This easy Homemade Chocolate Whipped Cream recipe is silky smooth with a rich chocolatey flavor, and you only need 4 simple ingredients to make it! Ready in just 10 minutes, it's the perfect finishing touch for almost any dessert or it can be enjoyed all on its own with some fresh fruit for dipping!
Check out my Oreo Frosting, this Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, or my German Chocolate Cake Frosting for more dessert topping ideas!
Table of Contents
I've already shared with you how to make classic homemade whipped cream, but this easy chocolate whipped cream recipe will take simple desserts to the next level.
Use chocolate whipped cream to garnish the tops of cheesecakes, fresh fruit pots, pancakes, ice cream, cakes, or other desserts! I use it whenever we make Mississippi Mud Pie.
This simple recipe only takes 10 minutes to whip up, so you can have fresh chocolate whipped cream any time you like!
Try this chocolate whipped cream frosting recipe would be so delicious with my White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, this Chocolate Oreo Pie, or even on my Old Fashioned Banna Cream Pie!
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Heavy Whipping Cream - This makes the base of the whipped cream. Use full-fat heavy whipping cream for the best flavor and creamiest texture.
- Granulated Sugar - Use granulated white sugar to sweeten the whipped cream. I typically use powdered sugar when making chantilly cream but find it leaves more of a greasy film in chocolate whipped cream that you don't get with granulated sugar.
- Cocoa Powder - To make this whipped cream chocolatey! Use unsweetened natural cocoa powder or dutch processed cocoa powder for a more intense flavor.
- Vanilla Extract - Adds a subtle warmth that blends well with the chocolate flavor.
How to Make Chocolate Whipped Cream
- Combine ingredients. Combine heavy cream, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl.
- Beat together. Beat on medium-low speed with an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until combined, then gradually increase the speed to high.
- Form soft peaks. Beat on high speed just until soft peaks form for a creamier, softer whipped cream or until stiff peaks form for a more stable, pipeable whipped cream that is better for frosting cakes and cupcakes. Be careful not to overbeat the whipped cream. It should be thick and fluffy but not curdling and turning into butter.
- Serve. Enjoy immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours in an airtight container. Note that it may lose some of its volume the longer it sits.
3 Tips for Avoiding a Mess When Making Whipped Cream
First: Use a bowl that is quite large. A small bowl basically guarantees splatter all over your kitchen.
Second: Start your electric mixer at medium speed and increase the speed gradually. The cream will splatter less as it makes stiffer peaks.
Lastly: Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel for the first minute - you will have to be really careful to not let the towel get pulled into the bowl, but it will catch all stray cream that tends to splatter out!
Recipe FAQ's
If you accidentally whip the cream so that it's curdled-looking, you can usually salvage it by adding 1-2 tablespoons of additional heavy cream with a spatula or on low speed with your mixer to loosen everything up a bit.
Yes, it can! This recipe makes 3 cups of whipped cream, which is the same as an 8-ounce container of Cool Whip. Use them interchangeably in any recipe that calls for Cool Whip, except, of course, this version is chocolate.
Yes, this chocolate whipped cream is sturdy enough to frost the outside of a cake or decorate the top, but it doesn't hold up quite as well between cake layers so I would only recommend a 2-layer cake or sheet cake.
Chocolate whipped cream will last for about three days in the fridge, although it really is best when made fresh on the day you plan to serve it. Keep it covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container with a lid for freshness.
Tips for Success
- Use cold heavy cream for this recipe. Cold cream will work better to form stiff peaks than cream at room temperature.
- If you're making this whipped cream in the summer and it's warm in your house, put your bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10-15 minutes and pull them out just before making your whipped cream. Trust me, it will help a lot!
- Beating the whipped cream just barely past the stiff peaks stage is the best way to make it hold up when piped onto the tops of cakes and pies and not melt into a puddle. Remember to add whipped cream to fully cooled (or even better, chilled) desserts.
- While I use confectioners' sugar in my Classic Whipped Cream, we use granulated sugar here. When I did my tests for this recipe, there was less of a film on my mouth from using granulated sugar than powdered sugar. I figure it must be something to do with the way the cocoa powder affects the whipped cream binding with the fat.
How do I use Chocolate Whipped Cream?
You can use chocolate whipped cream in the same way you would normal whipped cream to give your desserts a chocolatey twist!
It won't be thick enough to hold up inside layer cakes, but it is delicious served on the side or used to decorate the top. I would recommend using a piping bag with a large piping tip for adding whipped cream to the top of cakes and pies. It really elevates the look and is so easy to do.
Add it to the top of hot chocolate for a deluxe hot chocolate experience, or use it to take desserts to the next level like Coconut Cream Pie, my Easy Oreo Milkshake, or this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie!
Substitutions and Variations
- Cocoa Powder. Substitute regular unsweetened cocoa powder with a dutch process cocoa powder for a more intense chocolatey flavor.
- Dairy-Free. You can actually whip cold, full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free option. It won't taste quite the same, but it will make the same silky texture as using normal milk.
- Add other flavors. Add additional flavoring to your whipped cream. Instead of using vanilla extract, you can use any extract you like, such as coconut, almond, or mint. Start with just ¼ teaspoon of each and add a bit more to taste.
- Chocolate Berry whipped cream. Blitz 1 cup of freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries in a food processor (affiliate link) until they are a fine powder. Add them to the powdered sugar before beating the cream.
- Add some spices. Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin spice for using this whipped cream during the holidays!
- Chocolate peanut butter whipped cream. Add 2-3 tablespoons of peanut butter to the cream before beating.
More Frosting Recipes
- The Best Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cookies & Cream Oreo Frosting
- Fresh Strawberry Frosting
- Festive Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
- Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Frostings
Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe
Sweets & Treats
Vanilla Pastry Cream (aka Creme Patisserie)
Frostings
Homemade Chocolate Frosting
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Chocolate Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder or dutch processed cocoa powder (for a more intense flavor)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine heavy cream, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
- Beat on medium-low speed with a hand mixer or with the attachment for a stand mixer until combined, then gradually increase the speed to high.
- Beat on high speed just until soft peaks form for a creamier, softer whipped cream or until stiff peaks form for a more stable, pipeable whipped cream that is better for frosting cakes and cupcakes. Be careful not to overbeat the whipped cream. It should be thick and fluffy but not curdling and turning into butter.
- Enjoy immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours in an airtight container. Note that it may lose some of its volume the longer it sits.
Notes
- Yield: Makes about 3 cups of whipped cream, about 8oz.
- Troubleshooting: If you go too far and overbeat the cream, try drizzling in a tablespoon or two of additional cream at a time and mixing gently to incorporate to save it.
- Storage: Chocolate whipped cream will last for about three days in the fridge, although it really is best when made fresh on the day you plan to serve it. Keep it covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container with a lid for freshness.
I’ve made it 3 times. No my husband wants more! Can we just eat it like pudding?
Oh good! Yes! Eat by the spoonful 😉