With tariffs sending steel and aluminum through the roof, there’s never been a better time to invest in a reusable Whipped Cream Dispenser. Rather than shelling out $5+ for a single-use can of Reddi-Whip, this easy recipe DIY teaches you how to make your own with over a dozen whipped cream recipe variations to try!
Whipped cream is the perfect topping for all kinds of drinks and desserts—from hot fudge brownie ice cream sundaes and spicy Mexican mochas to strawberry blueberry shortcakes and apricot banana upside down cakes, just about everything is better with a dollop of sweet, creamy, pillowy soft goodness.
But, as much as I love homemade whipped cream, I don’t love the fuss of having to bust out a stand mixer or dirty a mixing bowl. And, while I love the convenience of aerosol whipped cream from the store, I’m not a huge fan of the price (nearly $5 for 13 ounces), the artificial ingredients, the waste of a disposable container, or the thin, quickly-melting consistency.
When I worked at Starbucks in college, I was introduced to the beauty of reusable whipped cream dispensers and I’ve never turned back. They take just seconds to refill, produce perfectly thick and fluffy whipped cream that tastes like you actually whipped it from scratch, and produce a fraction of the recycling of disposables. Better yet, they also save money in the long-run!
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love Having A Whipped Cream Dispenser
- Quick & Easy - Professional kitchens and coffee shops often keep whip cream canisters, and they’re one of my favorite gadgets to keep on hand. They make the best whipped cream in no time! Just add your ingredients to the dispenser, screw on the top and shake to combine, screw in the N2O charger, and shake again to disperse. All in, you’re looking at about 2 minutes of effort (and no mess) for perfectly whipped cream.
- Thick & Creamy - I’m always disappointed at how quickly store-bought aerosol whipped cream deflates, but it shouldn’t come as a surprise—they thin the cream with nonfat milk. Homemade whipped cream from a dispenser is made with pure cream, so it acts just like the stuff you whip in a bowl!
- Budget-Friendly - I can get a quart of cream for around $5 at Aldi or Costco—each produces 4 batches that are ~20% bigger than small Reddi-Whip containers. Whipped cream chargers are ~$0.50 apiece. The add-ins are variable depending on what flavor you want, but let’s go classic. 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract cost another $0.40. So, pay $2.15/8 ounces of homemade vs. $2.75/6.5 ounces of store-bought, or 27 cents/ounce vs. 42 cents/ounce.
Ingredients & Substitutions
To make classic whipped cream in a dispenser, you only need a few simple ingredients:
- Heavy Cream - The richest dairy of them all! Feel free to swap in slightly lighter whipping cream, full-fat canned coconut milk (chilled and well-shaken) or vegan whipping cream if you prefer. Just remember to use higher fat content for the best results.
- Powdered Sugar - Powdered sugar has a bit of cornstarch in it that does a great job of stabilizing the whipped cream for longer holding power. You can also use granulated sugar, but you’ll only need ½ as much.
- Vanilla Extract - Optional, but excellent for adding aromatic warmth and sweetness. You can also use an equal amount of vanilla paste or vanilla powder, or half as much ground vanilla bean.
How to Make Whipped Cream in a Whipped Cream Dispenser
Get ready for some fantastically fluffy chantilly in no time!
Step 1: Fill the dispenser to the line with cold heavy cream—my half pint dispenser takes 1 cup.
Step 2: Add Flavoring mix-ins of choice. Note that if you are using dry mix-ins (e.g. cocoa powder or powdered sugar), you may want to whisk them into the cream in the liquid measuring cup before adding to the dispenser ~or~ add it directly to the dispenser, put the lid on and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds to prevent clumping.
Step 3: Charge. Use a nitrous oxide cream charger to charge the dispenser—you’ll feel it get very cold as soon as it cracks. Shake for about 5-10 seconds to make sure everything is well-dispersed and you get the perfect consistency. (Skip the second shake if you prefer soft peaks.) Remove the whipped cream charger, recycling the metal pod and saving the plastic “cracker” you use to screw it in. Put the nozzle of your choice on.
Step 4: Use your homemade whipped cream dispenser like a can of Reddi-Whip within 7-10 days. Enjoy all that creamy goodness!
Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
Here are a few different options to make your whipped cream the way you like it, with whatever ingredients you have on hand.
- Vegan Whipped Cream - Use vegan whipping cream or well-shaken full-fat canned coconut milk for a dairy-free dream.
- Sugar-Free Whipped Cream - Swap in your favorite cup-for-cup sugar alternative, use sugar-free syrup, or add the sweetener of your choice to taste. (If you opt for other sweeteners, I recommend you check out this chart that details the sweetness levels as compared to good ol' fashioned sugar.)
