Name: Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 cups heavy whipping cream (16 ounces); 1/4 cup powdered sugar (33 grams); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 grams)

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Learn how to make our homemade whipped cream recipe with just 3 ingredients: heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Perfect for desserts, drinks, and more!

There’s nothing quite like the taste of freshly whipped cream made at home. Light, fluffy, and full of whatever flavor you choose, homemade whipped cream is worlds apart from the store-bought whipped cream or Cool Whip.

Whether you’re topping a piece of oatmeal pie, dolloping onto hot cocoa or a chai latte, or layering it on a white cake or black forest cake, this simple recipe is a must-have for anyone who loves homemade flavor.

Plus, our whipped cream is only three ingredients and takes about 5 minutes with an electric mixer. It’s an easy way to impress your guests!

Whipped Cream Ingredients

ingredients in homemade whipped cream on a table

Heavy whipping cream. Look for cream labeled “heavy” or “heavy whipping cream” for the best results. It has a higher milk fat content than just whipping cream, which helps it whip up beautifully.
Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar, it dissolves quickly and gives the whipped cream a touch of sweetness. Don’t have powdered sugar? You can use granulated sugar or brown sugar. You may need to beat the mixture a little longer, but they’ll dissolve and give great flavor, too.
Vanilla extract. Adds a slight warm flavor to the whipped cream. Use pure vanilla extract for the best taste or experiment with other extracts like almond extract or peppermint for unique variations.

✨ See the recipe card for full ingredient amounts. ✨

ingredients for whipped cream in a bowl with a mixer

How to Make Whipped Cream

Follow these simple instructions to whip up your own homemade whipped cream in minutes:

Chill Your Tools: Place your mixing bowl and beaters (or whisk attachment) in the fridge or freezer for about 10 minutes before you start. Cold tools help the cream whip up faster and hold its shape better.
Measure the Ingredients: Add the cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to the chilled bowl.
Whip the Cream: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed until it begins to thicken. Then increase to high speed and continue beating until soft peaks form. Soft peaks will hold their shape but still have a slight curl when you lift the beaters. Be careful not to over whip, as the cream can end up with a grainy texture or start to form butter. Note: stiff peaks do work better for piping the whipped cream.
Taste and Adjust: If you’d like a sweeter whipped cream, you can add more powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it tastes as you would like.

Stabilize the Whipped Cream

If you need whipped cream to hold up longer than a day, there are two options.

Add a tablespoon of cornstarch along with the sugar. Powdered sugar already has a little cornstarch in it, but you can add a touch more to help keep the fluffiness.
You can also mix 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin with 1 ½ tablespoons of cold water. Allow this to sit for 5 minutes, then microwave the mixture for about 10 seconds until it becomes a liquid. Drizzle this very slowly into the heavy cream after the cream starts to thicken, but before it holds peaks.

This will give more staying powder to the whipped cream and can potentially hold shape for 2-3 days.

How to Store Whipped Cream

Homemade whipped cream is best enjoyed fresh, but it can be stored if needed:

Refrigerator: Place the whipped cream in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. If it starts to deflate, try whisking it lightly again to bring back some of the fluff.
Freezer: Whipped cream can also be frozen in dollops. Spoon small mounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, freeze until solid, and transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Use frozen whipped cream within 1-2 months. It’s perfect for topping hot drinks like caramel hot chocolate or frozen hot chocolate.

Can I flavor my whipped cream?

Yes! In addition to vanilla extract, try adding:

A teaspoon of sifted cocoa powder for chocolate whipped cream on red velvet crepes. Chocolate whipped cream is lighter on a chocolate cake than chocolate buttercream.
A tablespoon of honey or maple syrup for a stack of homemade pancakes or French toast waffles.
A dash of cinnamon or nutmeg for holiday desserts like sheet pan pumpkin pie.

Serving Ideas

Serve a dollop of homemade whipped cream on:

You can also serve it in a bowl with cool whip cookies, cut out cookies or chocolate cut out cookies.