Whipped Cream is a delicious topping for any number of desserts and beverages, but what about when you make too much? What do you do with the leftovers? Can you freeze whipped cream?
Yep! Freezing whipped cream is super easy. It allows you to avoid food waste as well as store a convenient sweet treat in the freezer to use in hot drinks such as a mug of Malted Hot Chocolate as well as blended beverages, like milk shakes or smoothies, like a Strawberry Mango Smoothie with Banana.
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Whipped cream is easy to make, especially if you have a stand mixer or a whipped cream machine. You can actually do this by hand with a whisk, like my girls insist on doing after watching too much Food Network, but your arm will get sore and it takes longer than ten minutes.
While I’ve made freshly whipped cream hundreds of times in my life, it seems like I can never estimate the right amount to make. That’s when it comes in so handy to be able to freeze whipped cream!
Why Do This
It helps you avoid food waste. If you’ve got a carton of whipping cream that is nearing its date or you whipped too much for dessert last night, you can prevent that fluffy deliciousness from going to waste by freezing whipped cream.
It will save you money. Wasting food is akin to wasting money. If you can stock up on whipped cream when it’s on sale and stash it for later, you can stretch your grocery dollar a little further. While you may be limited in how you use your frozen whipped cream, you’ll still enjoy some money savings.
It can be more convenient. If you love a dollop of whipped cream on your mocha, then having some frozen and recipe-ready will make your barista duty quick and easy.
Ingredients
For maple whipped cream, you’ll need whipping cream and maple syrup. Alternatively, you can use another sweetener like powdered sugar or honey. To make it a little more, you can add vanilla extract or you can even make Chocolate Whipped Cream by adding some cocoa powder.
Step-by-Step Instructions
You can whip cream in a steel dispenser or whip it by hand with a mixer or whisk. The directions for freezing will always be the same.
To whip the cream with a dispenser:
- Measure out the cream and maple syrup and pour into the dispenser. Secure the lid with the attachments affixed.
- Attach the N2O charger cartridge according to manufacturer’s directions. Shake and dispense whipped cream.
To whip the cream in a bowl:
- Pour the heavy cream or heavy whipping cream in a cold bowl.
- Add your sweetener, such as maple syrup. But you can also use powdered sugar or honey.
- Beat with a hand mixer until the cream thickens and becomes light and fluffy and stiff peaks form. Bonus points for using cold beaters.
- Be careful not to over beat as the whipped cream will become butter.
Use your whipped cream in recipes or if you’re ready to freeze it, proceed as follows.
To freeze whipped cream:
- Dispense the whipped cream in swirls or blobs on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Place the sheet pan in the freezer until the whipped cream is frozen solid, three to 6 hours.
- Once firm, transfer the whipped cream dollops into a ziptop freezer bag or to preserve the shape (more or less) layer them between sheets of parchment in an airtight container.
FAQs
Yes! You can make the whipped cream several hours ahead of time and store it in the fridge, covered. Liven it up with a whisk right before serving. The leftover whipped cream goes great in your morning coffee or atop mugs of hot cocoa.
Alternatively, freeze the whipped cream in serving-size portions as illustrated above.
No. You need a high fat content in order to get whipped cream to thicken. Milk or half and half will not become whipped cream.
Liquid whipping cream can go bad. If it starts to smell sour or clump, it should be discarded. Whip fresh cream and store in the freezer to extend its shelf life.
Uses
While frozen whipped cream doesn’t thaw in a pretty enough way to use for a dessert topping, it works wonderfully in hot drinks, such as coffee, hot cocoa, or tea. It can also blend well into smoothies to add extra creaminess.
Incorporate your frozen whipped cream into these recipes:
Tell us what you think!
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How to Freeze Whipped Cream
Equipment
- whipped cream dispenser
- hand mixer
- parchment paper
- silicone baking mat
- heavy duty sheet pan
Instructions
To whip the cream with a dispenser:
- Measure out the cream and maple syrup and pour into the dispenser. Secure the lid with the attachments affixed.
