This Crème Chantilly (Chantilly Cream) recipe is quick and easy, made with just three simple ingredients. Lightly sweetened and delicately flavoured with vanilla, this whipped cream is perfect as a topping or filling for cakes, pastries, pies, breakfast dishes, hot drinks or served over fresh fruit.
Why we love this recipe
Crème Chantilly is a light, airy addition that enhances the flavour and texture of many desserts and breakfast dishes. It comes together in about 15 minutes using only a bowl and an electric mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment. You can make it with three ingredients or two if you choose to omit the vanilla.
What is Chantilly Cream
Chantilly cream (Crème Chantilly) is a sweetened whipped cream usually scented with vanilla. It’s commonly used as a topping or filling for items such as choux buns, crêpes, waffles, pies, ice cream and hot chocolate. The name is linked to Chantilly Castle, where the cream is said to have been served by chef François Vatel in the 17th century, though similar creams likely arrived in France earlier from Italy.
Ingredients
Scroll to the recipe card below for exact quantities
What you need:
- Cream – heavy whipping cream (US/UK) or thickened cream (Australia). Use cream with at least 35% fat for proper whipping.
- Icing (powdered) sugar – superfine powdered sugar dissolves easily and prevents a grainy texture. You can use caster sugar, but powdered sugar is preferred.
- Vanilla – seeds from a fresh vanilla bean give the best flavour. Vanilla bean paste or extract also work.
Note for Australia: some thickened creams include stabilisers like gelatin. Choose a product without gelatin if possible, as it whips better.
Flavour variations
Chantilly cream adapts well to many flavours: sifted cocoa powder or melted chocolate for a chocolate version, citrus zest (lemon, orange), fruit purées (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry), extracts (almond, peppermint) or liqueurs (Grand Marnier, brandy).
How to make Crème Chantilly step-by-step
Chill the cream and the mixing bowl/whisk before starting. Cold equipment helps the cream reach the desired texture more easily.
- Step 1: Pour the cream into a large cold bowl and add vanilla seeds (or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract).
- Step 2: Sift the powdered sugar over the cream so it incorporates smoothly.
- Step 3: Whisk on medium to medium-high speed until soft waves appear and the cream thickens (about 5 minutes depending on your mixer and cream fat content).
- Step 4: Reduce speed to medium-low or switch to a hand whisk and continue until medium peaks form (about 30–60 seconds after soft peaks). The cream should hold shape but remain soft and slightly loose.
Take care not to over-whip. For piping or a firmer frosting, stabilise the cream by replacing 25–30% of the cream with mascarpone rather than whipping to stiff peaks (see stabilised method below).
Use the Chantilly cream immediately or chill in the fridge with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Whipping stages: soft peaks to stiff peaks
- Soft peaks – the cream thickens and shows gentle waves; still quite soft and not suitable for precise piping.
- Medium peaks – the ideal stage for Chantilly: holds shape but stays light, fluffy and slightly runny. Good for dolloping, spreading or gentle piping.
- Stiff peaks – very firm but can become grainy or lumpy; not recommended for traditional Chantilly unless stabilised with other ingredients.
Recipe FAQs
Chantilly cream is sweetened and often flavoured, while plain whipped cream is unsweetened cream whipped until it thickens and increases in volume.
Use cream with at least 35% fat. Heavy whipping cream (US/UK) or thickened cream (Australia) are appropriate choices to ensure stable whipped cream.
Chantilly should be light and slightly runny — medium peaks give the best texture for a delicate topping or filling.
Yes, but it requires more time and effort. Electric mixers create more even air bubbles and more stable whipped cream.
How to make stabilised Chantilly Cream
For a firmer cream suitable for piping or cake filling, replace 25–30% of the heavy cream with mascarpone. Mascarpone (about 45% fat) helps the mixture hold shape without over-whipping.
Tips & Troubleshooting
The cream is not whipping
If the cream stays liquid after whipping, it may have less than 35% fat. Check the label and use a higher-fat cream.
The Chantilly cream is too thin
Continue whipping and slightly increase the speed, watching the texture closely to avoid over-whipping.
The cream is lumpy or grainy
That indicates over-whipping and the start of butter formation.
How to fix over-whipped crème Chantilly
Gently fold in a small amount of cold liquid cream until smooth. If it becomes too soft, briefly whisk by hand to regain some structure.
How to use Crème Chantilly
Serve Chantilly cream over pancakes, crêpes, waffles, French toast or croissant bakes for breakfast. Use it on cakes like chocolate fondant or lemon ricotta, as a filling for choux pastries, or atop mousses, panna cottas, pavlova and fresh fruit. It also makes a decadent addition to hot chocolate or coffee.
Storing & Freezing
Store Chantilly cream in the refrigerator for 2–3 days, covered with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin. This cream does not freeze well.
More basic French creams
- Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)
- Chocolate Pastry Cream
- Bavarian Cream (Crème Bavaroise)
- Pistachio Pastry Cream
- Chocolate Whipped Cream
- Crémeux
- Diplomat Cream (Crème Diplomate)
- Crème Anglaise
- Namelaka
- Whipped Ganache Frosting
- Mousseline Cream
Made this recipe?
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Recipe
Crème Chantilly (Chantilly Cream)
3 cups (approx.)
15 mins
15 mins
Ingredients
- 400 ml Heavy Whipping / Thickened Cream min 35% fat
- 30 gr Icing or Powdered Sugar
- 1 fresh Vanilla Bean or 1 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
Instructions
- Chill the cream and utensils before starting.
- Place cream in a large bowl and add scraped vanilla seeds (or vanilla paste/extract).
- Sift powdered sugar over the cream.
- Whisk on medium to medium-high speed until soft waves appear and the cream thickens.
- Reduce speed or switch to a hand whisk and whip to medium peaks (about 30–60 seconds after soft peaks). The cream should hold shape but remain soft.
- Use immediately or refrigerate covered with plastic wrap touching the surface; best used within 24 hours.
Notes
- To scrape a vanilla bean: split it lengthwise, then use a small knife to scrape the seeds into the bowl. Keep the pod to flavour sugar or make extract.
- Whipping time varies with cream fat content and mixer speed. Watch the texture rather than the clock.
- To stabilise the cream for piping, replace 25–30% of the heavy cream with mascarpone.