Make a small batch of homemade whipped cream with just a few simple ingredients. Light, creamy, easy to make, and the perfect amount for small desserts. Ready in minutes!
Homemade whipped cream can be made with just heavy cream and sugar, although I love to add vanilla extract which gives the cream a wonderful flavor. It's so easy to make, you'll never go back to store-bought!
Whipped cream is also known as Crème Chantilly. This delicious cream is the perfect topping to use in place of artificial whipped cream on pies, strawberry shortcakes, brownies, crumbles, crisps, and more.
Why This Recipe Works
- This is a small batch whipped cream recipe and will yield approximately ½ cup of homemade whipped cream.
- The whipped cream is light and creamy.
- There are no preservatives in homemade whipped cream, just fresh REAL ingredients. Fresh whipped cream tastes 100% better than the containers and cans of store-bought whipped cream.
- Making whipped cream from scratch is so easy! If you'd like to make more, just double the ingredients.
- If you don't have vanilla extract, no worries! You can make whipped cream with just sugar and heavy cream
Ingredients
Equipment You Will Need To Make A Small Batch Of Whipped Cream
- A hand mixer or a balloon whisk: A hand mixer is my preferred tool because it takes just minutes to make whipped cream. A balloon whisk works great too but it takes a bit longer and requires a little more effort to whip the cream.
- Recipe ingredients: See the recipe box for ingredient amounts.
- Small mixing bowl: Sometimes I'll use a 1-cup measuring cup. Just pour in ¼-cup of heavy cream, add the sugar, and whisk. You can also use any small mixing bowl or jar.
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
- Heavy cream: For the best whipped cream, it is important to use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. It is also important that the cream is COLD. The colder the cream, the easier it will be to whip and cold cream also creates a lighter whipped cream. You can even chill your mixing bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before adding in the cream to chill it even more.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar in my whipped cream recipe, although some people prefer using confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar). Either type of sugar will work. The amount of sugar you use is a matter of personal preference. I use 1 teaspoon of sugar to ¼ cup of heavy cream. Feel free to reduce the amount of sugar you use, or add more depending on your preference.
- Vanilla extract (optional): Pure vanilla extract adds a tremendous amount of flavor to whipped cream. If you find yourself without any vanilla on hand, you can still make whipped cream with just sugar and heavy cream. You might also like to consider making whipped cream with different extracts like almond, peppermint, and lemon. Just use your favorite extract in place of vanilla.
How To Make This Recipe
See the recipe box below for the ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Using a hand mixer or a balloon whisk, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract (if using) on medium speed in a cold bowl until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.
- Use immediately.
Recipe yields about ½ cup.
Watch How To Make Whipped Cream With 2 Ingredients
See how we make a single serving of whipped cream for our mini blueberry pie.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to whip the cream to soft peaks. I prefer using an electric hand mixer because it's quicker and easier, but you can use a large whisk instead. When you lift the beaters or the whisk out of the cream, the peaks should be soft and will curl downwards and melt back into themselves almost immediately.
- For firmer whipped cream that's ideal for frosting cakes, continue whisking for an additional 30 to 45 seconds until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks stand straight up.
- If you over-mix the whipped cream it will curdle or become lumpy. If this happens, mix in fresh unwhipped cream, 1 tablespoon at a time with a wire whisk or electric mixer on low speed until the lumps disappear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whipped cream is simply heavy cream or heavy whipping cream that's been whipped to incorporate air until it's light and fluffy. Homemade whipped cream can be made with just 1 ingredient - heavy cream. Sugar and vanilla are added for flavor.
As you whip the cream and sugar together, you'll start to see the mixture increasing in volume. The cream will begin to thicken, become smooth, and leave trails in the mixture. When you lift the beaters or take the whisk out of the cream, the peaks are soft and will curl downwards and melt back into themselves almost immediately.
No. Milk and half and half does not contain enough milkfat to whip into whipped cream.
Yes! This recipe can either be doubled or tripled.
Whipped cream is at its best right after you whip it. Since it only takes minutes to make, I usually make it right when I'm ready to use it. Whipped cream will hold for a few hours in the refrigerator. You may need to whisk it a few times to froth it back up to its fluffy state.
Serving Suggestions
Now that you've got a single serving of whipped cream, it's time to enjoy it as you see fit. You can use it as a topping or use whipped cream in a recipe that calls for this ingredient like a single serving peanut butter pie or a two-ingredient chocolate mousse.
Here are some of our popular small batch and single serving desserts that you can enjoy with one serving of whipped cream:
- Pumpkin Pie
- Key Lime Pie
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Cherry Pie
- Pecan Pie
- Dutch Apple Pie
- Banana Cream Pie
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Chocolate Pudding
- Milkshake
- Eggnog
Variations
Customize your whipped cream with any of these ingredients.
- Cream cheese whipped cream: Add 1-ounce of cream cheese. Add the sugar and vanilla to softened cream cheese and beat until well mixed. In a separate small bowl, whip heavy cream to medium peaks and then fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until blended.
- Chocolate whipped cream: Sift 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder in along with the other ingredients before whipping.
- Peanut butter whipped cream: Add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter before whipping.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch whipped cream recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Heavy cream: Clotted Cream, Panna Cotta, Mini Boston Cream Pie, Hot Chocolate
- Sugar: Sugar Cookies, Apple Dutch Baby, Blueberry Cobbler, Peach Crisp
- Vanilla: Vanilla Cupcakes, Fudge, Coffee Creamer, Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie
If you’ve tried this whipped cream or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Whipped Cream
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Equipment
- hand mixer or balloon whisk
Ingredients
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Using an electric hand mixer or a balloon whisk, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until soft peaks form. As you whip the cream and sugar together, you'll start to see the mixture increasing in volume. The cream will begin to thicken, become smooth, and leave trails in the mixture. When you lift the beaters or take the whisk out of the cream, the peaks are soft and will curl downwards and melt back into themselves almost immediately.
- Whipped cream is at its best right after you whip it. Whipped cream will hold for a few hours in the refrigerator. You may need to whisk it a few times to froth it back up to its fluffy state.
- Recipe yields about ½ cup.
Notes
- Make sure to whip the cream to soft peaks. I prefer using an electric hand mixer because it's quicker and easier, but you can use a large whisk instead. When you lift the beaters or the whisk out of the cream, the peaks should be soft and will curl downwards and melt back into themselves almost immediately.
- For firmer whipped cream that's ideal for frosting cakes, continue whisking for an additional 30 to 45 seconds until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks stand straight up.
- If you over-mix the whipped cream it will curdle or become lumpy. If this happens, mix in fresh unwhipped cream, 1 tablespoon at a time with a wire whisk or electric mixer on low speed until the lumps disappear.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Annette says
Would using a dairy free product work to make whipped cream? Any suggestions?
Joanie Zisk says
Although I haven't tried it, several readers have emailed me that they use a can of coconut milk instead of heavy cream. To use, they recommend chilling the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight, then scooping out the solid cream and leaving behind the liquid. Sweeten and whip. Again, I have not tested this recipe with coconut milk (cream) and I do know that not all brands of canned coconut milk are the same. Some are of better quality than others.