This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.
Hi Bold Bakers!
If you know me, you know there is nothing I think can’t be improved by a little dollop of whipped cream. In fact, a lot of the times half the reason I want dessert is because of the light rich cream on top. Whether it be spooned on an ice cream sundae, perfectly piped on the top of a pie, or piled high next to a scoop of cobbler, dessert just isn’t dessert without the whipped cream on top.
In different cultures cream is flavored with different things — Americans love it to be sweetened with icing sugar, in Italy, they flavor it with liquor, in France some vanilla extract, but my personal favorite is actually straight-up plain whipped cream as this is always how I had it growing up in Ireland.
So, since we can pretty much all agree that whipped cream is a must, we probably all have our go-to way of making it. While it’s just one ingredient and requires no real “recipe,” it does require either some serious arm strength or some kind of electric or stand mixer. Well, what if you don’t have either? There is still a way to get that perfect light and fluffy cream and it does not involve any special arm strength or new kitchen equipment.
[ Want more fun recipes? Download my FREE Kids Baking Worksheet! ]
“Emergency Whipped Cream” or Making Whipped Cream With A Mason Jar
All you need is a mason jar. Yep, that’s it! You can make whipped cream without a mixer OR whisk. Here’s how you do it:
- Fill your mason jar about halfway full with cold heavy whipping cream (or double cream).
- Close the lid tight and go to town. Shake, shake, shake then shake some more.
- After just about 2-3 minutes you won’t believe how soft and billowy the texture of your cream is.
This is so much easier than using a hand-held whisk and allows you to get away with not buying a mixer. Not to mention, it’s fun!
Two Important Tips
There are two very important things to remember before whipping cream: it has to be cold, and it needs the right amount of fat content — so use Heavy Whipping Cream here in the States. It’s also known as Double Cream in Britain. Point is, it has to have more than 36% butterfat content to work really well or you’ll be at it for quite some time. As for it being cold, make sure your cream has spent plenty of time in the fridge… but also the jar, too, for at least a half-hour.
Check out the quick instructional video I’ve recorded below so you can see exactly how to make whipped cream without a mixer!
Did you like this baking tip? I have lots more short videos just like this one that will help you get baking confidently in the kitchen. Get more Bold Baking Basics.
Recipes Perfect with Whipped Cream
- 2-Ingredient Ice Cream Without a Machine
- 15-Minute Coconut Cream Pie
- 5-Ingredient No-Bake Chocolate Pie
- Best-Ever Hot Chocolate with Frozen Whipped Cream
- Hot Starbucks Drinks
Find more recipes and methods in my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
More "How-To" Recipes
Watch The Recipe Video!
About Us
Meet Gemma
About Us
Meet Gemma
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.
I don’t have photos of this but I taught my 3 grandchildren to make butter using a jar and cream. When we got to the point where the cream was not sloshing around in the jars, I showed them that we had whipped cream. We did proceed to make butter. Then we saved the buttermilk to make mini chocolate cakes!!
Can you freeze whipping cream?
I love making butter in a mason jar. When my son was a baby, my neighbor had a jersey cow and would bring us a gallon of fresh milk every week. I would skim off most of the cream on top and make butter. My son would take the fresh milk in his bottle. He was sooo fat from drinking that rich milk! That was 32 years ago????
Hi Gemma can I use double cream in making your ice-cream recipe cause I can’t get any at the moment in the shops. X
Found your site in my mobile phone feed about your 2 ingredient ice cream w/out a machine it’s awesome. Thanks for your exuberant spirit.
Hi Gemma,
In our families, grandmothers used to make fresh butter every day in these jars. By just shaking it.
:D.
– Shruthi
You’re wonderful, thanks for doing what you do!
Gemma, with your home made condensed milk, do you think it would work using monkfruit or stevia instead? Tks 🙂
Can you whip cream ina ninja blender bn or is it best to use the dough bowl.
Hi Gemma. I tried whipping the cream using a hand held mixer but somehow it was still runny. I’m not sure what went wrong