Flavored Whipped Creams To Spruce Up Any Dessert
If you want to wow your guests at a holiday event or dinner party, you don't have to make a complicated dessert. Every good chef knows that elevating a classic recipe with a simple flavor twist is the key to creating an unforgettable yet simple treat. For example, you could upgrade a vanilla cake by giving it a bit of tang with a strawberry jam filling. And adding a little salt to your hot chocolate will make it taste wonderfully rich. But the surefire and fastest way to level up any dessert is to top it with flavored whipped cream.
Flavor whipped cream isn't only easy to make (you just have to add in an extra ingredient or two to the usual heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract as you would from a typical homemade whipped recipe). It can add a creamy, delicious taste to the simplest desserts. But while we aren't exaggerating when we say you can, quite frankly, add just about any flavor to your whipped cream, some flavor whipped cream options simply stand above the rest for their taste and versatility. After accounting for flavor profile, uniqueness, and how many recipes their particular brand of deliciousness can improve, we've compiled a list of the best flavored whipped creams (plus explain how you can make them and if you can buy them) to give your desserts a taste makeover.
Marshmallow whipped cream
While the difference between the flavor profiles of marshmallow and vanilla may seem subtle, the intense sugary taste of a thick marshmallow whipped cream will emphasize the sweet flavor of your favorite baked goods. Try this marshmallow-flavored topping on treats that typically call for the vanilla version, like strawberry shortcake and banana pudding, for an extra sweet and light dessert. However, marshmallow whipped cream isn't limited to just leveling up your usual vanilla-whipped cream-topped desserts.
You can also use this whipped cream to emphasize the flavor of treats that feature marshmallows as their main ingredient. Marshmallow whipped cream is the perfect topping for s'mores bars and cookies, sweet potato casserole, and ambrosia salad. Of course, in sticking to the whole s'mores concept, you can also use this flavored whipped cream to compliment chocolate desserts. After topping off a chocolate cake or a tray of chocolate brownies with this fluffy finisher, you could sprinkle some graham crackers on top of your dessert to add a texture and flavor everyone will love.
Target does offer a pre-made marshmallow whipped cream. However, to make this topping at home, you only need to combine marshmallow fluff with your usual homemade whipped cream ingredients.
Brown sugar
Brown sugar is a flavor known for darkly sweetening some of our favorite dishes, and by adding its distinct taste to a fluffy whipped cream, you can give any treat a light yet hazelnut-esque taste. This topping works best when paired with desserts with a caramel flavor. However, while it's the perfect alternative to regular whipped cream on pumpkin pies or apple cobblers, you can also use it to bring out the flavor of cinnamon treats you may not usually pair with a whipped topping.
Adding brown sugar whipped cream to a batch of warm cinnamon rolls will give the breakfast favorite an extra creamy texture boost while complimenting its cinnamon flavor. You can also make simplistic but delicious gingerbread cookies by decorating the holiday classic with this sugary topping. And, of course, all of the ingredients in oatmeal cookies (particularly their raisins and cinnamon) would pair wonderfully with a wallop of this airy dessert's brown sugar flavor.
Currently, no vendors sell brown sugar whipped cream on a permanent or seasonal basis. But just add your choice of either light or dark brown sugar (depending on your preference and the flavor you want your dessert to have) to your bowl of homemade whipped cream to create a next-level dessert topping.
Maple
Maple is another caramelized flavor with a nut-tinge that will add delicious depth to your usual vanilla whipped cream. For bakers who value convenience, Target does offer a maple vanilla-flavored canned whipped cream during the fall. However, if you want to be in control of just how intensely maple-flavored your whipped cream is, we suggest making it at home with your desired amount of maple syrup. Then, you can make either a lightly maple-tinged vanilla whipped cream or a whipped cream that is 100% powered by that signature dark maple taste.
No matter the level of maple in your topping, the flavor's nuttiness will be the perfect complement to cinnamon and caramel desserts. Of course, pancakes doused with maple-flavored whipped cream are also a must. But this vanilla and maple team can even give sugar cookies a sweet yet nutty taste and grant an otherwise simple cheesecake a layer of toffee flavor.
However, it is important to note that if you make your own maple whipped cream, the type of maple syrup you use in your recipe will affect the taste. Dark maple syrup is more intensely maple-flavored than the lighter variety. Depending on which you buy, a little can go a long way.
Pumpkin spice
Pumpkin spice doesn't just belong in your frappes. It was also meant to bring a burst of fall flavor to your whipped cream. Composed of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, pumpkin spice whipped cream is a multi-dimensional topping that will make any pumpkin dessert taste like a spice-infused pumpkin pie.
