This stabilized whipped cream recipe is super easy, light, airy, and fluffy. It can be made days ahead of time won’t become runny or watery. Now you can serve whipped cream on all your desserts with confidence.
How to make Stabilized Whipped Cream
Whipped cream is arguably the best dessert accompaniment ever. Stabilized whipped cream is awesome stuff, and it couldn’t be easier to make or more adaptable to use.
If you make your own whipped cream, you know there is absolutely no equal in store-bought tubs or cans. No packaged whipped cream holds a candle to the real deal.
Since it only takes a few ingredients and a few minutes to whip together, there’s no reason not to whip out that whisk. I always “stabilize” my whipped cream, which creates whipped cream that is more resilient and won’t get runny as it sits.
Stabilized whipped cream holds together beautifully and keeps its shape for days. I love using stabilized whipped cream in lieu of heavy frostings whenever possible. It’s incredible on top of decadent flourless chocolate cake and a must-have over white chocolate raspberry cheesecake.
Stabilized whipped cream can be made days ahead of time
When you’re in the mood for a light, fluffy frosting, use stabilized whipped cream to frost cakes or pipe long-lasting swirls onto almost any dessert.
You’ll love the fact that you can make stabilized whipped cream ahead of time, keep it in the fridge without worries of it getting runny, and use it when you’re ready to go. I often make a batch of this whipped cream recipe and keep it in an airtight container in fridge until I’m ready to use it.
Even better, you can go ahead and frost or pipe this super easy whipped cream recipe onto your cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, etc. and safely keep it in the fridge until ready to serve. When I make my white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, I always fully decorate it with this whipped cream and keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days before serving.
Can you freeze stabilized whipped cream?
You’ll love the answer: yes! As long as you make the whipped cream recipe as written with heavy cream, it will freeze nicely.
You can either make a batch and store in airtight container to use later, or you can freeze the entire dessert with stabilized whipped cream already piped on.
Tips to thickening whipped cream (stabilizing)
- Use electric hand mixer to whip together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla (or other flavored extract) until those pretty soft peaks show up. You can tell soft peaks (image above) have formed by gently lifting the whisk up – gentle peaks should form on the surface of the whipped cream as the whisk is lifted.
- An electric hand mixer is recommended, as it allows you to have total control while you work.
- A warm mixture of plain gelatin (I use Knox) and water is key to thickening and stabilizing your whipped cream.
- Steadily pour in a warm mixture gelatin and water straight into the whisking action, continuing to whip all the way to stiff peaks. When your whipped cream is at stiff peaks, it will seem “firmer” and more sturdy (image below.)
Stabilized Whipped Cream is light, airy, and yet holds its shape
Viola! The whipped cream takes on a sturdier texture, while remaining light and airy when you taste it.
I’ve done various flavors, with Kahlua whipped cream being a fan favorite. I used Kahlua whipped cream for this unbelievable Double Chocolate Cake, which was seriously over-the-top-of-the-entire-moon. Deeelicious.
Make out-of-this-world caramel sauce to use on all your desserts:
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This whipped cream is sturdier than normal, and will not get runny or melt with time. Stabilized whipped cream keeps well in fridge for days!
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, very cold
- 4 TB powdered sugar
- 2 TB vanilla extract (or Kahlua or other flavored extract)
- 2 tsp unflavored gelatin powder (Knox)
- 2 TB water
Instructions
- Pour cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a large metal bowl. Place bowl and whisks of electric mixer in fridge for 5-10 minutes to make everything cold.
- Meanwhile, combine gelatin powder and 2 TB water in a small glass bowl. Once water has been fully soaked up by the gelatin, microwave the mixture for 15-20 seconds. It should become a thick, hot liquid. Stir well and let sit at room temp.
- Remove the bowl from fridge. Beat on medium-high until soft peaks just start to form. Set whipped cream aside and check the gelatin mixture. (If it has re-coagulated, microwave a few seconds at a time until it turns liquid again.) If it’s hot, stir until it cools down to lukewarm. It should be a slightly warm liquid, but not hot. Resume beating whipped cream, while steadily pouring liquid gelatin right where the whisks are beating, to ensure it is being fully incorporated.
- Beat whipped cream to stiff peaks. Try to stop beating right at stiff peaks, but if you accidentally over-beat it a little bit, don’t worry. It will still frost and pipe fine.
