Make bakery quality stabilized whipped cream that can be used for piping cakes, cupcakes and more. It’s light and fluffy like regular whipped cream but can hold it’s shape longer.

Fresh whipped cream is the best dessert topping! Homemade whipped cream and this homemade Cool Whip are two other favorites.

piping stabilized whipped cream

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What Is Stabilized Whipped Cream?

If you’re looking for something to hold it’s shape a little longer, this stabilized whipped cream recipe is a great option. I love to use it in my jello poke cake, watergate salad and my no-bake chocolate lasagna.

Stabilized whipped cream, unlike homemade whipped cream, contains the addition of simple gelatin and added sugar, which allows it to hold it’s shape even after storing in the refrigerator or sitting out for a few hours. Cool Whip is an example of stabilized whipped cream that is sturdy yet sweet and creamy.

Recipe Ingredients

Whipped cream with gelatin tastes the same as regular whipped cream but can hold its shape and be used for decorating desserts without turning into a runny mess.

chilled glass bowl and beaters

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Gelatin: Make sure to get unflavored gelatin. Knox is an easy-to-find brand.
  • Water: The gelatin dissolves into the water until it’s thick and gelatinous.
  • Heavy whipping cream: It needs to be cold in order to make this recipe.
  • Sugar: I like to use powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), but granulated sugar will also work.
  • Vanilla: This is my flavor of choice. You could always sub other extracts in it’s place.

How to Make Stabilized Whipped Cream

It just takes a few steps to create a stabilized whipped cream.

Box of gelatine.
  1. Prep. One of the major components of any good whipped cream is temperature. It needs to be cold! Beforehand, put a medium-large mixing bowl and the beaters into the freezer for about 15 minutes.
  2. Dissolve. In a separate microwavable bowl with the water, dissolve the gelatin. Let it sit until it has thickened.
  3. Microwave. Place the bowl with the dissolved gelatin in the microwave for about 10 seconds to allow it to turn back to liquid.
  4. Pour. Take the chilled bowl out of the freezer and, to it add the cream, sugar, and vanilla. Beat on low until ingredients are blended then beat on high until soft peaks form. Slowly mix in the liquid gelatin while continuing to beat. Do this until a peak forms.
  5. Enjoy. Use this for cake fillings, cheesecakes, cupcake frostings, and more!
Mixing cream in bowl.

Tips for Success

  • Chill out. Heat is not what you want when using whipped cream. Chilling your bowl and beaters ahead of time is a great way to keep it nice, cold and develop stiff peaks.
  • The gelatin. Use unflavored. If you don’t, then you’re essentially using jello and then things start to get weird. Also, make sure you let it cool a bit before adding it to the whipped cream. Adding hot gelatin to it would be counterproductive.
  • Make ahead. It is great for making a couple of days ahead of time. Just keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Substitution. You can use this whipped topping in place of cool whip in most recipes.

Ways to Use Stabilized Whipped Cream

I love to use this as a replacement for Cool Whip in many recipes from strawberry pretzel salad to strawberry shortcake trifle! It can also be used as a stabilized whipped cream frosting.

Other favorites include:

Piping whipped cream on cheesecake.

Other dessert recipes to use this include pineapple fluff dessert, frozen s’mores and this banana cream pie recipe!

More Frosting Recipes

See all
See all
piping whipped cream on cheesecake

Stabilized Whipped Cream

5 from 9 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chill: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 16
Make bakery quality stabilized whipped cream that can be used for piping cakes, cupcakes and more. It's light and fluffy like regular whipped cream but can hold it's shape longer.
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Video

Ingredients 

  • 1 teaspoon gelatin (unflavored)
  • 1 Tablespoon water
  • 1 cup cold heavy cream
  • 2-4 Tablespoons powdered sugar or granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Chill mixing bowl. Place a medium to large bowl and electric beaters (or whisk attachment and the bowl of a stand mixer) in the freezer and chill 15 minutes.
  • Dissolve gelatin. In a small microwave-safe bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon gelatin in 1 Tablespoon water. Let sit a few minutes until thickened. Microwave 5 seconds, or until it turns back to liquid.
  • Whip cream and add gelatin. In the chilled bowl, add 1 cup cream, 2-4 Tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Using an electric mixer fitted with chilled beaters, beat on low until combined. Beat on high 1 minute, or until soft peaks form. Slowly mix in the gelatin mixture while the beaters are on. Beat until soft peaks forms.
  • Chill. Chill until ready to use. It will stay stable for 24 hours. Replace in any recipe using cool whip, cup for cup.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Make-ahead: This recipe can be made 1 to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. 
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. 

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 5mg, Potassium: 14mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 219IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 0.02mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this easy homemade cool whip recipe dairy-free?

I haven’t tried it, but I have heard that coconut cream or a soy based whipping cream can be a great dairy-free substitute that works well.

Can I try this whipped cream recipe with other flavors?

If one day, you’d like to try using a different flavor, such as peppermint, lemon, orange, or almond to name a few then it’s just a matter of swapping out the vanilla for almond extract, or a few drops of citrus or zest. Flavor alternatives might be nice depending your taste.

How long can stabilized whipped cream last?

It can sit out at room temperature for about 2 hours or you can store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 24 hours up to a few days.

Can I freeze this stabilized whipped cream?

Guess what? You can! Just be sure to make it with heavy cream and I recommend piping it into the shape or onto the dessert before freezing as it doesn’t pipe well after freezing.