What To Do With Leftover Whipped Cream
Whipped cream makes everything taste better! Not only does it enhance the flavor of your desserts, but also makes them look super fun and appealing.
The only issue (if you look at it that way) with whipped cream is that you almost always have leftovers, whether you’re using the store-bought variety or whipping up your own batch at home.
So, what to do with leftover whipped cream? There are so many great ways to put leftover whipped cream to good use. You can upgrade your beverages with a nice dollop of whipped cream, make your breakfast and desserts more special, use it as an ice cream topping, or simply freeze it for later use!
Read on to find out more about whipped cream, how it is generally used in cooking and baking, what to do with leftover whipped cream, and more!
What Is Whipped Cream?
Whipped cream is simply heavy cream that has been beaten using either a mixer, whisk, or fork until it takes on a light and fluffy consistency.
It usually gets its sweetness from confectioner’s sugar and is oftentimes flavored using vanilla to create Chantilly cream or crème Chantilly.
Whipped cream is made with heavy cream with at least 30% butterfat content and is known for its rich and foamy texture with high peaks.
Whipping the heavy cream causes the fat droplets to create little pockets of air, which double the amount of the cream and give it its signature consistency.
You can make whipped cream using low-fat cream as well, but the result will be thin, watery, often unstable, and won’t be able to hold up for long or form strong peaks.
How Is Whipped Cream Used?
While we’ve been known to fight over who gets to lick the whisk and steal spoonfuls from the bowl (let’s be real — who hasn’t), whipped cream is usually intended to accompany something.
Whipped cream is a popular topping (or spread) for a variety of desserts, such as:
- Cakes and cupcakes
- Pies
- Ice creams
- Puddings
- Mousse
- Scones
- Pavlovas
- Fruit salads
You can also make the following drinks more delicious and presentable with a dollop of whipped cream:
- Milkshakes
- Hot chocolate
- Caffe lattes and other espresso drinks
- Coffee cocktails
- Iced coffee
- Chai
- Hot apple cider
How Long Can You Use Leftover Whipped Cream?
Before moving on to ideas about how to use leftover whipped cream, you need to know how long it lasts and is safe to use.
Depending on how you made the whipped cream, it can last anywhere from 1-4 days.
If you are following the standard recipe for making whipped cream with heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla, it is best used the day it is made, after which you will notice the liquid starting to separate from the cream and turning into a puddle.
If you want it to last longer, you can stabilize it and use it for up to 4 days — simply add some cream of tartar to your basic whipped cream recipe to act as a stabilizer.
Using a stabilizer will keep the protein molecules of the cream in place and provides structure so that the water and air bubbles hold together instead of letting the water seep out.
If you do not have cream of tartar, you can also use cornstarch or gelatin to stabilize the whipped cream. Cornstarch works in a similar way as cream of tartar, while gelatin makes it last the longest.
To prolong its shelf-life, you can freeze homemade whipped cream, which will allow you to use it for a good 3 months.
Any aerosol whipped cream (sometimes referred to as “whipped topping“) that you mostly find in the supermarket is best used by the date mentioned on its label.
Since it is a best-used-by date, you can keep using it for an additional week or two, provided that it has been properly stored.
With that being said, always check the quality of any product before using it in your recipes!
| Fridge | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|
| Homemade whipped cream (unstabilized) | 1 day | Up to 3 months |
| Homemade whipped cream (stabilized) | Up to 4 days | Up to 3 months |
| Aerosol whipped cream | 2 weeks after the best-before date | 2 weeks after the best-before date |
How To Use Leftover Whipped Cream
When using whipped cream for a recipe, you will often find that you whipped a bit too much and now have leftovers to deal with.
Since homemade whipped cream doesn’t have a very long shelf-life, you need to use the leftovers before they begin to spoil.
To avoid wasting whipped cream, you can use the leftovers in a variety of dishes and snacks. Here are some great ideas for the next time you’re wondering what to do with the leftovers!
Make Your Breakfast Special
The best way to use leftover whipped cream from the day before is first thing the following morning to make a special breakfast!
Whipped cream goes really well with so many breakfast items such as pancakes, waffles, French toast, and crepes, and can be a super easy way to make these meals so much more enjoyable.
While these are the breakfast items that would naturally come to mind when pairing with whipped cream, you can serve some on your yogurt bowl, on toast, or on top of a fruit salad.
If you like to start your day with a big bowl of oatmeal, simply mix a couple of tablespoons of whipped cream to make it light, fluffy, and even more delicious.
If you’re someone who likes having something sweet for breakfast, this is a great way to use leftover whipped cream. Make a big breakfast for everyone in your family and put a smile on their faces with a generous serving of whipped cream!
Topping For Coffee
This one’s for all the coffee lovers! You can use the leftover whipped cream to top your coffee and make your mornings even better.
Coffee and whipped cream are like a match made in heaven — if you want your coffee to taste airy and frothy, whipped cream will do just the trick!
This works for hot coffee as well as iced coffee. Since the temperature of the former may cause the whipped cream to lose its texture, instead of using it as a topping, you can also mix it into the beverage.
Other than giving it a nice texture, it can also be used to sweeten your coffee. Since whipped cream is sweet, you can use less sugar in your coffee and use whipped cream in its place.
You will often see baristas at coffee shops using whipped cream in their drink recipes, which is all the more reason for you to do it at home as well!
