---
title: "Soft peaks: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "Soft peaks are when whipped cream or egg whites form peaks that droop over at the tip. Here is how to spot the stage and why so many recipes stop there."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/soft-peaks"
---

# Soft peaks

Soft peaks are when whipped cream or egg whites form peaks that droop over at the tip. Here is how to spot the stage and why so many recipes stop there.

Also called Soft peak stage.

Soft peaks is a stage in whipping cream or egg whites. When you lift the whisk, the foam forms a peak that holds for a moment and then curls over at the tip, like a wave. The foam is thick and creamy but still soft and smooth. It is the right point for folding into mousses and for cream to serve on desserts.

## How to do it

1. For cream, use cold [whipping cream](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/whipping-cream) or heavy cream with at least 30 percent fat. Chill the bowl and whisk too.
2. For egg whites, use a clean, grease-free bowl.
3. [Whip](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/whip) on medium speed. Cream usually reaches soft peaks in 2 to 4 minutes with a mixer. Egg whites take 1 to 3 minutes.
4. Stop and check often once the mix begins to thicken.

## How to tell it is done

* Lift the whisk and turn it upside down. The peak stands up, then the tip flops over.
* The foam looks smooth and glossy, and holds the marks of the whisk on the surface for a moment.
* Tip the bowl and the foam moves slowly, not like liquid.

If the peak stands straight up without bending, you have reached [stiff peaks](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/stiff-peaks).

## Why it works

Whipping traps tiny bubbles. In cream, fat droplets link around them. In egg whites, unfolded proteins form the walls. At soft peaks, the network holds its shape but is still loose enough to mix into other things without lumps.

## Common mistakes

* Walking away from the mixer. Cream can go from soft to stiff to grainy in under a minute.
* Warm cream. It will not whip well. Keep it in the fridge until you start.
* Adding sugar to egg whites before soft peaks. Wait until you reach this stage for a stable [meringue](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/meringue).

## In recipes

"Whip to soft peaks" is common for cream to [fold](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fold) into mousse or to serve with pie. Many meringue recipes say to add the sugar "once soft peaks form". If you whip cream past soft peaks by mistake, gently stir in a spoonful of liquid cream to soften it again.

## Related terms

* [Stiff peaksStiff peaks are when whipped egg whites or cream stand straight up off the whisk without bending. Here is how to reach the stage without overwhipping.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/stiff-peaks)
* [WhipTo whip is to beat cream or egg whites fast to fill them with air until they thicken and hold peaks. Here is how to get there without overwhipping.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/whip)
* [MeringueMeringue is egg whites whipped with sugar into a glossy foam, baked crisp or used soft on pies. Here are the French, Swiss and Italian methods and fixes.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/meringue)
* [FoldTo fold is to combine a light mix, like whipped cream or egg whites, into a heavier one without losing air. It also means stretching dough in bread making.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fold)
* [Whipping creamWhipping cream has about 30 to 36 percent fat in the US, enough to whip into soft, light peaks. Here is how it differs from heavy and double cream.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/whipping-cream)

[More in baking and dough](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/baking-and-dough)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)