Whipped Cream Without Heavy Cream
Finally, a solution to last minute store runs, simplifying your grocery shopping list, or adding some spontaneous sweetness to breakfast – making whipped cream without using heavy cream!
I should say straight away this is not going to yield whipped cream like you would achieve with heavy cream. Nor is it like the whipped cream you would shoot out of a can (but that last part is definitely a plus!).
This recipe is for those moments when you are in a bind, or perhaps when you just need a good food experiment. Set your expectations on a looser whipped cream with no stiff peaks, and be prepared for a bit of extra work to achieve it.
But if you are stuck without heavy cream while in need of a delicious whipped cream topping, then this recipe will certainly save the day!
Replacing Heavy Cream – How To Do It
The difference between milk (which we use here) and heavy cream is the fat content.
When milk is gathered from cows it separates into two layers: cream rises up with it’s high level of saturated fat while the less fatty milk lowers to the bottom.
The cream has a fat content of about 35% while whole milk has only about 3.5%. That’s a big difference! That saturated fat is what allows the heavy cream to form the beautiful clouds of whipped cream we all know and love.
To add in the needed fat to the milk we invite butter into the equation. Butter’s fat content is around 80% which is plenty for giving milk the boost it needs to act as a cream replacement.
I recommend, as always, to use good quality ingredients. Whole milk and a nice quality butter will yield much better results than skimping with low quality dairy.
Here I will offer two methods for the whipped cream. Although they are almost exactly alike, one saves you some arm strength. This can be achieved with either a whisk or a stand mixer.
My favorite whisk by far is this one you can pick up on Amazon, and if you don’t have a stand mixer, this is the perfect one to start with.
Let’s begin!
Making Whipped Cream Without Any Heavy Cream
Now that we’ve gone over how butter and milk together can make up for your lack of heavy cream, let’s discuss how to make the magic happen.
Making a Heavy Cream Substitute
First, gather your ingredients, all simple items you likely have on hand. Whole milk, butter, a pinch of salt, powdered sugar and vanilla (if desired).
First, we need to make “heavy cream”. You can do this with either a double boiler or a glass bowl and a pot that fit together.
Bring enough water to a boil that it will warm the glass bowl without touching it. Place the butter in the glass bowl and let it melt almost completely. Remove the bowl and whisk the butter until it has finished melting.
This approach is taken to keep the butter from becoming scalding hot, which is not necessary and will make the process much harder.
Next, gradually pour in the milk while consistently whisking the butter. Keep mixing for about 5 minutes. This creates a proper emulsion between the butter and milk.
At this point you have a nice replacement for heavy cream. Add it to soups or sauces that call for heavy cream.
It works pretty flawlessly in warm, savory dishes like alfredo or creamy soups, the continued cooking and stirring process allows the emulsion to stay consistent as heavy cream would.
Attempting to use it in sweet or cold dishes will be more challenging but should work in a pinch.
Turning Your Heavy Cream Substitute Into Whipped Cream
Next, to turn our heavy cream into whipped cream, allow the milk and butter combination to cool for about 5 minutes. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla (if you’re using vanilla to flavor your whipped cream) and a pinch of salt.
Powdered sugar is essential for this whipped cream.
With regular heavy cream you can whip just the liquid until it holds together but for this replacement we rely on the starch in powdered sugar for it’s binding quality. Powdered sugar contains either cornstarch or tapioca starch, this will be what brings our concoction together.
If you are using a mixer (like my favorite), give the ingredients a quick stir and pour into the bowl of the mixer. With the whisk attachment, start slow and turn up the speed to high. After 4 or 5 minutes it will begin to thicken.
If it isn’t as thick as you’d like, add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time to achieve your desired consistency, keeping in mind it will be less fluffy than normal whipped cream.
If you are mixing by hand (make sure you have a quality whisk) you can use the same bowl you melted the butter in. With all the ingredients in begin whisking by hand and get comfortable, you likely will not see any thickness begin until about 6 or 7 minutes of whisking.
If it doesn’t begin to thicken, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to cool. Then begin the whisking process again.
I have found that when using a stand mixer the extra cool time isn’t needed, as the liquid seems to cool down in the bowl transfer, but when doing it by hand it may need the extra time in the refrigerator.
There you have it! It’s a handy trick to have up your sleeve but do remember to use your whipped cream right away, it won’t keep its shape for long.
How To Make Whipped Cream Without Heavy Cream
There are two simple ways to make this delicious, life-saving whipped cream recipe – with a stand mixer or mixing by hand. Both follow the same basic method, but we’ll go through each slowly, just to be safe.
