Chocolate Whipped Cream (Stabilized)
This easy Stabilized Chocolate Whipped Cream is a snap to make and it’s extra sturdy so you can even use it for piping onto cupcakes or a cake. It’s got major “French Silk Pie” vibes, so be prepared to resist just eating the entire batch with a spoon!
Please note that this post may contain affiliate links which allow me to earn a small commission when a purchase is made at no additional cost to you. Read more here.
Homemade whipped cream is so easy to make and this chocolate version is delicious! This recipe uses instant chocolate pudding mix for a quick chocolate variation that you will love.
Why You’ll Love This Whipped Cream Recipe
- This stabilized whipped cream stores well in the fridge so it’s great for making ahead.
- You can use it as a topping, filling, or frosting! Note that once desserts are frosted or filled, I would ideally serve the same day.
- Lots of delicious chocolate flavor!
Chocolate Whipped Cream with Cocoa Powder Versus Pudding Mix
There’s a few ways to make a great chocolate whipped cream. Here are two of the most popular.
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder can be used in whipped cream (alongside powdered sugar and vanilla extract) to create a chocolate-y cream. I find this variation tends to be more stable than a plain whipped cream, but for the most stable concoction, go with the pudding mix. Try my Cocoa Powder Whipped Cream Recipe on Bellewood Cottage.
Pudding Mix
Using pudding mix is a simple hack that creates a stabilized whipped cream. You get to take advantage of all the ingredients found in pudding mix that create a stable pudding. It only takes a couple of tablespoons of instant pudding mix to create a delicious chocolate whipped cream.
Ingredients in Chocolate Whipped Cream
You need four simple ingredients to prepare this quick recipe!
Heavy Whipping Cream – See notes below on why you must choose “heavy cream” or “heavy whipping cream” to make homemade whipped cream. Use fresh heavy cream that is well-chilled for the best results.
Instant Pudding Mix – It’s important to grab the right ingredient here. You want “instant” chocolate pudding mix. Avoid any variety that requires cooking–those won’t work here. I used the “Jell-O” brand, but any brand you like best (including generic) should work.
Powdered Sugar – A bit of powdered sugar is added to sweeten the cream as well.
Vanilla Extract – When making whipped cream, the flavor of the vanilla extract you use will really shine through. Use a high-quality extract and skip the imitation varieties.
Why You Need “Heavy Whipping Cream” to Make Whipped Cream
Select “heavy whipping cream” or “heavy cream” (same thing) while grocery shopping. Each of these options will be at least 36% milk fat.
Avoid “whipping cream” which sounds like a good choice, but only contains only 30%-36% milk fat. This lower fat product doesn’t whip as well as heavy cream so the finished product will lack lift and stability.
It’s also worth noting that the heavy cream should be fresh. You will get the best results with a fresh bottle of cream.
What about half-and-half? Even though the pudding mix adds stability here, half-and-half still is not recommended for this whipped cream recipe. Stick with heavy cream!
Equipment for Making Whipped Cream
Regardless of how your kitchen is stocked, you can likely make whipped cream! No electric mixers? Try a whisk and a bowl. No whisk? Find a jar with a lid and get shaking.
- Bowl and whisk: Use a chilled metal bowl and a whisk to make whipped cream by hand. It’ll take some time and is much easier if you can trade off with a friend.
- Electric mixer: Most home cooks opt for using a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat whipped cream to soft, medium, or stiff peaks in just minutes. If you are new to making whipped cream it can be easy to overdo it and end up with butter when using an electric mixer, so do be cautious.
- Mason jar: You can also use a mason jar to make whipped cream! It’s particularly useful if you want just a small amount. I do find it’s hard to achieve medium or stiff peaks with this method.
- Whipped cream dispenser: Another option is to use a whipped cream dispenser. These devices are handy for any time you want to easily pipe fresh whipped cream. Guests love it too.
I own a EurKitchen Whipped Cream dispenser like the one linked, but mine is aluminum instead of stainless steel. I’d suggest the stainless steel if you are interested in trying one of these–the quality is worth the extra cost. Note that you will need a fresh charger for each batch of whipped cream.
How to Use Chocolate Whipped Cream
This tasty chocolate whipped cream definitely gives French Silk Pie vibes. You could absolutely use this as a foundation for a super-simple no bake dessert. Use a cookies-and-cream crust, top with this mixture (adding another tablespoon of pudding mix to the recipe if desired), and then top with homemade vanilla whipped cream. Decadent and delicious.
You can use it to top ice cream, milkshakes, pies, waffles, pancakes, fresh fruit, etc.
Because the cream is stable, it works well as a frosting for cupcakes (I would frost the same day as planning to eat) or even for a cake (though I have not tried it with a layer cake!).
