Chocolate whipped cream is a fun twist on classic whipped cream that is so good spooned over hot chocolate, coffee, and your favorite desserts.
One of my favorite things about making whipped cream at home instead of getting it from a spray can is that you can control everything about it, the texture, the sweetness level, and best of all, you can customize the flavor any way you want.
Not quite feeling classic vanilla whipped cream today? Add a little cocoa powder and make that whipped cream into chocolate whipped cream.
Chocolate whipped cream is such a fun (and ridiculously good) twist on classic whipped cream.
It feels decadent enough to eat with a spoon and call it dessert, but it’s especially good spooned over hot chocolate, coffee, or your favorite desserts to add a little boost of chocolate flavor.
Best of all, it’s just as easy to make at home as regular whipped cream. The process is exactly the same, you’ll just add a bit of cocoa powder to the mix to get this chocolate version.
Ingredient Notes
- Heavy cream/heavy whipping cream: Both heavy cream (30–36% milk fat) and heavy (whipping) cream (36%+ milk fat) work just fine for whipped cream, so use whichever one you have on hand. Have leftover heavy cream? Check out my post What to Do With Leftover Whipping Cream for ideas for using up the leftovers. (I recommend using it to make a cute little batch of cream scones.)
- Granulated or powdered sugar: You can use granulated or powdered sugar when making whipped cream, but I prefer to use powdered sugar because it contains cornstarch which helps stabilize the whipped cream.
- Cocoa powder: Both natural and Dutch-process cocoa powder will work for this recipe. Experiment and see which cocoa flavor you prefer (I go back and forth on which is my favorite).
A note on sugar choice: When adding sugar, keep in mind that by weight, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar is almost twice as much sugar as 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar, so whipped cream made with the same volume of granulated sugar will be much sweeter than whipped cream made with powdered sugar.
How to Make Chocolate Whipped Cream
1. If whipping the cream by hand, chill your bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes before starting. This will help your cream whip up a little faster and more easily.
2. In your chilled bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine heavy cream, vanilla, sugar, and cocoa powder. I recommend using a fine-mesh strainer to sift the cocoa powder into the bowl. You can skip the extra step if you want, but you might end up with a few cocoa powder lumps in the finished whipped cream.
3. Use a whisk, handheld electric mixer, or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer to whisk the cream until it reaches your desired consistency (soft peaks for spooning over drinks, stiff peaks for piping).
4. Serve and enjoy!
Where to Use Chocolate Whipped Cream
- Hot Chocolate
- Homemade Mocha
- The BEST Crockpot Hot Chocolate
- Chocolate Chip Waffles
- Chocolate Milkshake
- Strawberries!!
FAQ
How do you store chocolate whipped cream?
Whipped cream is best when made right before serving, but you can store the leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for 48 hours.
Can I use this as frosting/can it be piped?
You can absolutely pipe chocolate whipped cream and use it as a frosting. It pairs best with light desserts like fruit or angel food cupcakes.
I should note, while you can frost cakes with whipped cream, it’s considerably more challenging to work with than regular buttercream and not nearly as stable.
If you plan on making whipped cream to pipe, be sure to whisk it to stiff peaks so it’s able to hold its shape once piped.
Can you freeze leftover whipped cream?
You can, but I find whipped cream to be extra susceptible to freezer burn and “off” freezer flavors, so you’ll want to use it within a few weeks of freezing.
To freeze the whipped cream, pipe or spoon dollops onto a parchment paper-lined plate or baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, cut the parchment paper into squares and transfer the whipped cream (still on the parchment paper) to a freezer bag for storage.
When you’re ready to use one of the dollops, remove it from the bag and place it in a warm drink and serve immediately or give it 15 to 20 minutes to defrost and serve it over a dessert.
For more information on freezing whipped cream, check out my post, Can You Freeze Whipped Cream?
More Chocolate Desserts
- Small Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Souffles for Two With Creme Anglaise
- Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Decadent Frosted Brownies
Chocolate Whipped Cream
Ingredients
Full Batch
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup (15-30g) powdered sugar*
- 3 tablespoons (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
Single Serving
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- A couple drops vanilla extract optional
- 1 to 2 teaspoons (3-5g) powdered sugar*
- 1 teaspoon (2g) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
Instructions
- In a large bowl* or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine heavy cream, vanilla, sugar, and cocoa powder.
- Use a whisk, handheld electric mixer, or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer to whisk the cream until it reaches your desired consistency (soft peaks for spooning over drinks, stiff peaks for piping).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
Lily Flora says
made this to put on a mug cake for my little brother, twas a fan favorite!
Tracy says
So thrilled to hear it!!