Name: Lemon Whipped Cream
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 cups heavy cream; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 teaspoons lemon zest

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Whip up some Lemon Whipped Cream in just 5 minutes! This fluffy, citrusy topping is the perfect addition to a bowl of fruit, angel food cake, waffles, and more!

Lemon whipped cream piped in a glass jar with sliced lemons and a yellow checkered towel around it.

Whipped cream is a classic topping that's always delicious, but have you ever tried adding a burst of lemon flavor to it?

It is the best topping for summer because it is so light and airy, with a bright, citrusy flavor. This is my favorite flavored whipped cream to dollop on fresh berries, Jell-O, and cakes.

Ingredient Information

Heavy cream, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in separate containers.

Looking for the full recipe? The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.

Heavy Whipping Cream - Use chilled heavy cream straight from the fridge, with at least 36% milk fat. In the UK, it is known as double cream.

Powdered Sugar - This recipe uses a little more sugar than other whipped cream recipes to offset the tartness of the lemon. If you substitute it with granulated sugar, you'll need a couple of tablespoons less.

Lemon Juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice will make the best-tasting whipped cream.

Lemon Zest - The zest adds lots of flavor without diluting the mixture. Use a grater or zester to zest your lemon, being careful not to get any pith (the white part) as that will make your cream bitter. For a more robust lemon flavor, add more zest.

Will Lemon Juice Curdle Heavy Cream?

The acidity of lemon juice can cause heavy cream to curdle if it is not correctly combined. Thickening the cream before adding the juice keeps this from occurring.

Substitution Option: You can replace the lemon juice and zest with 1 ½ teaspoons of pure lemon extract.

How to Make Lemon Whipped Cream

Chill your bowl and beaters for the best results.
Add cold heavy cream to a large mixing bowl.
Beat it on low speed using an electric mixer's whisk attachment until the cream thickens.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, and zest, and slowly increase the speed to medium-high.
If you plan to spoon it onto desserts, whip it to soft peaks (where the tip curls over when you remove your beaters).
If you plan to pipe the cream onto a cake, whip it to stiff peaks (where the tip stands straight up when you remove the beaters).

Two images: One showing the thickened whipped cream with ingredients on top, the other of whipped cream in a bowl.

Pro Tip: If you accidentally overbeat the cream, pour in a tablespoon or two of unwhipped heavy cream and mix it on low speed. It will smooth everything out.

Ways to Use Lemon Whipped Cream

There are so many ways to use your flavored whipped cream! Here are a few of my favorites:

Spoon it over fresh berries.
Pipe it onto an angel food cake or a vanilla sheet cake.
Alternate layers of whipped cream, cubed cake, and lemon curd for a lemon trifle.
Swap out regular whipped cream for this lemon version on top of key lime
Dollop onto blueberry pancakes or waffles.
Pipe the into hollowed-out cream puffs.

Whipped cream piped in a jar with lemon zest on top.

Storage Guidelines

Store your whipped cream in the refrigerator, and for best results, enjoy it the same day it is made.
Leftovers stored in an airtight container will remain fresh for a few days. However, they will start to deflate over time. If they turn weepy, you can whip them back up with an electric hand mixer.
I do not recommend freezing lemon whipped cream, as the acid from the juice could cause it to separate.

If you are making this recipe using a whipped cream dispenser, use 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon extract instead of the juice and zest, as the zest will clog the dispenser tip.

More Whipped Cream Recipes

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