- Attach the N2O charger cartridge according to manufacturer's directions. Shake and dispense whipped cream.
To whip the cream in a bowl:
- Pour the heavy cream or heavy whipping cream in the bowl. Add the maple syrup.
- Beat the cream and syrup together with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat, else it will turn to butter.
To freeze whipped cream:
- Dispense the whipped cream in swirls or blobs on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Place the sheet pan in the freezer until the whipped cream is frozen solid, three to 6 hours.
- Once firm, transfer the whipped cream dollops into a ziptop freezer bag or to preserve the shape (more or less) layer them between sheets of parchment in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on October 3, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Laura
Can you freeze the whipping cream ahead of time (before you turn it into whipped cream) and then use it later? I’m wondering if the results will be as fluffy?
Thanks!
Jessica Fisher
I don’t know many people who do it with great success. Friends I’ve asked about it don’t recommend it for whipping later, but it’s fine to use in coffee, though there are solids that don’t completely dissolve.
Cheri A.
I had saved this maple whipped cream recipe a while ago and just recently found it again in my online recipe app. I made it to go on top of our pumpkin pie yesterday! So delicious!! Thank you!
Jessica Fisher
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Cheri. I appreciate the feedback.
Tammy
My husband just wanted something sweet to eat. We didn’t have anything, so he said he’d have an apple. I remembered your post and that I had some cream in the fridge, so I whipped some up. We loved it!! I loved that it wasn’t heavy like some fruit dips are! Thanks for sharing!!! LOVE your blog, by the way!! It’s one of my favorites!!!
Jessica Fisher
Isn’t that yummy?! It makes apples feel a little bit “more.” So glad you liked it. And thanks for your kind words.
Jada
Maple Whipped Cream should top a yummy cup of strong coffee, maybe even a seasonal blend, like Harvest Blend from Vista Clara Coffee.
Or, what about topping a latte? Oh, yummy! Can you tell I LOVE Coffee!?!?!
I think it’d be great topping pumpkin bread, too. Or dipping Pumpkin Scones into! YUM!
Hilary
Just made and ate some of this. So good. I did add some toffee bits I had to use up. This was a nice treat!
julie
Yep, the whipped cream this way is a great idea-thanks. We have used maple whip cream on our pumpkin pie for years and now it’s tradition!
sarah k @ the pajama chef
this looks great!
Trina
Waffles. It screams waffles to me. Mmm….
Katie T.
Yum-o! I’ve been enjoying something similar…apple slices with Brown Cow cream top maple-flavored yogurt. Mmmmmm.
Jessica H.
What a great idea! I am always looking for easy, good recipes. This is something I can do (and I hate to cook! lol) and my girls would love it! Thank you so much!
Holly T.
THANK YOU for this quick, easy, healthier dessert. Just made it for my kids for a quick post-lunch dessert with sliced Honeycrisp apples we got from the orchard last week – what a fabulous dessert that we all enjoyed! Awesome!
Emily D.
My favorite apple dip is cream cheese mixed with brown sugar and vanilla. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave for just a few seconds and stir altogether. It is GREAT!!
Nikki
Oh my, oh my! This could a topping for just about anything! Ice cream, pecan pie, waffles……..I can think up a dozen. Thank you for sharing!
Ellisa
I bet that whipped cream would be absolutely divine with fruit topped waffles or with crepes. My mouth actually just watered thinking about it 🙂
Anne
I’ve made caramel sauce before and it’s not super difficult, but I think this idea is much healthier! Great idea!
Kelley
We just picked apples today! This sounds delicious!
I Live in an Antbed
That sounds wonderful! We will have to try this.
Katie
I think the whipped cream would be great served on apple pie! I usually add cinnamon to my whipped cream and it is wonderful on apple pie!
Candi
Looks yummy! But I think you can totally do the caramel sauce. I made one for the first time last week and it turned out really good. If I can do it, you can do it! 🙂
Lori
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! I’m gonna have to try that!!!