Okay, so honey sweetened whipped cream. Same old whipped cream, except honey takes the place of the powdered sugar. Cream, honey, vanilla if you’ve got it. Four minutes, give or take, with a hand mixer. And the flavor? Softer than the sugar kind. Kind of floral. With a dark honey it leans almost caramel.
Catch is, honey’s heavy. Wet, too. Pour it in at the very beginning and the cream just sort of sulks and won’t puff up. Wait for the right moment though (step 3 below) and you get the same tall, fluffy peaks as always.
What You Need
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, very cold. Look for 36% fat or more. “Whipping cream” at around 30% works but holds its shape for less time (30 to 36% butterfat is the range that whips).
- 2 tablespoons runny honey. Sweet tooth? Go to 3. If yours has gone solid and sugary, stand the jar in hot water for a bit, then let it cool right down, because warm honey and cold cream don’t get along.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Optional, but it’s what turns this into honey vanilla whipped cream, and I almost always add it.
- Pinch of salt. Weird, I know. Trust me on it.
You’ll end up with about 2 cups. One pie’s worth, or eight mugs of cocoa.
How to Make It
- Chill the bowl. Ten to fifteen minutes in the freezer, beaters too. On a hot day this is the difference between whipped cream and soup.
- Cream goes in first, by itself. Medium speed. In a minute and a half or so you’ll see trails behind the beaters. Lift them out: the peak should slump over like a sleepy dog. That’s soft peaks.
- Now drizzle in the honey. Keep the mixer running and pour it in a thin stream, along with the vanilla and salt. Doing it here, at soft peaks, is the whole trick.
- Ease off at the end. Maybe 30 seconds more, maybe a minute. Peaks standing up, still shiny? Done. Grainy? Stop now, you’re halfway to butter.
RECIPE
Honey Sweetened Whipped Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 to 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Optional Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Whisk attachment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Airtight storage container (optional)
Method
- Step 1:Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator or freezer for 15 to 20 minutes before starting. Cold equipment helps the cream whip faster and creates a more stable texture.1 cup cold heavy whipping cream, 2 to 3 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, Optional Ingredients, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, Pinch of nutmeg, 1 teaspoon cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Step 2:
- Pour the cold heavy whipping cream into the chilled mixing bowl.
- Step 3:
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the cream on medium speed until soft peaks begin to form.
- Step 4:
- Slowly drizzle the honey into the cream while continuing to mix. Adding honey gradually helps maintain volume and ensures even sweetness throughout the whipped cream.
- Step 5:
- Add the vanilla extract and continue mixing. This step enhances the flavor and creates a delicious honey vanilla whipped cream variation.
- Step 6:
- Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. The whipped cream should hold its shape when the whisk is lifted.
- Step 7:
- Serve immediately over desserts, fresh fruit, pancakes, waffles, coffee drinks, or hot chocolate.
- Step 8:
- Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 days.
Nutrition
Notes
- Always use very cold heavy cream for the best results.
- Do not overwhip the cream, or it may begin turning into butter.
- Different honey varieties will produce different flavor profiles.
- Clover honey and wildflower honey are excellent choices for this recipe.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Which Honey Tastes Best?
Every single-flower honey tastes a little different, and you’ll notice it in cream. A quick guide:
| Honey | How it tastes in cream | Great on |
|---|---|---|
| Clover | Mild, classic, barely there | Anything; the safe pick |
| Orange blossom | Light and citrusy | Berries, lemon cake |
| Wildflower | Fuller, a bit floral | Peach cobbler, scones |
| Buckwheat | Dark, malty, strong | Pumpkin pie, gingerbread |
Want it even deeper? Cook the honey until it smells toasty first. That’s my burnt honey whipped cream, and it’s ridiculous on apple pie.
If Something Went Wrong
- It won’t thicken. Warm cream? Thin cream? Honey too early? It’s nearly always one of those. Fridge the bowl, wait a quarter hour, try again.
- Grainy, slightly yellow. Yep, over-whipped. Don’t toss it! A couple spoonfuls of cold cream, folded in by hand, and it mostly comes back.
- It weeps after an hour. Normal for honey cream. Beat in 2 tablespoons of mascarpone or softened cream cheese next time and it’ll hold for a day.
Ways to Use It
Pancakes. Waffles. French toast on a lazy Sunday. A big spoonful over sliced strawberries (or go fancy with my strawberries with honey rosemary whipped cream). Float it on a honey latte or hot cocoa. It’s also lovely folded into Greek yogurt for a quick dessert.
Dairy-free? Use chilled coconut cream instead, here’s my coconut milk whipped cream with honey.
Storing It
Fridge, lid on, and eat it by tomorrow. Looks a bit flat when you take it out? Ten seconds with a whisk fixes that. Leftovers I like to freeze in blobs on parchment, then toss in a bag. Frozen blob, straight into hot cocoa. So good.
FAQs
Can I use honey instead of sugar in whipped cream?
Totally. Roughly 2 tablespoons per cup of cream works, just hold it back until you hit soft peaks.
Is it healthier than regular whipped cream?
Honestly? Not by much. Honey’s sugar too. Make it because you love the taste, that’s reason enough.
Can I make it with a whisk?
You can! Cold metal bowl, big balloon whisk, 6 to 8 minutes. Your arm will complain. Swap hands.
Can babies have it?
No honey for babies under 12 months, even in cream. The NHS explains why: honey can carry the bacteria behind infant botulism.
