Perfect Whipped Cream

See how easy it is to make homemade whipped cream. With a few tips and simple ingredients, you can make delicious, light, and fluffy whipped cream in no time. Jump to the Whipped Cream Recipe

I know whipped cream out of a bottle might seem simpler, but trust me when I tell you fresh homemade whipped cream is well worth it. It’s outrageously creamy, light, pillowy, and perfect for serving with fruit, pies, cakes, cupcakes, pancakes, hot chocolate, coffee, and more.

How to Whip Cream

Whipping cream at home is easy and only requires two steps:

Chill your cream before whipping. The colder the cream, the better it whips. So I like to keep my cream in the coldest part of my fridge (usually the back). Some bakers also recommend chilling the bowl where you plan to whip the cream, but I typically skip that step unless my kitchen is warm.

Whip the cream with a hand mixer on medium-high speed or use a stand mixer. For a sweetened cream, add vanilla and sugar. Whipping cream takes two to three minutes.

Try Coconut Whipped Cream: For an equally delicious topping, try our Vegan Coconut Whipped Cream made from coconut milk!

Three Stages of Whipped Cream

There are three stages of whipped cream to look for, so depending on how you plan to enjoy it, you might want one or the other.

Soft Peaks: The cream is thickened but won’t hold much of a peak or shape. As you pull your beaters out of the bowl, the cream will slowly fall back into the bowl and disappear back into the cream. Whip your cream to soft peaks when you plan to fold the cream into another mixture.

Medium Peaks: I love my whipped cream at this stage. The cream holds its shape pretty well but is still soft. Peaks will hold as you lift the beaters out of the bowl but slowly bend over.

Firm Peaks: The photo below is an excellent example of firm peaks. When you lift the beaters out of the bowl, the cream will stand up and not fall back onto itself. This stage is perfect for dipping, spreading onto cakes, and piping.

What Happens if You Over-Whip Cream, and How to Fix It?

Over-whipping cream means that your pillowy and creamy whipped cream becomes a clumpy and curd-like mess. It isn’t pretty and can be pretty defeating. Don’t worry. I am here to tell you that you can fix over-whipped cream!

Here’s how to fix broken whipped cream:

1. Turn off your mixer.
2. Grab the carton of whipping cream from the fridge.
3. With the mixer on LOW speed, pour a small amount of unwhipped cream into the bowl.
4. Continue adding cream — a little at a time — until the over-whipped cream becomes light and fluffy again. Depending on how over-whipped your cream is, you may need a couple of tablespoons or more (25% or 50% of the original amount of cream you used).

Is There a Difference Between Whipping, Heavy, and Double Cream?

The cream section of the grocery store is admittedly confusing. Here in America, we often see “half and half,” “heavy cream,” and “heavy whipping cream.” In other countries like England, you may see “single cream” or “double cream.“

The difference in all of these is fat content. Whipped cream needs cream that has at least 30% fat content. So, heavy cream, whipping cream, heavy whipping cream, and double cream will all work nicely. Milk, half-and-half, and single cream are all much lower in fat content, so they will not whip.

Tip: For the firmest whipped cream that holds its shape, use “heavy cream,” “heavy whipping cream,” or “double cream.” These all have a fat content of 36% or higher.

How Long Does Whipped Cream Last? Can It Be Made in Advance?

Fresh whipped cream will keep overnight (in the refrigerator). Many bakers recommend making it the day of use, but I’ve made whipped cream countless times a day in advance without any issues.

I say that with one caveat: heat is whipped cream’s nemesis. So if your kitchen is warm or the whipped cream has been left out for any period, it might not hold as well.

Keep your fresh whipped cream cold, and you should be okay. Worst case, if it has deflated, you can rewhip it with a whisk or hand mixer before serving.