Topping For Hot Chocolate
Another beverage that is made to be paired with whipped cream — hot chocolate is a hug in a cup and whipped cream on top makes it all the better!
We may be biased with this one since it’s an absolute family favorite. If you’re someone who enjoys a cup of hot chocolate on a chilly day, this is the best way to use your leftover whipped cream. Have a hot chocolate party!
Whipped cream complements the flavor of the hot chocolate perfectly. For a different texture altogether, we suggest freezing your whipped cream before adding it to your hot chocolate (we’ll discuss how you can do that in a bit).
Some people may argue that marshmallows taste better in hot chocolate than whipped cream — we say why choose when you can add both!
Make A Milkshake
There aren’t many things as perfect as whipped cream and milkshakes, so if hot beverages aren’t your thing, this option is just for you!
A milkshake is one of the best and easiest ways to use any leftover whipped cream. You can either use it in its actual form or melt it down into cream to add to your milkshake.
If you do not wish to add it to the milkshake, you can always use it as a topping. A classic chocolate milkshake topped with whipped cream and garnished with chocolate shavings is the poster image of the perfect milkshake out there.
You don’t have to stick to chocolate though. The sky is the limit when it comes to milkshake flavors! You can go with strawberry, vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, peanut butter, or any other flavor of your preference.
Bake A Cake Or Pie
We can’t think of a dessert that doesn’t taste better with whipped cream. Whether it’s a cake, cupcake, pie, or brownies, a dollop of rich and frothy whipped cream makes a world of a difference!
There are actually quite a few cakes you can make taste so much better with the addition of whipped cream. Our favorite is strawberry shortcake — you can fill the layers and top it all off with a generous amount of whipped cream.
The acidity of the strawberries and the richness of the whipped cream is a killer combination and one that we are totally in love with!
If you’re in the mood for a different dessert, you may also opt for one of the many no-bake cheesecakes that taste great with a generous serving of whipped cream. There’s also the option of turning it into frosting for your favorite cupcakes.
There are also several types of pies that taste amazing when served with a whipped cream topping. Some delicious options include apple pie, cherry pie, pumpkin pie, or chocolate pie!
Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate mousse is a delicious dessert and a great option to use your leftover whipped cream as it already requires whipped cream.
You could simply use the leftover whipped cream and fold it into melted chocolate to turn it into chocolate mousse!
This will turn out great for sure — if you’re a fan of chocolate mousse, we suggest you give this a try instead of wasting the leftover whipped cream.
This isn’t limited to chocolate mousse though. You can try other flavors such as strawberry, raspberry, white chocolate, Nutella, vanilla, cheesecake, and so much more!
Ice Cream Topping
If you were looking for an excuse to have your favorite ice cream, here it is! While ice cream tastes incredible on its own, you can take it to the next level by topping it with some whipped cream.
It will taste great with all kinds of flavors and is a delicious way to put your leftover whipped cream to good use.
Whether you have vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or mixed-flavored ice cream, you can use some whipped cream to make it more interesting.
As an added step, you could add other toppings such as chocolate syrup and caramel on top of the whipped cream to make it more fun! You can also add sprinkles, candies, cookies, and wafers.
It will be a caloric overload, but it’s nothing a nice jog around the park can’t fix!
How To Freeze Leftover Whipped Cream
If you don’t feel like using your leftover whipped cream right away, you can simply freeze it for later use!
Since it doesn’t last too long in the fridge, it is best to freeze it and use it whenever you are ready.
Regardless of the type of whipped cream (stabilized or unstabilized, sweetened or unsweetened), you can easily freeze it and extend its shelf life by up to 3 months.
Whipped cream freezes and thaws incredibly well and can be used easily in a variety of situations.
One of the best uses of frozen whipped cream is as a topping for hot chocolate. Not only does it slowly melt into the beverage, making it creamier, but it also cools your drink off a bit to just the right temperature.
You can also use it to top a pie or other dessert. Simply let it sit at room temperature for a while before serving!
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to freeze leftover whipped cream:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spoon the leftover whipped cream on top of it in small mounds. You can even pipe it on using a piping bag. Aim for single-serving portions to make it easy to use later on.
- Freeze it overnight, or until the whipped cream is frozen solid.
- Peel the frozen whipped cream off the parchment paper and keep it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Don’t worry about the edges crumbling as this is expected.
- If stored properly, it will keep for 3 months. However, it is best used within 1 month.
Note: Make sure to keep the frozen whipped cream properly covered as it can easily take on the smells of other foods present in the freezer.
Related Questions
Now that you know all about whipped cream and what to do with its leftovers, here are a few additional questions we thought you might have.
How do you know if leftover whipped cream has gone bad?
There are some clear signs that indicate if your leftover whipped cream has gone bad. If the volume drops and the stiff peaks flatten out, it means that the quality has dropped.
Other tell-tale signs include separation of liquid on the bottom, sour taste, and mold growth.
What is the difference between whipped cream and whipped topping?
Whipped cream is usually made using only heavy cream, sugar, and sometimes vanilla for added flavor. Whipped topping, on the other hand, often contains a cream substitute, more sugar, and lots of artificial flavorings and stabilizers.
How to fix overwhipped whipped cream?
As long as your whipped cream hasn’t turned to butter, you can fix it by gently mixing a few more tablespoons of cream. This will smooth it out again and save you from having to start all over again.
