla and beat just until firm peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with piping tip of choice.
Photography by Rachel Cook, Cook & Kin
