Homemade Whipped Cream the German Way | Schlagsahne
When I was growing up in Germany, homemade whipped cream was the only kind we ever had. I still remember my Omi standing in her kitchen with her tall Sahnetopf, whipping fresh cream for our coffee and cake in the afternoon. I have never bought a can of whipped cream since. Making it yourself is so much quicker than most people think: with a hand mixer and 3 simple ingredients, this homemade whipped cream comes together in about 3 minutes.
Below I’ll show you exactly how I make it, what to use if you don’t have a Sahnetopf (they’re a little hard to find in the United States), and how to sweeten and flavor it just the way you like.
Quick version: whip 1/2 cup very cold heavy cream on high until it just starts to stiffen, add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, then whip until stiff. That makes about 1 cup in 3 minutes.
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What Makes This Homemade Whipped Cream Special
What Is a Sahnetopf?
A Sahnetopf (literally a “cream pot”) is a tall, narrow mixing pot that German kitchens use for whipping cream with a hand mixer. The high sides keep the cream in the pot instead of all over your counter, and because it’s narrow, the beaters reach all of the cream even when you’re only whipping a small amount.
My Omi had a tall one, and I still whip my cream in a Sahnetopf today. Mine is from Germany.
Sahnetöpfe are a little hard to find in the United States. The closest thing I’ve found here is this tall, narrow bowl. A deep glass bowl or another bowl like this works too. Just chill it well first (more on that in my tips below).
Ingredients and Substitutions
You only need three ingredients, and you probably have them in your kitchen already.
- Heavy cream or whipping cream: Any heavy cream or whipping cream works. Sometimes I simply skim the cream off the top of my raw milk. Use it straight from the refrigerator, because the colder the cream, the better it whips. About 1/2 cup of cream makes about 1 cup of whipped cream. In Germany, we buy Schlagsahne, which simply means “whipping cream.”
- Sugar: I use regular cane sugar, about 1 tablespoon for every 1/2 cup of cream. You can absolutely use more or less depending on how sweet you like it, or leave it out for unsweetened whipped cream. You can also use powdered sugar if you like.
- Vanilla extract: Just a small splash, about 1/2 teaspoon.
Make it your own: Swap the vanilla for a pinch of cinnamon, or use both. That’s what I love about making it myself: it’s always fresh, it’s exactly as sweet as I want it, and there are no weird ingredients.
Helpful Tools for Whipping Cream
These are the tools I use for whipped cream. Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
⭐️ Anja’s Tips For Success
- Start with really cold cream. Take it out of the refrigerator right before you whip it. Cold cream whips up so much better.
- Chill your bowl. If you use a glass bowl or any bowl other than a Sahnetopf, put it in the freezer or refrigerator for a bit before you start.
- Add the sugar halfway. Whip the plain cream first until it just starts to get stiff, then add the sugar and vanilla and finish whipping.
- Skip the stand mixer. You can make whipped cream in a stand mixer, but I find it splatters a lot and leaves more to clean up. A hand mixer in a tall pot is quicker from start to finish.
Watch it closely at the end. Stop whipping as soon as the cream holds stiff peaks. If you keep going, it turns grainy and is on its way to becoming butter.
How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream
⭐️ This is a summary of the steps involved. For the complete instructions, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Pour the cold cream into your pot. Use your Sahnetopf or a well-chilled deep bowl. Whip on high just until softly stiffened
- Add sugar and vanilla. Sprinkle in the sugar and add a splash of vanilla extract (or a pinch of cinnamon).
- Whip until stiff. Whip again on high until the cream is stiff, then stop.
- This takes about 3 minutes. The whipped cream should stick to the beaters in chunks.
How to Serve Homemade Whipped Cream
In Germany, fresh whipped cream is the traditional topping for so many cakes, and it’s what my Omi whipped up for our afternoon coffee and cake. These are some of my favorite cakes to serve it with:
- German Plum Cake (Pflaumenkuchen)
- German Apple Crumb Cake (Apfelstreuselkuchen)
- German Sunken Apple Cake (Versunkener Apfelkuchen)
- German Strawberry Cake (Erdbeerkuchen)
It’s just as good with hot chocolate, waffles, or anything else you like, for example, my German-style sourdough pancakes, a sourdough Dutch baby, or Kaiserschmarrn.
Can You Make Whipped Cream Ahead of Time?
Whipped cream is at its best fresh, and since it only takes about 3 minutes, I always make it fresh, right before serving.
If you need it to hold its shape longer, for example, to fill or decorate a cake ahead of time, you can add Sahnesteif, or WhipIt, as it is called here in the US. However, it’s not necessary, and my everyday whipped cream doesn’t need it. Alternatively, you can mix 1 tsp powdered sugar with 1 tsp starch and add that to the cream in step 2 (see above).
How Long Does Homemade Whipped Cream Last?
One more reason I love my Sahnetopf: it’s small enough to go straight into the refrigerator with any leftover whipped cream still in it. If you use a bowl, cover it tightly or move the cream to an airtight container.
Covered in the refrigerator, homemade whipped cream easily keeps for 3 days for me, and sometimes it has lasted even longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A Sahnetopf just keeps the splattering down. Any deep bowl works. Chill it in the freezer or refrigerator for a bit first, especially a glass bowl.
Yes, it works. I just find that it splatters more and leaves more to clean up, so for everyday whipped cream I reach for my hand mixer. Also, it works best if you have a larger amount of whipped cream to make.
Usually the cream isn’t cold enough. Use it straight from the refrigerator and chill your bowl. Also check the label: you need heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Lighter creams and half-and-half won’t whip up stiff.
For best results, I whip the plain cream on high until it’s just ever so slightly stiff, then add the sugar and vanilla and whip again on high until it’s stiff.
If it starts to look grainy, stop right away. A splash of cold cream stirred in can fix it. Honestly, I rarely need to, because with a hand mixer you’re watching the cream closely the whole time.
Whipped Cream | Schlagsahne
Ingredients
- ½ cup cream heavy or whipping
- 1 TBSP sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make sure to start with very cold cream. If your bowl is too warm, place it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
- Pour the cream into a tall, narrow bowl or jug. Beat on high just until the cream begins to stiffen.
- Add the sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on high until the cream is whipped and stiff.
Notes
- you can also make this in a stand mixer, but go slow at first to minimize splattering
- if your whipped cream is starting to separate (and look like it wants to become butter), add a splash of cream to it, and beat it on high just until incorporated
- you can keep this in an airtight container or tightly covered the refrigerator for 3 days
- if you’re making it for a cake, you can add either some Sahnesteif (Whip It in the US) or mix 1 tsp of powdered sugar and 1 tsp of starch and add that in step 2
Nutrition
More German Recipes You’ll Love
- German Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte), the German cake that’s all about whipped cream
- Homemade Vanilla Sauce (Vanillesoße), another easy homemade German topping
- German Streuselkuchen
- German Rhubarb Crumb Cake (Rhabarberstreuselkuchen)
Let me know if you have any questions or comments!
Fun Fact: Germans love their whipped cream so much that Udo Jürgens even had a 1976 hit song called “Aber bitte mit Sahne” (“But please, with whipped cream”).
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