Baking Basics: Simple Whipped Cream
A quick and easy way to make whipped cream at home, with just one required ingredient. Customize it to your preferences for the perfect flavor!
Servings 8 servings
Calories 13kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream chilled in the fridge, but not frozen
Optional Add-Ins
- ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract for flavor
- ½ Tbsp Granulated Sugar for flavor
- ½-1 Tbsp Powdered Sugar for flavor and stabilizing
- 2 tsp Milk Powder for flavor and stabilizing
- 2 tsp Cornstarch for stabilizing
Instructions
- Add the heavy cream to a jar or deep bowl that is at least 4 times the volume. For ¼ Cup of cream, you can use a pint-sized mason jar. For more than 1 cup of cream, I recommend using the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Fit a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Insert the whisk into the cream and begin mixing on low speed. Gradually increase the speed to high over a period of about 15-30 seconds, to reduce splashing.
- Continue whipping on the highest speed until soft peaks form. At this point, stop the mixer and add any optional add-ins for flavor or stabilizing. Then keep whipping on high speed until the whipped cream holds its shape well on the whisk, about 5-10 minutes. Be careful not to over whip.
Notes
- Make ahead tips:
- Whipped cream without any added stabilizers can be stored in a sealed jar in the fridge until the best by date on the cream. However, it will lose its structure, and gradually turn back into a liquid after a day or so.
- With stabilizers, your whipped cream will hold its shape for longer. However, I still don't recommend storing it for longer than the recommended best by date on the cream.
- Multiplying: You can easily make more whipped cream as needed. This recipe will make enough to dollop 8 slices of pie or thoroughly top 4 bowls of ice cream. Use a larger container for whipping, and increase any add-in amounts as desired.
- Temperature control:
- Cream whips the best when it's cold. Use cream right from the fridge, and cool down the jar, bowl and whisk attachment you'll be using.
- If it's very warm where you are whipping your cream, place the jar/bowl in a larger bowl of ice water to keep it cool.
- Troubleshooting: If you over whip cream slightly, you can save it by adding more liquid cream and whisking by hand to get it back to the right consistency. If it begins to appear lumpy or greasy, you've past the point of no return, and begun making butter instead.