You can serve slices of pumpkin roll with this autumnal whipped cream to give the dessert some spiced flair. It's also the perfect tool for finishing pumpkin pancakes or bread. And need we even mention pumpkin pie? Of course, you can also pair pumpkin spice whipped cream's fall taste with apple, cinnamon, nut, and sweet potato flavors. Its earthy nutmeg and punchy allspice will bring out these sweater weather-worthy desserts' dark, earthy flavors.
During the fall season, you can buy pumpkin spice whipped cream at retailers like Target and Shoprite. However, you can also make it at home with a bottle of pumpkin pie spice and a little sugar to sweeten the topping.
Salted caramel
Caramel on its own is a deep, toasted flavor that's a treat for the taste buds, but when it's paired with salt, its dark taste sings. And if you throw caramel sauce and a pinch of salt into your heavy cream, you'll be left with an irresistible dessert topping. Caramel whipped cream is full of salty-sweet flavor and has an interesting, almost chewy texture thanks to using sauce as one of its main ingredients.
You'll be pleased to hear that salted caramel whipped cream pairs well with most sweet desserts. The flavor is, however, particularly good for chocolate and caramel-flavored baked goods. The salt and caramel taste of this topping will bring out the chocolate flavor of cocoa-heavy treats like devil's food cake and chocolate pudding pie. Salted caramel whipped cream can also ensure these chocolate-on-chocolate sweets don't suffer from a one-note flavor. Nutty, hazelnut-flavored baked goods like coffee cake, toffee, and flan are also exceptional taste partners for this darker-flavored topping.
If you want to up the nutty flavor of the caramel and bring the salt's taste to the forefront, we also recommend adding chopped walnuts to your flavored whipped cream. This will add even more texture to your topping while making every dessert taste like an ice cream sundae.
Peppermint
Another seasonal favorite, peppermint whipped cream, will make your holiday dishes taste fresh and look festive. You can buy peppermint whipped cream at Target and ACME during the holiday season or whip this seasonal topping up at home with some sugar and peppermint extract. Of course, you can (and should) add red food coloring to the mix to get your whipped cream that signature red holiday color. And you can also throw in bits of candy cane for some extra texture.
Like regular peppermint, peppermint whipped cream is best paired with peppermint and chocolate desserts. It's perfect for adding mint flavor to your holiday hot cocoa and will serve as a festive way to cut the intense chocolate taste of a chocolate Yule log or fudge. And although you may not usually think to top peppermint bark with whipped cream, it can add a creamy dimension to the traditional crunchy holiday snack.
As with most whipped cream flavors, if you're making peppermint whipped cream at home, know that the more peppermint extract you add, the more intensely minty your whipped cream will be. Also, a little pro tip: if you want to add more flavor dimension to this whipped cream option, add a bit of cocoa powder to create a mocha peppermint topping.
Coffee
Coffee whipped cream is a must for fans of Starbucks' famously sugary Frappuccinos and those who consider themselves black drip coffee enthusiasts. How is that possible? Because you have the power to make this delicious dessert topping as sweet as you want. While instant coffee is the key ingredient, you can add a little (or a lot) of powdered sugar to your heavy cream to break the intense coffee taste or keep your whipped cream full of unaltered bold black coffee flavor.
Regardless of your preference, the taste of light or dark coffee whipped cream will add an extra creamy dimension to classic coffee desserts like tiramisu and coffee cake. But in the same way that coffee is the perfect chaser for various sweets, coffee whipped cream is an ideal topping for plenty of non-coffee bean-infused baked goods. This topping's dark flavor can bring out the sweetness of chocolate desserts, the nutty undertones of caramel baked goods, and the creamy taste of light treats like cheesecake.
Chocolate
Chocolate whipped cream is the answer to every chocoholic's prayers. However, the strength of chocolate whipped cream doesn't lie in its intense chocolate taste but in its airy, subtle cocoa flavor. The gentle chocolate taste of this whipped cream makes it the perfect flavor companion to chocolate cakes and puddings. However, it also adds a great, not overwhelming, chocolate taste to vanilla, caramel, and peanut butter-flavored desserts.
You can buy canned chocolate whipped cream at Safeway and ACME. But suppose you opt to make this topping at home by adding cocoa powder and sugar to your usual whipped cream ingredients. In that case, you can go more intense on the chocolate flavor if your heart desires by upping the cocoa powder. Plus, you can add complimentary flavors to your chocolate whipped cream to make the topping pop. Choose orange juice if you're looking for a bright pop of flavor, cherries for a slightly darker taste, honey for a sweeter topping experience, or pecan slivers for a nuttier flavor profile.
Lemon
We've talked a lot about whipped cream flavors that will spruce up your favorite sweet desserts, but now, let's look at a type of whipped cream that will dress your more fruity treats to the nines. Composed of powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, despite lemon's sour reputation, lemon whipped cream tastes sweet. However, this topping also offers a citrus tang that makes it perfect for any fruit-filled recipe.
