Easy Whipped Cream Recipe (Chantilly Cream)
My whipped cream recipe, also known as Chantilly Cream, can be used as a topping or frosting, and unlike regular whipped cream, my recipe doesn’t melt! That’s because I stabilise it using mascarpone cream which works like magic!
Hey team, Nick here. So excited to share my updated Whipped Chantilly Cream recipe. It’s my go to anytime I need to add some creaminess to a rich dessert. It’s light and airy but has a richness to it without being overly indulgent.
The best way to make this is by hand. I started off using an eclectic mixer, but after a few rounds of testing, I realized a hand whisk gives better results. It comes together quickly when the ingredients are cold, and you get a smoother texture because you’re mixing right to the edges of the bowl. It also helps you avoid overwhipping, which can happen fast with a machine.
I skip the sugar because this Chantilly cream is usually paired with something that’s already sweet. So instead of added sweetness, it gives you that creamy contrast without tipping the whole dessert into overload. I love it on my foolproof pavlova, where it adds just the right amount of richness without stealing the spotlight.
Related → This Chantilly pairs perfectly as a filling for my Chocolate Eclairs, it’s great topped on cheesecakes and pies or served on the side with fresh berries!
A whipped cream that won’t deflate!
It’s mascarpone! This recipe uses only 3 simple ingredients. Cream, mascarpone, vanilla, but the mascarpone does the heavy lifting. It thickens the cream, adds a bit of tang and helps everything stay whipped for longer. It also helps stabilize it so you can make it up to a day in advance without needing to whip it again. Some brands of mascarpone can be a little firm, so I give it a quick stir before adding the other ingredients. As long as everything’s cold, it whips up perfectly smooth.
Yes yes, I know Chantilly cream doesn’t have mascarpone and is supposed to have sugar. I like to do things differently. And the results as better I reckon. A whipped cream that doesn’t deflate? No brainer!
Let’s talk brands – opt in for something better quality than home brand mascarpone. It’s worth going to your local Italian deli or cheese factory and getting your mascarpone from there. It tastes better and will give you a smoother result. Home brand mascarpone won’t stabilize your Chantilly properly because it’s not real mascarpone.
How To Make The Best Chantilly ever
Add the mascarpone to a large mixing bowl and use a spatula to mix a little and smoothen out.
Add the cream and vanilla and use a hand whisk to whisk until it reaches somewhere between soft and stiff peaks. You’ll notice it thickening the more you mix it. The thicker, the more stable and firmer it becomes.
How long should you whip your cream for?
Less whipping gives you a soft peaks which has a pillowy texture. Great for dolloping, while more whipping gives you stiff peaks that are perfect for piping and strong enough to hold up between cake layers.
If you keep going to stiff peaks, it holds its shape and works beautifully for piping. I use it on my Black Forest Cake and layer it into my Vanilla Sponge Cake. It holds up without squishing out and gives you those clean, piped edges.
Just don’t take it too far. Once it starts to look grainy, it’s overwhipped and heading straight for butter. There’s no saving it at that point.
Yes, you can make this advance
It can be made a day or 2 in advance. 3 days was pushing it when I was testing it, it started to deflate. Whip to soft peaks and store in a container. Use a spoon to dollop when you need it. Don’t stir it again, it will deflate!
If you want to pipe it, whip to stiff peaks and pop it straight into your piping bag with your preferred piping tip. Twist the end of the bag and pop it in the fridge as is. It will pipe like it was freshly whipped!
A Quick Baking Guide
If you’re new to baking or just want to brush up on the basics, these guides are a great place to start!
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Easy Whipped Cream Recipe (Chantilly Cream)
Serves 2 cups
Ingredients
Chantilly Cream
- 250 g heavy cream, cold (see notes)
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, see notes
- 250 g mascarpone, cold (see notes)
- 40 g powdered sugar, sifted (see notes)
Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]
Instructions
Chantilly Cream
- Prepare mascarpone cheese – Add the mascarpone to a large mixing bowl (glass or metal) and use a spatula to stir and break up as some brands can be firmer than others. This helps break it up a little to prevent lumps in your whipped cream.
- Whip remaining ingredients – Add the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to the mascarpone. You can use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, but I actually find it easier to get the right texture with a hand whisk. You’re aiming for a smooth, stiff whipped cream that holds its shape but still looks silky. If it looks split or grainy, it’s been overwhipped.
- You can use your whipped cream by blobbing on top of pies with a spoon or a piping bag fitted with a star tip (my fave!)
45 comments
Since this has cream and cheese in it, I assume you have to refrigerate anything you ice with it, right?
Correct! N x
Tasted great but I had tiny little lumps of marscapone in it. I used the mascarpone straight out of the refrigerator like you noted, but it was very thick and it didn’t cream together with the whip cream very well. So texture is what’s keeping me from giving us a five stars. Maybe I need to use a different brand, but the mascarpone was not creamy. 😔
PS I did not use a generic brand either
Hi Mary! That’s a shame. I’ve never used mascarpone that was that firm. I didn’t even know that could happen. Do you mind me asking what brand it was? If you’re making this again, and I would reccomend giving it a go, I would use a spoon or spatula to mix and slightly soften the cheese before adding it to the cream. I think that would stop it from being lumpy. Let me know what consistency yours was and I’ll add notes to the recipe. N x
I made this for filling profiteroles. I followed the recipe exactly, but within seconds of whipping, the mixture instantly thickened, almost like cream cheese. It wasn’t light and aerated, as it had hardly been whipped.
