Caramel Whipped Cream is smooth and creamy homemade whipped cream with rich caramel flavor you can make in about 5 minutes. Delicious dolloped on fresh berries, desserts, and hot cocoa.
I'll also show you how to make stabilized caramel whipped cream to pipe onto cakes and pies.
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Caramel Whipped Cream is as delicious as it sounds: light, fluffy, and creamy, with buttery caramel flavor.
It's super easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.
If you're looking for whipped cream with a firmer texture that will hold its shape when piped or spread, I'll show you how to make stabilized Caramel Whipped Cream, too!
Caramel Whipped Cream is THE perfect topping for cakes, pies, sundaes, and hot chocolate.
You can also use it in your favorite whipped cream frosting recipes.
Try it on all your favorite desserts like apple pie, Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake, Pumpkin Pie, and Banoffee Ice Cream Pie.
And if you like Caramel Whipped Cream, you have to try this Brown Sugar Cinnamon Whipped Cream!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Perfect dessert topping for everything from apple pie to chocolate cake.
Luscious, creamy caramel whipped cream for dolloping on desserts and hot drinks
Fluffy stabilized whipped cream that holds its shape on cakes and pies
Easy caramel whipped cream recipe you can make in minutes
Ingredients
Heavy whipping cream. Look for heavy whipping cream or heavy cream -- they're the same thing. With 36% milk fat, heavy whipping cream is the best option for making whipped cream. Regular whipping cream has a lower milk fat and won't whip up as sturdily as heavy cream with higher fat content.
Instant vanilla pudding mix, optional -- for stabilized caramel whipped cream. If you're making stabilized whipped cream that will hold its shape, add one tablespoon of dry instant pudding mix to the heavy cream.
Caramel sauce. You can use store-bought caramel sauce or homemade caramel sauce -- regular or salted caramel.
Pure vanilla extract. A little bit of vanilla enhances the butter sweet caramel flavor.
Salt. A dash of salt gives that salted caramel vibe. Add it to taste.
Variations
Make your own whipped cream creation with your favorite flavors.
Extracts. Instead of vanilla extract, try almond, chocolate, coffee, or coconut extract.
Spices. Add a little bit of cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice.
Stages of Whipped Cream
How long you whip the cream depends on how soft or firm you'd like it -- and what you're using it for.
⭐Pro Tip: If you're using a stand mixer, I advise you not to step away from the mixer. Cream can go from perfectly whipped to over-whipped in the blink of an eye. But don't worry if you accidentally overwhip the cream -- you may be able to fix it!
Soft peaks. As whipped cream approaches soft peaks, you'll start to see trails in the bowl of whipped cream. When you lift a whisk or beater, the peaks will hold a little bit of shape and fold back down onto themselves.
Use for: Hot chocolate, hot coffee drinks, and soft desserts like mousse
Medium peaks. Medium peaks are achieved when you lift the whisk and the cream is soft and holds its peak with a slightly droopy tip.
Use for: Whipped cream desserts like trifles, dolloping on individual pieces of pie and cake or fresh berries
Firm peaks. Stiff peaks are firm and hold their shape without drooping.
Use for: Piping or spreading like frosting on cakes, pies, and desserts
Over-whipped cream. Cream that has been whipped too long appears grainy and clumpy, not smooth and creamy.
How to fix: If you overwhip cream, but not to the point of making butter, you can gently fold in a little heavy cream until it's smooth and creamy again.
How to Make Regular & Stabilized Caramel Whipped Cream
1. Chill everything.
The best way to make the lightest, fluffiest whipped cream is to chill everything before you begin: the bowl, the beaters, and the cream.
- Chill a large bowl -- metal or glass, not plastic -- and your whisk or beaters in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes.
- Keep the heavy cream in the refrigerator until it's time to start whipping the cream.
2. For stabilized whipped cream.
If you're making stabilized caramel whipped cream, quickly whisk the pudding mix in the mixing bowl to remove any clumps.
Add the cold heavy cream and mix with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high speed until the mixture begins to thicken.
Add the remaining ingredients and continue to whip until it reaches your desired consistency, about 3-6 minutes.
3. For regular caramel whipped cream.
Place the heavy cream, caramel sauce, vanilla, and salt in the chilled bowl.
