What would a discussion of ice cream sundaes be without a serious nod to good whipped cream? And while we're all certainly familiar with that basic vanilla-flavored recipe, a whole other world of flavors beckons.

The recipes below represent a nice balance of more traditional (cinnamon, for example) recipes to more innovative ideas like peanut butter whipped cream. Essentially they're all just good starting places for your own kitchen experiments. Just add anything that sounds interesting and see where it takes you! Want a spiked whipped cream? Add a splash of brandy or rum. Want a lavender version? Boil down one tablespoon of lavender with sugar water to make an herbed simple syrup. The ideas are endless, but the inspiration starts here.

Try a Recipe:
• Peanut Butter Whipped Cream, via Gilt Taste
• Lemon Whipped Cream, via Simple Bites
• Coffee Whipped Cream, via Epicurious
• Caramel Whipped Cream, via Martha Stewart
• Cinnamon Whipped Cream, via Country Living

Related: Basic Technique: How to Make Whipped Cream

(Image: Flickr member Elana's Pantry licensed for use under Creative Commons)