How to Make Whipped Cream in a Food Processor

Whipped cream is always a treat and it is not difficult to make, though it takes a little bit of arm strength if you want to do it by hand instead of using a canister. One easy way to make whipped cream is in the food processor. This method takes no more than a minute or so and you can make both large and small batches with ease. The whipped cream is thick, creamy and – unlike whipping cream by hand or with a hand mixer – there will be no splashes to clean up when you’re done.

First, pour in your cream. Pulse the cream 6 to 8 times until it begins to aerate. Once it stops splashing the sides of your food processor and begins to thicken, pulse the cream for 20-30 seconds, until it is thick and fluffy. Do not walk away of you’ll end up with butter, not whipped cream. In the pictures illustrated here, I used 1 cup of cream. You can use more or less and the processing time will be about the same.

Next, add in a bit of confectioners’ sugar or vanilla extract, if you’re using any. You could add a few tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar for every cup of whipped cream, and about a half teaspoon of vanilla. Pulse everything together until the sugar is well-incorporated and the whipped cream is as fluffy as you want.

The whipped cream can be served immediately or incorporated into a mousse, ice cream base or other dessert. If you are not going to serve it right away, the whipped cream can be stored in the refrigerator for at least a few hours before serving.