How to Sweeten Whipped Cream (Seven Favorite Ways!)
Homemade whipped cream is downright delicious. Here are seven of my favorite ways to Sweeten Whipped Cream from traditional to the more unexpected! You’ll love using these ideas to customize your favorite desserts. Enjoy!
Love whipped cream? Try this easy Stabilized Chocolate Whipped Cream Recipe!
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First Time Making Whipped Cream? Here’s the Basics.
Ingredients
To make homemade whipped cream at home, you truly only need one simple ingredient: heavy whipping cream. You might also find this product labelled, “heavy cream” at the grocery. Heavy whipping cream is 36% milkfat (or more) which means it will whip to perfection. Skip “whipping cream” which is a lower fat product.
Now, if you want to add a little flavor and sweetness to the whipped cream, you’d add a little sugar (more about that in a minute!) and a little vanilla extract too. The exact amounts may vary depending on your recipe or preferences.
Equipment
You’ll need a whisk and bowl or (my preferred method) an electric mixer. A hand mixer or stand mixer will work. You can also use a mason jar with a lid to shake up whipped cream (though the aeration won’t be as good) or even a whipped cream dispenser (these are a lot of fun!).
Technique
The heavy cream then needs to be beaten rapidly for several minutes (or less depending on what method you use) until it soft and fluffy. This is the “soft peak” stage. You can keep whipping until you achieve medium or stiff peaks–which are useful if you plan to pipe the cream.
Homemade whipped cream is generally best served immediately after preparing (or made ahead a few hours and stored in the fridge).

How to Sweeten Whipped Cream (My Seven Favorite Ways!)
There’s lots of ways to customize your homemade whipped cream flavors. Sweeten it up with sugar or other ingredients for a tasty treat!
Powdered Sugar
Powdered sugar (otherwise known as confectioners’ sugar) is probably the most popular way to sweeten homemade whipped cream. It has a very fine texture which means it incorporates easily into the heavy cream for a perfectly smooth finish.
Another benefit of powdered sugar is stabilization. The cornstarch in powdered sugar adds stabilizing action to the whipped cream. Whipped cream is delicate regardless, but this stabilization helps it keep its shape if you’ve piped it or need to make it a few hours in advance. Note: stored whipped cream in the fridge until ready to use.
To sweeten whipped cream with powdered sugar, use 2-4 tablespoons of powdered sugar per 1 cup of heavy cream. I prefer mine a bit on the sweeter side, so I usually go with 4 tablespoons!
Powdered sugar is used to sweeten my easy Strawberry Whipped Cream. This recipe uses freeze dried strawberries for a quick way to get lots of strawberry flavor.


Granulated Sugar
No powdered sugar on hand? Granulated sugar works for sweetening whipped cream as well.
One of my favorite tips is from BraveTart, an incredible dessert cookbook by Stella Parks. Stella notes that adding a little extra sugar to your whipped cream helps it stay fresh and stable for longer. This is great if you want to make it ahead by several hours (just be sure to store in the fridge).
Note that even this tip is not enough to turn whipped cream into a buttercream-type frosting. Homemade whipped cream will still be airy and delicate.
A common debate is when to add the granulated sugar. You should add it to the heavy cream (along with vanilla extract if using) right away before beginning to whip. The sugar will dissolve before the heavy cream reaches soft peaks.
To sweeten whipped cream with granulated sugar, use 2-4 tablespoons per 1 cup of heavy cream (use the higher amount to lend extra stability to the whipped cream) and add it right away before beginning to whip up the cream.
Brown Sugar
This option is perfect for Thanksgiving pies like pumpkin and pecan! It’s great on top of pumpkin cheesecake, pancakes, waffles, and more. The bit of molasses that is used to make brown sugar makes for a beautifully flavored (and unexpected!) homemade whipped cream.
Use my easy Brown Sugar Whipped Recipe to whip up a batch of this sweet treat!

Since brown sugar has more moisture than powdered sugar or granulated sugar, you want to be cautious how much you add. If you prepare your whipped cream in advance you may notice additional “weeping” (water collecting at the base of the storage container).
Honey
Honey is a good option if you would like to avoid processed sugars. You simply add your favorite honey to heavy cream and whip up as usual. It’s so good on top of homemade espresso drinks or chai tea lattes.
To sweeten whipped cream with honey, I use 1 tablespoon of honey per 1 cup of heavy cream, or check out this easy recipe.


Maple Syrup
Another option if you are avoiding traditional processed sugars, try some Grade A Maple Syrup for a sweet and maple-filled whipped cream. Don’t use pancake syrup here–opt for authentic maple syrup.
To sweeten whipped cream with maple syrup, I use 1 tablespoon of syrup per 1 cup of heavy cream. You can adjust to taste.
Tip: for a more budget-friendly option for maple syrup check Aldi or Costco. I usually buy the Kirkland Signature Organic Pure Maple Syrup.
Chocolate Syrup or Caramel Syrup
If you have ice cream syrups on hand, you can use these to sweeten whipped cream too! The squeeze-able kinds will incorporate easily into heavy cream (add before whipping).
For chocolate or caramel syrups, use about 1 tablespoon of syrup per 1 cup of heavy cream. You can gently stir the mixture before whipping and taste test to see if you’d like to add more.
What about thicker fudge or caramel? Generally these are heated before serving, but you don’t want to introduce any heat to the heavy cream–that will negatively affect its ability to whip.
Instead, my method is usually to whip a few tablespoons of cream with a scoop of the stiffer fudge or caramel until it’s well-blended. Then, add the rest of the heavy cream and whip.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread (or similar)
Lastly, you can get creative with tasty spreads in your pantry. Chocolate-hazelnut whipped cream? Try a scoop of Nutella. Cookie butter? Use a scoop of Biscoff spread. Peanut butter? Yes, that’ll work too!


To sweeten whipped cream with a chocolate-hazelnut spread (or similar), use about 3 tablespoons of the spread. Whip this gently with a few tablespoons of the heavy cream until it is smooth. Then, add the remainder of the heavy cream and whip to soft peaks.
Tip: Taste test the whipped cream before reaching soft peaks and adjust sweetness if needed by adding powdered sugar to taste. Also try this easy recipe for Nutella Whipped Cream.
And there you have it! There are so many options for how to sweeten whipped cream. Which is your favorite?