My hand mixer died the night before I was supposed to bring dessert to a cookout, and I did not want to show up with canned stuff. So I tried the mason jar method out of desperation. It took longer than a mixer, but the cream came out thick and I did not have a single thing to plug in.

What You Need

Cold heavy cream, a little sugar, a pinch of vanilla, and a jar with a tight lid. The cream has to be cold or the whole thing turns to butter before it whips. I stick the jar in the freezer for ten minutes first.

How to Shake It

1. Pour cold heavy cream into the chilled jar, about half full. You need room to shake.
2. Add sugar and vanilla. A tablespoon of sugar per cup of cream is my sweet spot.
3. Screw the lid on tight and shake hard for three to four minutes.
4. Listen for the change. You will feel the liquid stop sloshing.

My First Batch

I shook for two minutes, checked, and it was still liquid, so I kept going. Around the three minute mark it suddenly went silent and thick. I opened the jar and it was perfect soft peaks. The trick is to stop the moment it thickens. Shake too long and you end up with sweet butter, which is not a disaster, just not what you wanted.

This is my go to now for a small batch, anything under two cups. For a big crowd I would still borrow a mixer.