- Extra Speedy Whipped Cream - Rather than adding sugar and flavoring extract, use 1-2 tablespoons of flavored coffee syrup. Note that brands vary in sweetness, so test what the cream tastes like before charging to see if you like it. If you use a pump, 2-4 pumps per cup is usually good. For reference: at Starbucks, we added 9 pumps of vanilla syrup to 20 oz of cream.
- Swap Your Sweeteners - Use up to 2 Tablespoons of a liquid sweetener like maple syrup, honey, or agave, or use brown sugar or sugar alternatives. (Note that coarse sugars like turbinado don’t do well unless you dissolve them first.) 1-2 Tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk works, too!
- Swap Your Extracts - Use ½ - 2 teaspoons of flavoring extract. Flavor extracts vary in potency—use 2 teaspoons for classics like vanilla, or 1 teaspoon each vanilla and almond. Other extracts like lemon, maple, coffee, peppermint, etc. can be super potent, so start with ½ teaspoon and taste before charging.
- Use Essential Oils - 2-4 drops of food-grade essential oil can be added to flavor your whipped cream in all kinds of ways, from rosemary or lavender to cinnamon or lemon.
Whipped Cream Flavor Ideas
This is where you can start to have a lot of fun. The great thing about making your own aerosol whipped topping is there are tons of different flavors to try! Here are just a few different ingredients to get you started (add-in amounts are per 1 cup of cream—feel free to mix and match):
- Spiced Whipped Cream - ½ teaspoon of ground spices like cinnamon, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice, or up to 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger. For a fun pumpkin pie-flavored whipped cream, add 1-2 Tablespoons of 100% pure pumpkin purée, too.
- Chocolate Whipped Cream - Add 1-2 Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder or 1-2 Tablespoons of chocolate syrup (you won’t need sweetener if you use syrup). P.S. This is also really good with instant espresso added for a mocha-flavored twist.
- Coffee Whipped Cream - Add 1-2 teaspoons of instant espresso, or use ½ teaspoon of coffee extract.
- Fruity Whipped Cream - Add 1-2 Tablespoons of freeze-dried fruit powder like strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, etc. or use 1-2 Tablespoons of fruit-flavored syrup or 1-2 Tablespoons of fruit purée (e.g. raspberry, strawberry, or mango purée). For a tangy twist, use up to 1 teaspoon of fresh citrus zest.
- Boozy Whipped Cream - Add up to 1 Tablespoon of liquor or liqueur (e.g. amaretto, bourbon, cognac, kahlua, etc.) for a faintly boozy undertone.
- Floral Whipped Cream - 1-2 teaspoons of floral waters (e.g. orange blossom water or rose water) add an elegant, flowery perfume.
- Tangy Whipped Cream - 1-2 Tablespoons of full-fat Greek yogurt, plain yogurt, sour cream, crème fraîche, or Mexican crema will give your whipped cream a little zing.
- Peanut Butter Whipped Cream - 1-2 Tablespoons of powdered peanut butter + ⅛ teaspoon of salt makes for a fun salty-sweet twist. You can also pair this with 1-2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder for a peanut butter cup vibe.
Y’all, this is barely scratching the surface of possibilities. Remember that you can mix and match these add-ins to make fun hybrid flavors. You can also go savory by omitting any sweetener and using essential oils, herbs, and spices. Have fun!
Did you come up with an amazing whipped cream flavor combination the world should know about? Let me know in the comments below!
Expert Tips
- Start Cold - Above about 50ºF, the fat in the cream will be too soft to do its job and your cream will collapse.
- Keep it Cold - Since cream is perishable, make sure to keep your whipped cream dispenser in the fridge and use it up within 7-10 days.
- Use Fresh Cream - Unfortunately, reconstituted powdered heavy cream will not work for whipping. It’s great for making ice cream, though!
- Keep It Clean - If you only use the dispenser intermittently, make sure to briefly rinse the nozzle after use, then remove the nozzle and rinse the place where it attaches so the cream doesn’t solidify and clog it.
- Sweeten to Taste - For my perfect level of whipped cream sweetness, I use about 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar (or 2 teaspoons of white sugar) to 1 cup of cold cream (or 3 pumps of vanilla simple syrup). Feel free to increase or decrease the sweet factor based on your own preferences.
- Flavor to Taste - I prefer a lighter application of about 1 teaspoon of vanilla to each cup of cream, but you can go up to about 2 teaspoons if you really like vanilla flavor. Same goes for all the mix-in ideas above!