Keywords: Stabilized Whipped Cream
Whoop whoop! I’ll be trying this one 🙂
An that CAKE! Looks yum.
great idea–thanks for sharing. Love the thought of using whipped cream as frosting 🙂
THANK YOU for this post! I love using whipped cream for my desserts but as you know, you can’t keep it around for too long. I can’t wait to try this stabilized recipe. I have a feeling it’s going to show up on a lot of my desserts this summer!
Thanks for the great idea! Perfect timing for summer entertaining! Love your recipes! Keep them coming! 🙂
yummy yummy! Lovely pics
How long do you think this can sit out at room temperature??
Depends on your room temperature. At 68-70F, I’ve been able to keep a frosted cake or piped cake out quite a long time. The stabilized whipped cream is sturdy! But if room temp is 80F, I imagine it would need to be re-chilled here and there. It is really awesome. 🙂
HI – Do you think it would hold up on a wedding cake – that would be in a temp controlled room – about 68 degrees – it would be our from like 12 noon until 7 pm?
Is this one I can put on my pie then freeze it? Will it melt and wilt as it unthaws in a few days?
I have piped it onto cheesecake slices, frozen the slices, and later unthawed them perfectly… they defrost almost exactly the way you freeze them 🙂 Just be sure not to smash the whipped cream, because then it would defrost looking smashed. Enjoy it, Marci! 🙂
Thanks for posting this! I just did a test of yours along with two other stabilized whipped cream recipes from well established sites – and yours blew the others away! Check it out: http://instagram.com/p/ju2ZI5yAEg/ (COL for Chew Out Loud)
So cool, Kate! Love how you did the experiment like that! Must’ve been a yummy experiment, but I’m glad ours got the win :). Thanks for letting us share that with you!
how well does this hold up in a pastry bag? I’d half fill the bag less than full a few times but would the heat of my hands break it down?
This recipe is perfect for what I need — Thanks.
I use a frosting/icing pump, and it works super well. If you do the bag maybe half full and squeeze from the top, it should be fine. Hope you love it, Elizabeth! 🙂
Thank you so so much for this recipe! My husband hates any type of frosting & adores whipped cream but I could never get it to hold on cakes! I made this recipe but added crushed oreos to it and it came out beautifully! Again thank you!!
You’re welcome, April! 🙂
Hi there, how much water gelatin mixture do I add too 1 cup whipping cream?
Thank you, I see the recipe!!
You’re welcome, Adrienne 🙂
Hi there, is your flourless chocolate cake ideal for banting lifestyle? and your stabilized whipped cream?
Hi can you give the recipe for the cake/pie in the pic as well?
It’s the flourless chocolate cake on my site 🙂
Thanks so much for this recipe! Any idea if I can use flavoured jello powder instead of the unflavored gelatin? I want to make a strawberry-flavoured whipped cream frosting. Can I also add fresh strawberries into the frosting?
Shirley, you can use the flavored jello, but you’ll have to tweak the amount, as unflavored gelatin is higher in gelatin concentration. I would not incorporate the fresh strawberries, unless you are using all of it immediately. I’ve done it before and it turns runny. It’s best to put the fresh berries on the side :). If you really want strawberry flavored whip cream, I’ve had great results with using ground up dried strawberries… It’s on my site “Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes.” Enjoy! 🙂
Did you really mean 2 Tablespoons of vanilla?
Yes 🙂
I tried to make this and I ended up with strings of gelatin in my whipped cream. What did I do wrong 🙁
The gelatin needs to be warm-ish and like a thick liquid consistency when you quickly whip it in. It also needs to be simultaneously whipping as you very gradually pour in the warm liquid. If the gelatin has become too cool, it will be too viscous and likely to have gel-like bits in the whipped cream. Just make sure the gelatin is warm (not hot, just warm) and pour in very slowly while continuously whipping. Hope that helps. Thanks for your comment, Kim 🙂
I’ve tempered the gelatin with some of the cream first then mixed it in slowly while the whiping was being done,perfect results.
Fabulous, Michael! SO happy to hear you liked it 🙂
Hi! Can you make an item in advance and add this stabilized whip cream to it and freeze it? Will it hold after it defrosts?
I’ve successfully frozen leftover cheesecake slices with this stabilized whipped cream piped on top. It totally holds (as long as nothing smashes it!)… is almost as good as new when it is defrosted. I love this recipe so much, and hope you will too 🙂
I want to whip up and have in my piping bag to use next day. Will this work?