Therefore, I didn’t get the volume I’d have expected from such a quantity of cream.
Afraid I won’t bother with it again.
Hi Zoe, I’ve made this recipe multiple times, in fact I made it again today for an upcoming recipe! It’s never as thick as you described. Although I will say, you’re not the first person to have experienced this. I’m guessing that mascarpone brand plays a factor here. I understand you don’t want to make this recipe again, but if you try something similar, I would reccomend just giving the mascarpone a bit of a mix with a spatula to loosen it up a bit before making a recipe like this. That may help it mix into the cream better. Also, this is supposed to be thick. I will add some notes to the recipe to help others avoid this! N x
Hello Nick 🙂 I was wondering if I could add white chocolate? 🙂
Hey Olivia! 🙂 While I don’t have a version with white chocolate, you could definitely make a white chocolate ganache and fold it through. I’d recommend using 1.5 times the cream in the ganache to keep it looser, so it folds in smoothly once it’s cooled. Hope that helps and it sounds like a delicious idea! N x
Will this still be light enough to frost chiffon cakes?
Absolutely! N x
I just made this Chantilly cream so easy to make and it has turned out beautifully and the taste omg , this is a keeper. Thank you for sharing this recipe Nick.
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing Maria! N x
Do you have a version of this using coconut cream?
Hey Mandy! I don’t have a version with coconut cream yet, but that sounds like an amazing idea. You’ve got me thinking! I might experiment with it soon. Stay tuned! N x
This recipe is such a game changer and so much easier than fiddling around with gelatine like other stabilised whipped cream recipes I’ve tried! We really enjoyed the flavour and thicker texture. My husband couldn’t stop eating it by the spoonful and said it reminded him of the cakes he had as a child in Hong Kong.
How lovely! Thanks for letting me know Kate! N x
I am going to try to make this for first time. I want to use it on a cape roll will I have enough with one recipe or should I double it?
Hey Suzanne! So excited you’re giving it a go! If you’re making a cake roll, one batch should be enough to fill and frost it, but if you like extra cream (who doesn’t?), doubling it could give you more to play with. Enjoy! N x
Just perfect. Beautiful smooth cream which complemented my turnovers. Left over cream will be used in cupcakes/butterfly cakes. Thank you for a great recipe.
Thanks so much Sew! N x
Hi Jenny! I’ve gone ahead and updated the post! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Wondering why my glowing review has not been posted?
Published! N x
What brands of mascarpone do you recommend using? Thanks!
Hi Liz1 It’s hard to recommend brands because I’m not sure where you’re located. I use the Woolworths brand one here in Australia.
Can you substitute the mascarpone cheese with sour cream or cream cheese?
Hi Martha, unfortunately I haven’t tested it either of those substitutions. Sorry! N x
Can I use it to feel layered cakes instead of butter cream?
Hey Margherita! Absolutely, you can definitely use it to fill layered cakes. Just make sure the cream is whipped to stiff peaks so it holds up well between the layers. If you want an extra stable result, try chilling the cake after filling to keep everything nice and firm. Hope you give it a try! N x
Nick, this whipped cream has the perfect consistency for my tiramisu! I’ve tried many others, but nothing compares to this one. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hey Nikky! I’m so glad to hear that this whipped cream worked perfectly for your tiramisu. That makes my day! Thanks for sharing your feedback—it means a lot. N x
Love this so much. It’s my go to for whipped cream now. Just wondering if I could leave the powdered sugar out completely?
Hey Jennie! So glad it’s become your go to. You can leave the powdered sugar out if you prefer it less sweet. It’ll still whip up beautifully and hold its shape. N x
Hi! How long can you store this once it’s made?
Hey Kristan! You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. If it deflates, you can re-whip it just until it stiffens up again. Be careful though—overwhipping can turn it into butter, and there’s no coming back from that! N x
I have made this with Aldi and Woolies mascarpone worked beautifully but need to watch it as it comes together quickly.
Hey Rachel! Love that you tested it with both Aldi and Woolies mascarpone! You’re spot on—it does come together fast, so keeping an eye on it is key. Thanks for sharing your experience! N x
Made this and it turned out great. Everyone raved about it! Will definitely make again.
Hey Melinda! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m glad everyone loved it and that you’ll be making it again. Thanks for the lovely feedback! N x
I use this recipe all the time when making a layered chocolate cake with raspberry jam between the layers. It holds the jam in beautifully and tastes divine.
Hey Denise! That combo sounds incredible and I love that you use this cream to hold everything together. Raspberry and chocolate is such a perfect match. N x
Can you substitute mascarpone with cream cheese?
Hey Areli! I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t say for sure, but a few readers have messaged me saying they used cream cheese and it worked well. Just make sure it’s properly softened so it mixes in smoothly. Leave it out for about 30 minutes or microwave it in short bursts until spreadable. N x
Chantilly is good with almond flavoring as well. This is what Whole Foods uses in their chantilly layered cake. delicioous!!!!
Love that idea Theresa! I’ll have to give it a go! N x