Stand Mixer Method
Step 1
With a double boiler, melt butter in a heatproof bowl until almost liquid.
Remove bowl from heat and whisk until completely melted.
Step 2
Gradually pour milk into the butter while whisking. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes.
Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 3
Gradually increase the speed of the stand mixer to high and mix until thickened to desired consistently.
Add more powdered sugar 1 tbsp at a time as needed for additional thickness.
Bowl and Whisk Method
Step 1
With a double boiler, melt butter in a heatproof bowl until almost liquid. Remove bowl from heat and whisk until completely melted.
(Pictured above.)
Step 2
Gradually pour milk into the butter while whisking. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes.
Allow the mixture to cool for at least 5 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients.
(Pictured above.)
Step 3
Whisk the mixture for 5-7 minutes.
If thickness is not achieved, place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then whisk for 5 more minutes.
Whipped Cream Without Heavy Cream
This whipped cream without heavy cream recipe will save you a trip to the store, and it still tastes great!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup butter
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
- Optional: ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
Stand Mixer Method
- With a double boiler, melt butter in a heatproof bowl until almost liquid.
- Remove bowl from heat and whisk until completely melted.
- Gradually pour milk into the butter while whisking. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes.
- Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Gradually increase the speed of the stand mixer to high and mix until thickened to desired consistently.
- Add more powdered sugar 1 tbsp at a time as needed for additional thickness.
Bowl and Whisk Method
- With a double boiler, melt butter in a heatproof bowl until almost liquid.
- Remove bowl from heat and whisk until completely melted.
- Gradually pour milk into the butter while whisking. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes.
- Allow the mixture to cool for at least 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients
- Whisk the mixture for 5-7 minutes.
- If thickness is not achieved, place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow to cool for 5 more minutes. Whisk for five more minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 190Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 173mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 2g
Up Next: Pumpkin Pie Without Evaporated Milk
This did NOT work for me. it was clumps of butter in milk. Made me waste my ingredients. Thanks SO much 🙁
I was able to get it to the heavy cream stage but I was trying to get whipped cream but after mixing along time nothing I’ve made whipped cream lots of times with regular heavy cream not why it won’t work. For y’all getting clumps use warmer milk cold milk will effect the butter giving clumps
This also DID NOT WORK! I added lots of powdered sugar and still had clumps of milk. Rating:0/10 worst recipe ever!!!
I ended up with curdled butterm8lk that I am repressing for my coffee. NoT Good🙀
Shouldve read the comments before hand. Used the last of my sugar to make this recipe. Followed it exact and like the previous comment states,clumps of butter in milk. Wasted my time. Mixed for 15-20 minutes hoping this was just apart of the process.
Literally disgusting, I did everything exactly how the recipe said to and in the end it didn’t form peaks like how whip cream is supposed to, I’m not sure if that’s because it has no heavy whipping cream in it. But whenever I tasted it I literally had to spit it out, all I could taste was butter in the tiniest hint of powdered sugar. I do not recommend this recipe at all.
This us the worse recipe i have ever tried.. the butter just seperates from the milk and no matter what u do to it this mess will not thicken up. I just eventually poured it down the drain
This is quite literally just sweet whipped butter. I would only use this for toast in the morning
Waste of time and ingredients, don’t try.
Hopefully more people read the comments before they try. Clumps of butter in milk, no whipped, cream, dirty dishes, and wasted ingredients. Ugh DONT DO IT!!
Awful. Doesn’t work. Wasted ingredients. Actually F-U for even writing this.
Oh my gosh literly hot butter suger milk DO NOT TRY just spend 5 bucks on heveay wiping cream again PLEASE DO TRY WAIST OF TIME AND INGREDIENTS THIS PERSON NEEDS SOMEONE TO TELL HIM TO TAKE THIS RECIPE DOWN also i like th fact this i the first thing that pops up on Google 0/10 DONT TRY SAVES YOU EFORT TIME MOMEY AND DISHES
Worst recipe, total disaster!
I am so mad I didn’t read the comments before. Carefully followed recipe to a T. Wasted so much money on the ingredients (not to mention time). I feel like he’s trolling people with this recipe. It’s comically (except, infuriatingly) bad.
TAKE THIS DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!! Worst recipe ever! DO NOT DO I REPEAT DONOT DO THIS RECIPE!!!!!!!
This didn’t do ANYTHING for me either i even added more powdered sugar and it still didn’t work ughhhh pls read the comments before trying!
Horrible recipe. I regret not reading the comments beforehand. I just got whipped butter in milk. Then I tried to warm the milk to make the butter mix. Now I just have butter milk in a bowl. I wasted so much butter on this terrible recipe.