Peppermint Whipped Cream

It’s that time of year when I’m ready to end my evenings with a cozy cup of hot chocolate and this peppermint whipped cream is the perfect topping.

straight on shot of white hot chocolate topped with whipped cream with candy cane


 

Why You’ll Love Homemade Peppermint Whipped Cream

The next time you want a pretty, pepperminty topping for your hot cocoa, ice cream, or other desserts, try this holiday-flavored whipped cream.

  • Festive – Who doesn’t love beautiful swirls of red throughout bright white whipped cream on top of their holiday desserts? The peppermint flavor helps usher in the holiday spirit, too.  Serve on top of Grinch hot chocolate or white hot chocolate.
  • Convenient – You might have all of the ingredients in your kitchen already. And if you don’t already have peppermint extract this might be the perfect opportunity to get it for future festive recipes.
  • Easy to store – This whipped cream stores well in the refrigerator or freezer so it’s easy to make and use whenever you want!
overhead shot of peppermint whipped cream

Ingredients

With just a handful of ingredients, this peppermint whipped cream recipe is quick and easy!

  • Heavy cream – Whipped cream relies on the fat in heavy whipping cream to be the right consistency so be sure to use it instead of a lower fat version.
  • Powdered sugar – Using confectioners’ sugar instead of granulated sugar gives the whipped cream its sikiness.
  • Vanilla extract – Make your own vanilla extract at home or use pure vanilla extract from the grocery store.
  • Peppermint extract – If you don’t already have this ingredient you can easily find it at the supermarket or online.
  • Gel red food coloring – This gives the whipped cream its festive color. Using gel instead of liquid will help it to not spread too much when folded in, allowing you to create swirls of color.
angled shot of glass of peppermint whipped cream

Variations

There are plenty of ways you can make this peppermint whipped cream your own. Check out the ideas below, or share your own in the comments!

  • Extracts – Replace some or all of the vanilla extract with another flavor of your choice — almond will work well. Also, if there’s not enough peppermint flavor, you can add more of the peppermint extract.
  • Chocolate chips – Gently fold in some miniature chocolate chips to your peppermint whipped cream to add some sweet flavor and texture. 
  • More peppermint – Place peppermint candies or a peppermint candy cane in a sealed bag and crush them using a rolling pin or meat mallet. Then mix them into the whipped cream.
  • Other colors – Candy canes come in all colors — experiment with green or even a mix of colors, just be careful not to overmix so that they swirl rather than combine. You can also use pink food coloring to adapt it for holidays like Valentine’s Day or for a baby shower.
angled shot of glass of pink whipped cream

How To Make Peppermint Whipped Cream

There are only a few steps to make peppermint whipped cream so it comes together quickly and the clean-up is a cinch.

  1. Add cream to mixer bowl. Pour the heavy cream into the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. You can also use a hand mixer with a whisk attachment. 
  2. Whip the cream. Whip the cream on high speed until it becomes thick.
  3. Add extracts. Lower the mixer to medium-high speed while adding the extracts. 
  4. Add powdered sugar. Then, while still mixing, slowly add the powdered sugar.
  5. Whip on high speed. Turn the speed back to high and continue to beat the mixture. After a few minutes it should begin to form soft peaks — continue beating until it it makes stiff peaks.
  6. Color half. Remove a small amount of the whipped cream and place it in a separate bowl. Add the food coloring to the whipped cream in the separate bowl and mix until it is fully combined and streak-free.
  7. Swirl two halves together. Remove the uncolored whipped cream from the mixing bowl to a serving bowl. Gently fold in the colored whipped cream so that it swirls. If you prefer for the whipped cream to be uniformly red you can mix it all together.

Storage and Freezing

Since homemade whipped cream lasts for several days, it’s easy to make ahead of time to use when you need it. 

How to Make Peppermint Whipped Cream

You can store the peppermint whipped cream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Can I Freeze Whipped Cream?

First, use an ice cream scoop and place the scoops of whipped cream on a baking sheet and freeze them until hard. Then, store them in individual ziploc bags in the freezer.

angled shot of bowl of peppermint whipped cream

More Delicious Toppings

Whether using to top hot drinks or even Christmas desserts, these are some of our favorite festive toppers.

white hot chocolate topped with peppermint whipped cream with text overlay
straight on shot of white hot chocolate topped with whipped cream with candy cane

Peppermint Whipped Cream

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Perfect for topping hot chocolate or your favorite winter dessert, this EASY Peppermint Whipped Cream is only four ingredients!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until it starts to thicken, approximately 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the powdered sugar and extracts, beating until stiff.
  • Spoon out ½ cup of the whipped cream, add 2-3 drops of gel food coloring, stirring until no streaks remain.
  • Transfer the whipped to a serving bowl and fold in the red food coloring, just stirring 2-3 times to get a swirl effect. If you stir it all in, it will be all red, but still peppermint!

Nutrition

Calories: 117 kcal, Carbohydrates: 5 g, Protein: 1 g, Fat: 11 g, Saturated Fat: 7 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 34 mg, Sodium: 8 mg, Potassium: 29 mg, Sugar: 5 g, Vitamin A: 437 IU, Vitamin C: 0.2 mg, Calcium: 20 mg, Iron: 0.03 mg
Calories: 117
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: peppermint whipped cream
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
collage of peppermint whipped cream
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

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