Foolproof Homemade Whipped Cream: The 2-Minute Recipe You Need

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Whipped cream – the simplest, yet most delightful of dessert toppers. Our family cannot get enough of this pillowy fluff. And I’m here to let you in on a little secret: making your own whipped cream is not only ridiculously easy but also infinitely more delicious than anything from a store or a can.

With just 3 ingredients and 2 minutes, you can take any dessert from good to incredible. This easy recipe will be your go-to, whether it’s topping a pie, garnishing hot chocolate, or dipping berries.

This whipped topping is perfect for Maple Pumpkin Custards, Fudgy Fresh Milled Brownies, or Hot Cocoa.

Why Use Heavy Cream and Not Whole Milk?

Whole milk does not have enough fat to whip up like heavy cream does. You would need to add additional thickening agents, emulsifiers, or stabilizers to get whole milk to whip up.

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Equipment: Whipping Up Success

• Whisk vs. hand mixer: You can totally whisk by hand, but that will take quite a bit longer and you may end up with a sore wrist – try the easy way and use an electric mixer with the whisk attachment
• Bowls: I prefer to use either glass or metal bowls because they chill much better than plastic
• Chilling: The secret to the perfect quick whip is chilling your bowl (and your whisk if you remember) in the freezer before you make your whipped cream

Ingredients: The Holy Trinity of Whipped Cream

• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

The 2-Minute Whip: From Liquid to Fluffy Peaks

This no-fail whipped cream recipe will change how you enjoy and serve desserts. It’s a no-brainer when all you need is a couple of minutes.

1. Pre-chill bowl and whisk if you remember
2. Add heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to bowl
3. Whisk together on medium-high speed for 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form
4. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days

Soft Peaks vs Stiff Peaks

Luckily homemade whipped cream is a lot easier to make than meringue, but you do need to keep your eye on it so things don’t get out of hand. Soft peaks are going to look more like marshmallow cream, a little limp and not able to stand straight up. We are looking for stiff peak when we whip our cream. A perfect whipped cream should stand up and not fall when you turn the bowl or whisk upside down.

Let’s Whip It

Pre-chill bowl and whisk if you remember. Add heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to bowl.

Whisk together on medium-high speed for 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Troubleshooting Common Whipped Cream Issues

Over-Whipping

Everything is going well, until suddenly it isn’t. You’ve whipped a little too long and now you have chunky cream or almost butter on your hands. You’ve got a couple of options. If it has barely separated and is still white, you may be able to save it by stirring in a few more tablespoons of heavy cream. If the cream has started turning a light yellow, you should just keep whipping and make butter (which is a delicious way to fail!). Unfortunately, once it has started turning into butter you will have to start over to get whipped cream.

Under-Whipping

Depending on the day (or the hour), sometimes it just takes a little longer than 2 minutes to whip up your cream. You want to make sure you get stiff peaks. If you don’t whip it enough it is going to deflate back into heavy cream, or it could even start to separate a little. No one likes a soggy whipped cream unless it is actively melting on a piece of warm pie. If you are having trouble getting it to whip up at all, double check you are using heavy cream and not half and half or whole milk. Also you can try putting it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to see if that helps.

Temperature

You always want to make sure your ingredients are cold. Room temperature is not cold enough. It needs to come straight from the fridge and be below 50 degrees for it to be successful. This is where the chilled bowl comes in handy to keep that temperature low.

Serving and Pairing: The Perfect Topping

• Classic dessert pairings like pies, puddings, ice cream, and fruit
• Beverages that beg for a dollop include coffee, hot chocolate, apple cider, or frozen drinks
• Whipped cream can also be used a as a frosting for cakes, or a filling for donuts

Flavoring Your Whipped Cream: Beyond Vanilla

You can totally mix up the flavor profiles of your whipped cream. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Some fun ideas to try include:

• Cocoa Powder
• Espresso Powder
• Almond Extract
• Cinnamon
• Lemon Zest
• Maple Syrup instead of sugar
• Bourbon, Amaretto, Schnapps, etc.

Enjoy! You can now whip up the easiest, most delicious 2-minute whipped cream any time. You’ll never have to settle for store-bought spray or tubs again. Go ahead, top your slice of pie, scoop it onto your coffee, or just enjoy a giant spoonful.

Let us know how you like to enjoy your whipped cream!