How to Make Stabilized Chocolate Whipped Cream
Here’s a summary of how this recipe is made. Find the complete ingredients list and full instructions within the printable recipe card below!
First, we’ll mix up the pudding mix with the heavy cream to dissolve it completely. Just use a fork and then let it rest for five minutes while you gather the rest of the ingredients.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl.
Mix with a hand mixer (whisk attachment) on low speed until the mixture starts to thicken and foam.
Once the mixture is foamy, turn up the mixer speed to medium and whip until the cream yields soft or medium peaks.
The pudding mix is going to stabilize and stiffen the whipped cream much faster than a traditional recipe. Aim for soft or medium peaks here.
The chocolate whipped cream keeps very well in the fridge up to five days. Ideally use it the same day as preparing it, but it does “make-ahead” quite well.
Extra Tips for Success
Whenever I’m in the kitchen, I want recipes to turn out perfectly. Here’s some tips and tricks I have for preparing perfect whipped cream!
- Use fresh cream labeled “heavy cream” or “heavy whipping cream” for best results.
- Chill a metal bowl and the whisk used (this is applicable for stand mixers, hand mixers, and mixing by hand) for fifteen minutes before starting. This helps everything whip up quickly and stay stable.
- Don’t expect whipped cream to act like a buttercream frosting. This is a stabilized recipe that is quite sturdy (and can be used for frosting), but it’s still not a buttercream!
- Use a high-quality brand of cream for the best overall flavor.
- Skip imitation vanilla extract in favor of the real thing.
FAQS for Whipped Cream
Whipped cream is generally best prepared right before serving or within a few hours of serving. This recipe in particular (due to the pudding) holds up very well in the fridge so you can easily make it a day or so in advance. Use within five days.
Yes! You can freeze rosettes of whipped cream (flash freeze and then pack them together to save space if you want) or just fill a freezer-safe container with extra whipped cream and pop it in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge. The texture will be good, just not quite as perfect as freshly made. If you like topping your morning coffee with a little whipped cream, freezing small quantities is the perfect solution!
If you’ve overwhipped a batch of whipped cream, you can still salvage it. Clumpy and stiff whipped cream can be helped, but if it’s turned into butter or almost-butter you will have to start fresh. For overwhipped cream, grab some more heavy cream and add a tablespoon or two to the bowl. Begin gently folding it in with a spatula. Don’t whip it, just fold gently. You may need to add several installments of heavy cream to get the texture right again. Add it in a tablespoon or so at a time.
Whipped cream is often used to “frost” no-bake desserts or sheet cake desserts such as Strawberry Poke Cake. Because this stabilized chocolate whipped cream is stabilized with the pudding mix, it works a lot better than a classic whipped cream to frost or pipe with other recipes too. I haven’t tried it for a layer cake, but it should work well for piping and frosting (I would do this the same day you plan to serve).
If you loved this recipe, leave a 5-star rating!
Thanks so much for trying one of my recipes!
Chocolate Whipped Cream (Stabilized)
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream very cold
- 2 tablespoons instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the cold heavy whipping cream to a medium bowl (a chilled metal bowl is ideal) along with the pudding mix. Gently stir with a fork and allow to rest for five minutes. This step ensures the pudding mix will dissolve completely.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the bowl.
- Using a hand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk on low speed until the mixture starts to thicken and foam.Note: Alternatively, use a stand mixer (whipping will take less time) or a whisk and bowl (whipping will take more time, and a lot of muscle!)
- Once the mixture is foamy, turn up the mixer speed on the mixer to medium. Watch the cream closely as it will begin to thicken and "tracks" from the mixer start to form. The amount of time this takes can vary depending on the quantity of cream and your mixer/mixer speed, but I find about 3 minutes is average. Once the cream is thick, stop your mixer periodically to check for peaks. Once you've achieved "soft peaks" (see notes below) the mixture will get to medium/stiff peaks really quickly. Check every 10-15 seconds.The pudding mix is going to stabilize and stiffen the whipped cream much faster than a traditional recipe.
- How to tell if the whipped cream is ready:Turn off the mixer, pull the whisk away and check the consistency of the "peak" that forms on the whisk. Soft peaks – Soft and billowy whipped cream. These peaks will flop over. Excellent for scooping on top of desserts, but usually not ideal for piping.Medium & Stiff peaks – Medium peaks hold their shape, but flop over a bit right at the top. Stiff peaks hold their shape completely. Medium or stiff peaks are best for piping.For this recipe you won't need to worry about reaching stiff peaks to get a sturdy and pipe-able whipped cream. The pudding mix will stabilize it quite a bit.Be care not to overbeat (check my tips within the blog post if this happens).
