Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe

5 from 5 votes

This stabilized homemade whipped cream is made with unflavored gelatin so it holds its shape for piping, stays firm in the fridge for up to 48 hours, and freezes just like Cool Whip. It tastes exactly like fresh whipped cream.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 484kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

2¼ tablespoons cold water
1½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1½ cup heavy whipping cream
⅜ cup powdered sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1½ teaspoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Chill a large mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge.
Add the water to a heat-safe bowl and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin on top. Let it sit for a few minutes.
2¼ tablespoons cold water, 1½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
Place this bowl over a simmering pan of water (like a bain marie) until the gelatin is fully dissolved. It only takes 5-7 seconds. Stir the mixture and set it aside to cool.
Remove your bowl and whisk attachment from the refrigerator. Combine the 1 ½ cups of heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in the bowl. Whip the mixture building up to a high speed until it thickens and soft peaks form.
1½ cup heavy whipping cream, ⅜ cup powdered sugar, 1½ teaspoons vanilla
Stir the 1 ½ teaspoons of heavy whipping cream into the gelatin mixture.
1½ teaspoons heavy whipping cream
Now turn the mixer to low. Slowly pour the gelatin mixture into the whipped cream and mix until well combined. Increase the mixer to medium speed and mix until stiff peaks form.

Notes

Storage:

Refrigerator: Keep it in an airtight container for up to 48 hours. Unlike regular whipped cream, this version holds its shape without weeping or separating — make it the night before and it will look exactly the same when you open the container the next day.
Freezer: This cream freezes surprisingly well for up to a month. Store it in an airtight container, or go one step further and load it straight into a piping bag before freezing so it's ready to use the moment it thaws. When you need it, just move it to the refrigerator and let it thaw slowly overnight.
A heads up about the thaw: When you first open the container after a month in the freezer, it may look a little alarming — stirred up, almost grainy, a bit like cottage cheese. Don't panic. Load it into a piping bag and pipe it onto your dessert anyway. It pipes beautifully, holds its shape, and tastes every bit as good as fresh. I tested this myself and was genuinely surprised by how well it came back.
Your homemade Cool Whip: If you have ever wished you could pull a tub of whipped cream from the freezer whenever you needed it, this is exactly that. Make a batch, freeze it, and you have your own version on standby whenever dessert calls for it.

Tips:

Let the gelatin cool down before it goes anywhere near the cream. This is the step people rush most often, and it shows. Warm gelatin added to cold whipped cream will deflate it or cause it to partially melt. Set it on the counter for at least 5 to 10 minutes and let it cool completely before you start.
Pour it in slowly with the mixer running on low. Don't dump it in all at once. A thin, steady stream with the mixer on low gives the gelatin time to incorporate evenly throughout the cream. Too fast or too high a speed and you risk streaks and an uneven texture.
Don't step away once you start whipping. Soft peaks sneak up on you, and the window between perfectly whipped and overwhipped cream is genuinely just a matter of seconds. Stay close and check the consistency often during that final minute.
Keep everything cold. Cold cream, cold bowl, cold whisk, all of it matters. If your kitchen runs warm, put the bowl and whisk in the freezer for 15 minutes rather than the fridge. The colder your setup going in, the better your cream will whip.
Make it ahead without any stress. This whipped cream holds its shape in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours without weeping or separating, which makes it a great make-ahead option for any dessert you're prepping in advance.

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