Add lemon whipped cream to your strawberry shortcake to give the traditionally sweet treat a lemony kick. This whipped cream's citrus flavor can also compliment the strong lime taste of lemon meringue pie, turn ambrosia salad into an exciting new flavor experience, and give creamy banana pudding a delicious bite.
While it does its best work with fruit-filled treats, lemon whipped cream will also add a delicious something-something to vanilla desserts. Top madeleines and rice pudding with this topping to create a delightful taste contrast. And for an even more pleasing visual presentation, add yellow food coloring to make your lemon whipped cream look as bright as it tastes.
Matcha
Matcha cake, matcha lattes, matcha cookies — these days, matcha is all the dessert rage, which is only fitting, considering the tea's uniquely earthy taste. A trait that makes matcha powder and sugar the perfect mix-ins to create an unforgettable whipped cream topping.
Matcha whipped cream is visually stunning thanks to its dark green look and has an unmistakable and unusual flavor that will impress your guests. As for what goes best with matcha, think of a matcha latte: earthy and creamy flavors are key.
Matcha whipped cream is perfect for lightly sweet desserts like vanilla and honey cakes. It also pairs aesthetically and flavor-wise with pistachio treats like pistachio cake, shortbread, and cheesecake. And if you're a real Japanese snack connoisseur, you'll also know black sesame baked goods (which have a nut-like taste) and matcha are a heavenly flavor pairing. If you weren't in the know, since you're already trying new things, we recommend giving baking a black sesame cake recipe a go and then topping it off with earthy matcha whipped cream for a new flavor experience.
Bourbon
If you're hoping to surprise your guests with a whipped cream that's as fun as it is delicious, adding some bourbon and sugar to your topping will do just the trick. This topping combines the dark twinge of alcohol with the sweet vanilla of whipped cream to create a multi-toned flavor perfect for rich desserts.
Bourbon whipped cream will bring out the alcohol undertones of whiskey-based treats like bourbon pecan pie and bourbon butter cake. However, it will also serve as a unique flavor pairing that will emphasize the lavish taste of chocolate and caramel baked goods. But that's not all. Due to its smoky undertone, this spiked whipped topping can perfectly complement nutty desserts like pralines and chocolate almond bars. Most surprisingly, however, bourbon whipped cream is also a great flavor to add to dark fruit-flavored favorites. The darkly vanilla taste of this alcohol-infused whipped cream perfectly complements cherry cobblers, peach crumbles, and plum jam cookies.
Which brings us to this warning. Reader beware: unlike most bourbon desserts, bourbon whipped cream isn't cooked, so it does contain poignant alcohol. However, you can get the same flavor by using bourbon extract rather than actual whiskey.
Peanut butter
Peanut butter goes with everything, and so does peanut butter whipped cream. An airy topping with a lot of nutty flavor power, you can make this treat with a little bit of this pantry staple, a little bit of sugar, and a lot of heavy cream. The benefit of peanut butter whipped cream is that similar to chocolate whipped cream, it provides a lot of flavor without being overwhelmingly nutty. And thanks to all of its taste pairing possibilities, we dare call peanut butter whipped cream a wonder topping.
Whether cake, brownies, or cookies, peanut butter whipped cream is perfect for jazzing up chocolate desserts. However, it's also a great add-on for fruiter baked goods like a strawberry crisp and (if you want to body Elvis Presley) a banana pie. Surprisingly, peanut butter's creamy nuttiness will also bring new life to the sweet flavor of sweet potato dishes. Add fluffy peanut butter whipped cream to sweet potato casserole, sweet potato pie, and sweet potato cake to bring out the root vegetable's signature earthy flavor.
Lavender-honey
Incorporating edible flowers into your baking always makes dessert time more enchanting. But while lavender alone has an interesting floral taste, combining the flower's extract with sweet honey will make for a fanciful and flavorful whipped cream your guests likely haven't experienced before.
While it's far from the usual choice for flavored whipped cream, surprisingly, this topping can complement a large array of desserts. This whipped cream's sugary flavor is the perfect way to add something special to vanilla-flavored baked goods. This dessert topping is also well-suited for nutty baked goods, particularly almond treats like tortes and bars. However, it truly shines when it's paired with citrus treats. Lemon cakes, orange upside-down cakes, and grapefruit cookies' more sour taste can be balanced out by the sweetness of lavender-honey whipped cream.
No matter what dessert you choose to dress it with, if you want your whipped cream to be as beautifully purple as a lavender flower, we suggest adding purple food dye to your whipped cream for that extra wow factor. And sprinkling lavender petals on top of your honey-lavender whipped cream will add the perfect finishing touch to any dessert.