Soft peaks, indulgent and rich, sinfully silky – whipped cream is more than just a topping. It’s a must-have for desserts and sweet treats ranging from cakes and pies to milkshakes, and everything in between. Of course, if you’re on the keto diet, you might think that whipped cream like Cool Whip is forever out of reach now because of its high carb count.
Nothing could be further from the truth! This decadent, rich, keto whipped cream recipe offers all the sinful sweetness of the real thing for topping those favorite keto desserts, but with zero guilt at just 1g of sugars per serving (no added sugar). AND it’s super-fast to make!
What’s Whipped Cream?
Before we get to the keto whipped cream recipe, it’s probably helpful to make sure that we’re on the same page. What is homemade whipped cream? How does it differ from store-bought options? Can you REALLY make your own sugar-free whipped cream without spending a ton of your precious time doing it?
Homemade whipped cream is simple to make and offers a delectable touch of rich sweetness, as well as healthy fats. It’s also made with simple, readily available ingredients. The primary one is heavy cream, but you’ll also need to add a sweetener. And believe it or not, homemade whipped cream is not just fast and easy to make, but it’s so much more satisfying than the stuff you’ll buy at the store.
Should I Use Heavy Cream or Whipping Cream?
You’re standing in the dairy aisle trying to find a carton of heavy cream when you spot one that’s labeled “whipping cream”. Wait a minute, you think. It’s cream, and it’s labeled for whipping, so should I just get this?
No, put it down and back away slowly.
Heavy cream and whipping cream are not the same thing. And even though whipping cream has “whipping” right in the name, it’s not what you want for making whipped cream. You can thank our dairy-producing ancestors for the super-confusing nomenclature.
So, to sum up, only purchase heavy cream. Leave the whipping cream alone.
Is Whipped Cream Keto?
No, whipped cream is not generally considered doable on the ketogenic diet. That’s because it contains a lot of sugar and, thus, far too many carbs. Saying that, this keto whipped cream recipe is much lower in carbs (coming in at just 0.8 net carbs per ¼ cup serving), so you don’t need to worry about being knocked out of ketosis.
Why is my recipe keto-friendly when store-bought whipped cream isn’t? It’s all about simple ingredients and following easy recipe steps. While I use genuine heavy cream, the real source of carbs in most whipped cream recipes is sugar. We omit the sugar and instead use a sugar-free sweetener of your choice.
How to Make Keto Whipped Cream
Ready to whip up a batch of delicious keto-friendly whipped cream? No problem. First, you’ll need to assemble your ingredients. Thankfully, the shopping list is short! You’ll need:
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Your sweetener of choice (Note that your decision will affect the ingredient ratio. For instance, you might only need a couple of drops of stevia, but you’ll want 2 tablespoon of powdered Swerve. Monk fruit sweetener is another option. However, they all let you avoid the carbs in regular sugar.)
- If you want to, you can double it with 2 cups of heavy cream and 4 teaspoon of vanilla extract, plus your sweetener of choice.
- * Want to make it dairy-free? Just replace the heavy cream with coconut cream to avoid the milk fat and lactose.
You also need to assemble your hardware. Again, the list is very short. You’ll need:
- A metal mixing bowl
- A hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment (don’t use a food processor)
- An airtight storage container that’s refrigerator-safe
If you want, go ahead and put that information down on a recipe card for later use! You’re going to love this treat enough that it becomes a staple in your home. Now that you’ve gotten it all together, let’s start making the whipped cream dessert.
Before you do anything else, the best way to start is to put the beaters into the mixing bowl and then put them all in the freezer. Leave them there for a while (at least 30 minutes) to get very cold. Once the bowl and beaters are cold, take them out and pour in the heavy cream. A chilled bowl helps you form better peaks.
Set your hand mixer on low and begin whipping the cream. It will slowly begin to thicken. As it does so, gently bump up the mixer speed. When it nears the consistency that you want, you can add the vanilla extract and sweetener to the bowl, and then mix again for no more than one minute. Once incorporated, put it in your airtight container and set it in the fridge. If you add the sweetener too soon, it could prevent the cream from forming peaks.
Speaking of peaks…
What’s with the Peaks?
If you’ve ever whipped cream before (or tried to make your own meringue), you’ve heard the whole discussion about peaks. So, do you want soft peaks? Stiff peaks? Medium peaks?
There’s no right answer here. It’s really all about what you want. Soft peaks are the fastest to achieve, but they have the shortest lifespan. They’re great for topping things like smoothies, milkshakes and coffee, but not for pies or cakes.
Medium peaks are a little stiffer and last longer, making them better suited for things like waffles. Stiff peaks take the longest to achieve and are better suited for cakes and pies where you want the whipped cream to stay stiff, with visible peaks, for as long as possible.
Can You Over-Whip It?
According to Devo, there’s no such thing as whipping it too much, but in the world of whipped cream, you can definitely over-whip it. Whipping your heavy cream for too long will eventually cause it to separate into butter and buttermilk, which is NOT what you want.
Alternative Methods to Make Keto Whipped Cream
Don’t have a hand mixer? No problem! My keto whipped cream recipe is super flexible, and you can use quite a few other tools to achieve the same result.
- Blender – One of the simpler options is to just pour your heavy cream into a blender. Keep it on low, though, and watch as the texture thickens. Add the vanilla and sweetener near the end, and pulse to incorporate it.
- Immersion Blender – An immersion blender lets you mix without the need for a separate blender. Again, keep it on low and don’t overdo it.
- Mason Jar – The mason jar method is fun, but it does require some physical endurance. Pour your heavy cream into the mason jar and screw on the cap and ring. Then you just need to shake, shake, shake it until it begins to thicken (I really recommend using a blender or hand mixer).
Flavored Keto Whipped Cream
Want to really amp up the flavor of this keto recipe? Consider adding any of the following to your whipped cream to create different flavors:
- Lime zest
- Cocoa powder
- Cinnamon
- Orange zest
- Coconut
- Keto Chow
You can serve your homemade keto whipped cream with just about anything, but if you’re going to add more flavors, I recommend that you pair them with your favorite low-carb desserts like keto-friendly ice cream, a mug of hot chocolate, or keto chocolate mousse. For instance, lime zest could make this a great pairing for Keto Key Lime Poundcake!
Like this sweet topping for the keto diet? You’ll love these easy recipes too!
- 8 Quick & Easy Keto Candy Ideas For Your Sweet Tooth (Sugar Free & Low Carb)
- 8 Keto Halloween Candy Copycats That’ll Satisfy Your Cravings
- Keto Mug Cake Recipe – 5 Different Ways To Beat Sweet Cravings
- Easy Keto Spice Cake
- 11 Fail Proof Quick & Easy Keto Fat Bomb Recipes With Only 3 Ingredients
Keto Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon powdered sugar-free sweetener
Instructions
- Set hand mixer on low and begin whipping the cream in a small mixing bowl. As the cream thickens, increase the mixer speed.
- When it nears desired consistency, add the vanilla extract and sweetener to the bowl, and then mix again for no more than one minute.
- Once incorporated, put it in your airtight container and set it in the fridge.
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