Serving Suggestions
Your whipped cream dispenser isn’t just for topping pies or taking mouth shots (though, obviously, do that). Here are a variety of uses for putting all these delicious whipped cream flavors to work:
- Coffee Drinks - Try the mocha or coffee whipped cream for a quick cold brew upgrade, use cinnamon whipped cream to spice up homemade hot chocolate mix or a spicy aztec mocha, or amaretto whipped cream for my boozy Christmas coffee.
- Dessert Topping Upgrade - Go beyond basic, matching whipped cream flavors to your favorite desserts. Try cinnamon whipped cream for my easy cake mix caramel apple cobbler, chocolate or peanut butter whipped cream for my black-bottomed banana pudding cups and peanut butter pie with an Oreo crust, or lemon whipped cream for my Italian lemon cake.
- Waffle & Pancake Bar Hero - Hosting brunch? Serve a variety of flavored whipped creams for guests to choose their own breakfast adventure. Maple whipped cream is especially good on my healthy pumpkin pecan waffles, pumpkin pie whipped cream is great on my pumpkin protein pancakes, and spiced whipped cream or peanut butter whipped cream are great with my banana oatmeal blender pancakes.
- Fruit Dippers - Use strawberry or citrus-zest whipped cream as a dip for fresh fruit skewers or berries. It’s a lighter (and even easier!) option than my cream cheese fruit dip.
- Cocktail Garnish - Boozy whipped creams (hello, bourbon or Kahlua!) are perfect for topping cocktails like espresso martinis.
FAQs
With the right ingredients and a little creativity, a whipped cream dispenser can become one of the most fun and functional tools in your kitchen. Beyond classic or flavored whipped cream, you can use it to make mousses, foams, and whipped custards. It’s also great for infusing liquids like alcohol, oils, or vinegars with herbs or fruit in a fraction of the time. You can even use certain models to make DIY nitro cold brew!
Yes, you can absolutely use heavy whipping cream in a whipped cream dispenser—in fact, it’s the best choice! For best results, look for cream with a fat content of at least 30%, which includes both heavy cream and whipping cream. You can also use non-dairy alternatives like vegan whipping cream or full-fat canned coconut milk.
Homemade whipped cream stored in a whipped cream dispenser will typically last up to 7–10 days in the refrigerator, as long as it’s kept cold and the dispenser is properly sealed and charged. Because the nitrous oxide acts as a preservative by limiting exposure to air, the whipped cream stays fresh longer than if it were stored in a regular bowl. Just be sure to shake the dispenser well before each use, and give the nozzle a quick rinse if any buildup forms to keep it working smoothly.
While there’s an initial investment cost for the dispenser, over time, yes! In terms of raw material costs, it ends up being about 15-30 cents per ounce (depending on your mix-ins) to make homemade whipped cream in a dispenser, versus about 42-50 cents per ounce for store-bought. At this point, I’ve had my iSi whipped cream dispenser for well over a decade, so it’s more than paid for itself.
Since we’re just a 2-person household, a half-pint dispenser is perfect for a week’s worth of coffee toppings. If you have a larger family, a pint-sized dispenser might be a better fit.
Yes! Feel free to replicate Starbucks' puppuccinos at home by keeping your mix-ins very simple—just powdered sugar (or no sugar) and vanilla, powdered peanut butter or freeze-dried fruit powder. Avoid any fake sugars, particularly xylitol which is highly toxic, and other doggie no-nos like cocoa powder. Finally, make sure to keep the portion sizes modest—about one espresso cup is plenty! And don't forget to check out my homemade dog food topper recipe—my dogs love it even more than whipped cream!
More Money- & Time-Saving Recipes
Whipped Cream Dispenser Recipe (17+ Flavor Ideas)
Equipment
- 1 ½ Pint Whipped Cream Dispenser adjust the amount of ingredients used depending on what size dispenser you have!
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Cold Heavy Cream or whipping cream, vegan whipping cream, or full-fat canned coconut milk (well-shaken)
- 1-2 tablespoon Powdered Sugar see notes below for alternatives
- 1-2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract see notes below for alternatives
Instructions
- Add cold cream to fill the dispenser up to the line. My ½-pint dispenser uses 1 cup, so adjust the amounts you use as needed.1 Cup Cold Heavy Cream
- Add the flavoring mix-ins of your choice. Secure the lid and shake well for 30-60 seconds to mix the ingredients.1-2 tablespoon Powdered Sugar, 1-2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Use a whipped cream charger to charge the dispenser. The body of the dispenser will get very cold and you'll hear a whoosh sound. If you prefer firm peaks, shake another 5-10 seconds. Skip this if you like soft peaks.