Absolutely, Sally! 🙂 I have accidentally left it in my piping bag for more than a day, and it still is perfectly awesome 🙂
I love the gelatin addition to the whipped cream! Thanks so much for the idea. 🙂 I do have questions about the sugar to vanilla ratio. Every time I make it, the vanilla seems too strong and the cream not sweet enough for the amount of vanilla added. Is it possible you meant to post 2tsp vanilla instead of 2 TBsp vanilla? Thanks!
You’re welcome! The 2 TB is correct as written, but we love vanilla 🙂 If you’d like, feel free to cut it down and start with 1 TB. It’s not overpowering once everything is whipped up. Thanks for coming over, Jeanette!
This seems great to add to the kitchen “toolbox”. Any chance you know how the gelatin-free powder substitute may work for this purpose? My family includes two vegetarians.
Not sure about gelatin free powder! I’m a stickler to the Knox, so it will be interested to hear how that goes, if you do try it 🙂
This is just what I’ve been looking for!! I was wondering can you heat the gelatin on the stove?
Glad you found what you wanted, Sherri! 🙂 Yes, you can heat it on the stove, but it only takes a bit for it to melt. Then you want it to be lukewarm (thick liquid consistency) when you slowly add it straight into the beaters. Enjoy!
Hi! I can’t wait to try this. I plan to make this and use it for cupcakes to bring to my son’s school. Will this be okay sitting out for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours at room temp?
Aimee, I use it all the time for cakes/cupcakes and it’s fine sitting out at a moderate room temp…usually, no warmer than 70’s for me. I hope you love the stabilized whipped cream as much as I do… it can be a real game changer 🙂
I’m making a naked cake and just using this for the filling. Will it stand up to a 3 tiered double layer cake?
How would I know if I over whipped?? Sorry first time working with heavy whipping cream :/
Lily, you want to whip just until the whipped cream forms “stiff peaks.” To test it, dip whisk in the whipped cream, gently pull it upwards, and see if stiff peaks of whipped cream stand up firmly. If so, you’re done. If the peaks bend over, it’s not ready. If you do accidentally over whip (gets clumpy) it’s still okay if you’re using it to frost or pipe. I’ve actually over-whipped it a few times and it’s fine 🙂 Hope you love it 🙂
Is it possible to color the frosting? If so, when would I add food coloring?
Absolutely, Beverly! Just put a few drops in at the start just prior to whipping 🙂
If I didn’t have any gelatine at home, would there be a substitute that I could use instead?
Sia, I’m sorry, I don’t know if any other sub for gelatin. It’s the gelatin (I use Knox) that holds the whipped cream and creates its stabilization. Thanks for coming over; hope you can find the gelatin at your local store. I just get mine from Target 🙂
Looks delicious !! I love this cream so much. If you double or triple the recipe, would u use less gelatin?
Amy, you would also double or triple the gelatin, along with the rest of the ingredients. Thanks for coming by today. So glad you are here 🙂
Trying it today
Yay, Kevin! Hope you love it; we use it on basically every dessert possible 🙂
Nice info.can i freeze this whip cream nd fr how long
I’ve frozen this whipped cream before after piping it onto desserts. It freezes well. I’d say at least a few weeks! Enjoy and hope you love it 🙂
I’m so glad I found this! I need help though. I want to make mocha frosting. When would I add the cocoa powder and instant coffee? And how much should I add? I have another recipe that is tasty but not stabilized. It melts really fast and it completely fell apart on me the last time I made it. This recipe looks so promising but I’m afraid to mess it up. Any help would be great!
That sounds fantastic! I would add your cocoa powder and instant coffee (same amounts in your current recipe) once the whipped cream reaches soft peaks. Stop mixing, sprinkle on your powder/coffee granules, and continue mixing until still peaks form. Hope that helps; enjoy! 🙂
I would love to make the stabilized whip cream but I’m Lactose Intolerant so whipping cream or anything with milk is out. I’ll stick to the Coconut milk whipped cream recipe for now. Thank you for showing this recipe enjoyed dreaming.
I totally get it, as I love coconut whipped cream, too 🙂 Thanks so much for coming over today, Judy! 🙂
I can’t wait to try this! It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for to use on my Thanksgiving desserts. I would like to make it a day or two ahead of time. Would you suggest piping it on right after preparing it and putting the desserts in the fridge..or putting the whipped cream in the piping bag and piping it on right before serving? (I’m leaning toward the second choice, as I’m not exactly sure how I’ll cover the topped dessert and keep it air tight.) Thanks for any suggestions…and the recipe!
