French Chantilly Cream Recipe (Crème Chantilly)

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While Crème Chantilly (or Chantilly cream) sounds fancy, it is so easy to make! It is just another name for whipped cream.

You can whip up this recipe in minutes, and nothing beats its light, sweet flavor.

Chantilly cream in a glass
This super easy Crème Chantilly is easy to make from cold heavy cream!

Ingredients

pouring heavy whipping cream into a mixing bowl
Crème Chantilly is made from whipping cream, but you can also make sweetened whipped cream by adding some granulated sugar or icing sugar.

The only required ingredient to make Chantilly cream is cold heavy whipping cream.

It is essential that your heavy whipping cream be cold. The fat in the cream collapses easier when it is warmer. If you want a more technical explanation of this, read the Cook’s Illustrated article on whipped cream temperature.

Depending on where you live, you may also see heavy whipping cream sold as heavy cream, whipping cream, or double cream. These all have slightly different fat percentages, but they will all work well.

Although only cream is required, I also like to sweeten things up with the addition of granulated sugar and a touch of vanilla extract. Some people insist that powered sugar or superfine sugar work better, but I haven’t found that to be the case.

How To Make Chantilly Cream

The easiest way to make this recipe is with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Pour cold heavy whipping cream into your mixing bowl and whisk it at high speed. As you whisk, you’ll notice that the cream will begin to get bubbly and then thicken.

Chantilly cream starting to get bubbly
Crème Chantilly is made easiest with a stand mixer. Otherwise you’ll be hand mixing for a long time!

Keep on whisking until soft peaks form, or until the mixture is thick enough that it doesn’t collapse when you lift up the whisk or place some on a spoon.

Thickened Chantilly cream
Chantilly cream is deceptively easy to make as long as you keep a close eye on it and don’t over-mix!

After this happens, add the sugar and vanilla and give the cream one final short whisk.

Adding vanilla to Chantilly cream
Adding vanilla gives your Chantilly whipped cream a touch of extra sweetness and warm vanilla flavor.

Warning: You can overmix this recipe! If you mix too much, you’ll find that it goes from a fluffy cloud back to more of a liquid. To correct overmixed whipped cream, gently whisk in some more cold cream until the proper consistency returns.

To make Crème Chantilly without an electric mixer:

  • Whisk by hand – Get ready for a good workout. You’ll be whisking for around five minutes straight. This beats going to the gym. You’ll want to make sure that your bowl is ice cold, too.
  • Use a blender or immersion blender – Be careful not to overmix with this method. The cream will whip very quickly.

Expert Tips and FAQs

Serving Ideas

Chantilly cream on a cupcake
This Crème Chantilly can easily be used as a Chantilly frosting for cakes and cupcakes, but it’s a delicious topping for just about any dessert!

Chantilly cream is the perfect topping for cupcakes, pies, cakes, ice cream, and fresh fruit! It’s used to decorate pavlova as well as classic British fairy cakes alongside a dollop of jam.

It’s also wonderful as a cupcake filling – use it in a chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate ganache to make copycat Hostess cupcakes.

It’s really fantastic when served with sautéed peaches or my cherry cobbler cupcakes

Use a disher (ice cream scoop) to plop a pile of it onto your dessert, or place it into a piping bag to create beautiful patterns with it.

FAQs

Chantilly Cream
How long can you keep Chantilly cream?

Store it in a sealed container in your refrigerator for up to one week. You may notice that it starts to liquify after a few days. If this happens, simply re-whip it for thirty seconds or so to bring it back to life.

I whisked the cream but it never came together. What am I doing wrong?

Make sure the heavy whipping cream is cold. This is essential for the recipe to work.

If you are trying to whisk by hand, use a metal bowl and chill it in the refrigerator before whisking.

Making this Crème Chantilly takes a few minutes, so keep whisking until the cream is the desired consistency.

What can do I if my Chantilly cream came together and then fell apart again?

That’s a good indication that you’ve overmixed the Crème Chantilly. To fix overmixed whipped cream, gently whisk in some more cold cream until the proper consistency returns.

How do you thicken Chantilly cream?

Cornstarch is a good way to produce thickened and stabilized whipped cream.

Why is it called Chantilly cream?

This name comes from the Castle of Chantilly, a castle in the north of France where this whipped topping was supposedly first invented!

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!
Chantilly cream in a glass
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4.34 from 15 votes

Chantilly Cream

Find out how to make perfect Crème Chantilly in minutes! The result is a French whipped cream that's wonderfully light and creamy, perfect for topping cupcakes or cakes.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, British, French
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 145kcal
Author Stefani

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream cold
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the cold heavy whipping cream on high speed. As you whisk, you’ll notice that the cream will begin to get bubbly and then thicken.
  • Keep on whisking until it is thick enough that it doesn’t collapse when you lift up the whisk or place some on a spoon. 
  • After this happens, add the sugar and vanilla and give the chantilly cream one final short whisk.
  • Spread or pipe onto desserts or fresh fruit.

Notes

This recipe yields about four cupcakes of whipped cream (enough to to cover 12 cupcakes with nice sized swirls).
  • Make sure the heavy whipping cream is cold.
  • If you are trying to whisk Chantilly cream by hand, use a metal bowl and chill it in the refrigerator before whisking.
  • Making Chantilly cream takes a few minutes, so keep whisking until the cream is the desired consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 29mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 585IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 26mg
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