- Remove the charger, recycle the metal pod and save the "cracker" attachment you use to screw it on. Place the dispenser nozzle on, then use just like a can of Reddi-Whip!
Notes
- Nutrition facts are estimated based on only the ingredients listed above.
- Homemade whipped cream in a dispenser will keep in the fridge for 7-10 days.
- Vegan Whipped Cream - Use vegan whipping cream or well-shaken full-fat canned coconut milk for a dairy-free dream.
- Sugar-Free Whipped Cream - Swap in your favorite cup-for-cup sugar alternative, use sugar-free syrup, or add the sweetener of your choice to taste. (If you opt for other sweeteners, I recommend you check out this chart that details the sweetness levels as compared to good ol' fashioned sugar.)
- Extra Speedy Whipped Cream - Rather than adding sugar and flavoring extract, use 1-2 tablespoons of flavored coffee syrup. Note that brands vary in sweetness, so test what the cream tastes like before charging to see if you like it. If you use a pump, 2-4 pumps per cup is usually good. For reference: at Starbucks, we added 9 pumps of vanilla syrup to 20 oz of cream.
- Swap Your Sweeteners - Use up to 2 Tablespoons of a liquid sweetener like maple syrup, honey, or agave, or use brown sugar or sugar alternatives. (Note that coarse sugars like turbinado don’t do well unless you dissolve them first.) 1-2 Tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk works, too!
- Swap Your Extracts - Use ½ - 2 teaspoons of flavoring extract. Flavor extracts vary in potency—use 2 teaspoons for classics like vanilla, or 1 teaspoon each vanilla and almond. Other extracts like lemon, maple, coffee, peppermint, etc. can be super potent, so start with ½ teaspoon and taste before charging.
- Use Essential Oils - 2-4 drops of food-grade essential oil can be added to flavor your whipped cream in all kinds of ways, from rosemary or lavender to cinnamon or lemon.
- Spiced Whipped Cream - ½ teaspoon of ground spices like cinnamon, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice, or up to 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger. For a fun pumpkin pie-flavored whipped cream, add 1-2 Tablespoons of 100% pure pumpkin purée, too.
- Chocolate Whipped Cream - Add 1-2 Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder or 1-2 Tablespoons of chocolate syrup (you won’t need sweetener if you use syrup). P.S. This is also really good with instant espresso added for a mocha-flavored twist.
- Coffee Whipped Cream - Add 1-2 teaspoons of instant espresso, or use ½ teaspoon of coffee extract.
- Fruity Whipped Cream - Add 1-2 Tablespoons of freeze-dried fruit powder like strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, etc. or use 1-2 Tablespoons of fruit-flavored syrup or 1-2 Tablespoons of fruit purée (e.g. raspberry, strawberry, or mango purée). For a tangy twist, use up to 1 teaspoon of fresh citrus zest.
- Boozy Whipped Cream - Add up to 1 Tablespoon of liquor or liqueur (e.g. amaretto, bourbon, cognac, kahlua, etc.) for a faintly boozy undertone.
- Floral Whipped Cream - 1-2 teaspoons of floral waters (e.g. orange blossom water or rose water) add an elegant, flowery perfume.
- Tangy Whipped Cream - 1-2 Tablespoons of full-fat Greek yogurt, plain yogurt, sour cream, crème fraîche, or Mexican crema will give your whipped cream a little zing.
- Peanut Butter Whipped Cream - 1-2 Tablespoons of powdered peanut butter + ⅛ teaspoon of salt makes for a fun salty-sweet twist. You can also pair this with 1-2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder for a peanut butter cup vibe.
- Start Cold - Above about 50ºF, the fat in the cream will be too soft to do its job and your cream will collapse.
- Keep it Cold - Since cream is perishable, make sure to keep your whipped cream dispenser in the fridge and use it up within 7-10 days.
- Use Fresh Cream - Unfortunately, reconstituted powdered heavy cream will not work for whipping. It’s great for making ice cream, though!
- Keep It Clean - If you only use the dispenser intermittently, make sure to briefly rinse the nozzle after use, then remove the nozzle and rinse the place where it attaches so the cream doesn’t solidify and clog it.
- Sweeten to Taste - For my perfect level of whipped cream sweetness, I use about 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar (or 2 teaspoons of white sugar) to 1 cup of cold cream. Feel free to increase or decrease the sweet factor based on your own preferences.
- Flavor to Taste - I prefer a lighter application of about 1 teaspoon of vanilla to each cup of cream, but you can go up to about 2 teaspoons if you really like vanilla flavor. Same goes for all the mix-in ideas above!
Nutrition
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