Cranberry Whipped Cream is a lovely sweet tart dessert topping made with fresh cranberries and sweet cream ~ it’s thick, stable, pipe-able, pretty in pink, and just delicious!
I invented this pretty topping for my Cranberry Crumble Tart, but quickly realized it has so many uses beyond that, so I’m giving it a post of its own.
What you’ll need to make cranberry whipped cream
- cranberries, fresh or frozen
- confectioner’s sugar
- heavy whipping cream
- vanilla extract
How do you make cranberry whipped cream?
The concept is simple, you’ll make a small amount of extra smooth cranberry puree and whip it up with heavy cream. Add sugar to counter the natural tartness of the berries.
- Make cranberry puree: cook down cranberries in a pot until they break down and thicken.
- Blend the cooked cranberries until smooth.
- Chill the puree.
- Add a few tablespoons of the cold puree to heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip until soft peaks form.
- Be extra careful not to over-whip your cream. Too much whipping will make the texture grainy.
- Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Cranberry whipped cream is thick, stable, and pipe-able, making it perfect for holiday desserts.
For a supremely smooth cranberry puree
You can make a puree from cooked cranberries in a high speed blender like a Vitamix for the smoothest result, but a small food processor or even immersion blender will work. You can strain it afterwards if you like. The extra puree can be swirled into yogurt, oatmeal, and even cocktails!
To make ahead during the busy holidays
- Make the puree up to a week ahead.
- You can make the cranberry whipped cream the morning before you want to use it. Keep tightly covered in the fridge.
How to use cranberry whipped cream
Oh my gosh there are so many fun ways to use this whipped cream, let’s get started…
- Tart cranberries go really well with chocolate…so dollop it on a rich and decadent Chocolate Trufle Tart or Flourless Chocolate Cake. The pink looks so nice against the rich chocolate brown.
- Spoon it alongside a classic pound cake.
- Create a no bake icebox pie ~ just pile it into a chocolate wafer crust.
- Instead of plain whipped cream, add some to your favorite hot chocolate.
- Use it to top your favorite Thanksgiving dessert…there’s no reason it can’t go on pumpkin, pecan or cranberry pie.
Cranberry Whipped Cream
Cranberry Whipped Cream is a lovely sweet tart dessert topping made with fresh cranberries and sweet cream ~ it's thick, stable, pipe-able, pretty in pink, and just delicious!
Servings: 2 cups
Equipment
- electric beaters
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tbsp confectioner's sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
cranberry puree (this will make more than you need)
- 2 heaping cups fresh or frozen cranberries
Instructions
make the cranberry puree
- Rinse your cranberries. No need to dry them off.
- Put them in a medium saucepan. Heat, stirring almost constantly, until the cranberries start to pop and release their juices. Add a small splash of water if necessary to get them started. Boil gently, stirring often to prevent scorching, until the juices begin to evaporate and the mixture is nice and thick. This will only take a few minutes.
- Transfer the cranberries to a blender and blend until smooth. Be careful when blending hot foods: make sure to use the lid because it can splatter.
- Let the puree cool to room temperature (or chill) before using. You will not need all of it, and it will keep in the refrigerator for a week or more. You can also freeze it in a zip lock freezer bag.
for the cranberry whipped cream
- Put the cold cream, sugar, extract, and 3 tablespoons of the puree in a bowl and whip, using electric beaters. After the cream starts to thicken, lower the speed of your beaters so you can bring it just to the firm peak stage. Too much beating will give your whipped cream a grainy texture.
- Use right away or pack into a storage container and refrigerate. Use within 24 hours.
Notes
- Double the recipe if you like.
- Extra puree can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, and frozen for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 Tbsp · Calories: 28 kcal · Carbohydrates: 1 g · Protein: 0.2 g · Fat: 3 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 8 mg · Sodium: 2 mg · Potassium: 7 mg · Fiber: 0.002 g · Sugar: 1 g · Vitamin A: 109 IU · Vitamin C: 0.1 mg · Calcium: 5 mg · Iron: 0.01 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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Made this to go with a pie and it was quite good. Thanks for posting the recipe.
Thanks Fizz, glad you enjoyed it!