Mix on medium to medium-high speed until it reaches your desired consistency, about 3-6 minutes.
4. Dollop, pipe, or spread. Serve, and enjoy!
Whipped cream is best served immediately.
Stabilized whipped cream needs to be spread or piped right away. It will keep its shape on your dessert for 24-48 hours.
Storage
If you store stabilized caramel whipped cream in a bowl to use later, it will deflate when stirred. However, you can rewhip it and it will hold its shape again when it's piped or spread. I've done this up to 2-3 days later and it works great.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one day. If it becomes runny after a few hours or overnight, briefly whisk or whip it until it becomes fluffy and creamy again. Be careful not to overwhip it.
Freezing
Freeze whipped cream in a freezer-safe container and thaw it in the refrigerator. If it separates, whisk or whip it back together again.
You can also freeze individual dollops of whipped cream. Spoon or pipe mounds of whipped cream onto a plate or baking sheet lined with foil. Freeze until firm, then transfer the frozen dollops to a freezer bag. Serve frozen dollops on hot cocoa or coffee drinks or place them on top of a piece of dessert and let it sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature or until thawed.
Expert Tips
Use a glass or metal bowl when making whipped cream. Plastic bowls can hold onto oil residue which can keep the cream from whipping.
Keep the heavy cream in the refrigerator until it's time to start whipping.
For best results, chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes.
If using a stand mixer, don't walk away. Cream can become overwhipped in no time.
FAQs
Whipped cream should be served immediately after whipping. Stabilized whipped cream will hold its shape on desserts for about 24 hours.
Leftover whipped cream that has separated the next day can be gently whisked back together. Stabilized whipped cream that has not been piped or spread onto dessert will lose its form when stirred, but can be rewhipped and will hold its shape again
The most common reason for cream not whipping is the cream isn't cold enough. Try putting the bowl of cream and the beaters or whisk in the fridge and letting them chill for 30 minutes and try again. Also, be sure to use a metal or glass bowl, as a plastic bowl can hold onto residues of oil that can keep cream from whipping.
It takes about 3-6 minutes to make whipped cream if you start with very cold cream and a chilled bowl. For best results, keep the heavy cream chilled until you're ready to start whipping and chill the bowl and whisk in the fridge for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes ahead of time.
One cup of heavy whipping cream makes about 2 cups of whipped cream.
Desserts to Serve with Caramel Whipped Cream
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📖 Recipe
Caramel Whipped Cream (Stabilized)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding mix for stabilized whipped cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup caramel sauce
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 dash salt or more, to taste
Instructions
- For best results, chill a metal or glass bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes.
- For stabilized whipped cream: Quickly whisk the dry pudding mix in the bowl to remove any clumps. Add the heavy cream and mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium to medium-high speed until it starts to thicken.Add the rest of the ingredients and whip until it reaches your desired consistency (See Notes).
- For regular whipped cream: Place the heavy cream, caramel sauce, vanilla, and salt in the chilled bowl.Mix on medium to medium-high speed until it reaches your desired consistency, about 3-6 minutes.
- Use immediately.
Storage
- Whipped cream is best served immediately.Stabilized whipped cream needs to be spread or piped right away. It will keep its shape on your dessert for 24-48 hours.If you store stabilized caramel whipped cream in a bowl to use later, it will deflate when stirred. However, you can rewhip it and it will hold its shape again when it's piped or spread. I've done this up to 2-3 days later and it works great.Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one day. If it becomes runny after a few hours or overnight, briefly whisk or whip it until it becomes fluffy and creamy again. Be careful not to overwhip it.
Freezing
- Freeze whipped cream in a freezer-safe container and thaw it in the refrigerator. If it separates, whisk or whip it back together again.You can also freeze individual dollops of whipped cream. Spoon or pipe mounds of whipped cream onto a plate or baking sheet lined with foil. Freeze until firm. Transfer the frozen dollops to a freezer bag. Serve frozen dollops on hot drinks or place them on a piece of dessert and let it sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature or until thawed.
Notes
Stiff peaks is when the cream holds its peak without drooping. Perfect fo piping or spreading onto cakes and pies. Use a glass or metal bowl when making whipped cream. Plastic bowls can hold onto oil residue which can keep the cream from whipping. For best results, use very cold cream and chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freezer for 15 minutes.
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