Kara, I’ve done it both ways…completely piping and chilling the entire dessert, and also leaving whipped cream in piping bag to pipe before serving…either way works nicely, since it’s a stabilized recipe and it won’t get runny on ya 😉 You’re right though, it might be easier for you to do it before serving if you don’t want to smash the pretty piping on accident 🙂 Enjoy and thanks for being here today!
Hello! Can I add low-fat cream cheese to this recipe?? Thank you!!
Hi, Carlette. Thanks for the question; I’d love to answer yes, but my guess is that the cream cheese will “weigh down” the airiness that whipped cream needs in order to stay fluffy and light. We’ve got an awesome cream cheese frosting that I can never stop eating… you might like it 🙂 Thanks for being here today.
I’ve been looking for a great stabilizer for whipped cream for a while now – nothing more disappointing than putting it on a cake and a couple hours later its a milky mess on the plate instead. I’ve tried other ideas including some cornstarch but didn’t like the texture. I was a bit cautious of this because I was afraid it would have a bit of a gel like texture on the tongue but you can’t even tell the gelatin is in it! Thank you so much for such a simple yet great idea! I actually debated trying this because the first batch of comments were….have to try this, sounds like a great idea, looks yummy…when I read comments its to find out from other people if it worked or not, so I was very happy to see some had actually MADE it before posting! This is going on a strawberry shortcake for our Mothers day bbq 🙂
Hi, how many days does it last on the fridge?
can I use this cream in a trifle?
Yes, Anne, that would work nicely! 🙂
I’m looking for a better filling for my macarons, do you think this would hold?
Yes, Crystal, it should hold! Have fun!
Hello I have a question I am making a tres leches disert samples and it has a small amount of whipped cream does it last from 3 PM till about 7 or 8PM if I make it this way?
I cannot wait to try this. Just made my son-in-law his favorite cake for his b-day party last night. Lincoln Log Cake, with the chocolate wafers and homemade whipped cream. Let it sit in the fridge overnight to let the cookies absorb the moisture in the whipped cream to be soft. Put it together around 10 p.m. Went to go to his party at 3 p.m. yesterday and noticed a trickle of water on the cake board. Put it immediately in the fridge when I got there, but when I severed it around 7p.m. what a mess. The desert itself was still good, but would have been better your way. Cannot wait to see if this really works. Thanks so much for the tip. Wish this would’ve been taught in Home Ec…..
I tried this neat trick,however the gelatin balled up into clumps of eww,please help what did I do wrong ???
Hi, Angela! Make sure the gelatin is still very liquid – lukewarm is best. Drizzle it straight (and slowly) into the beaters as they are running. This allows the liquid gelatin to be fully incorporated into the whipped cream 🙂
Try adding few tablespoons of room temperature whipping cream to the gelatin while it is still slightly warm to temper it. Then add to your whipping cream.
How long can this stabilized whipped cream sit at room temperature or in a setting that may be a little warmer than room temperature?
I would recommend no more than moderate room temp, in which case it does well for at least several hours without having to worry about chilling it. I’m not sure how many hours it could sit at a warmer room temp, but you can check it periodically to see if it needs a refresher in the fridge for a bit. Hope that helps 🙂
How many servings does this recipe make? I’m going to make some for my mini cheesecakes that are cupcake sized. How many cupcakes could I do with this recipe?
You should be fine without doubling the recipe or adding to it. The amount here should be more than enough for mini cheesecakes. Enjoy!
I use cornstarch to stabilize whip cream.
I have used whipped cream for cakes, but the whipped cream always melted.
I used your recipe and it turned out perfect!
It piped nicely and held up sitting on the counter for several hours.
Thank you so much!
Awesome, Paul! So happy to hear it it worked out well! Thanks for coming over and happy spring!
Is it okay to add food coloring to this frosting recipe? Thanks!
Yes, you can add the coloring right into the cream before you start whipping. Hope you love it and have fun!
Hello. This works beautifully! Would adding the gelatin to buttercream icing help to stabilize it as well, in warmer temperatures??
Great question. I’m curious about the buttercream, as it’s much thicker than whipped cream. The gelatin might help a little, but it’s really meant for lighter whipped cream. So happy the whipped cream worked well for you!!