This is the best coconut whipped cream recipe! It is the perfect dairy-free, healthy alternative to traditional whipping cream. It's so quick and easy to make in under 5 minutes and uses simple ingredients including coconut milk, vanilla extract and honey or maple syrup.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- This homemade coconut whipping cream is a light and fluffy alternative to traditional whipped cream.
- It's quick and easy to make and comes together in under 5 minutes. It's made in one bowl so the clean up is so simple.
- It stores well in the fridge so is great for meal prep or for making ahead of time.
- This dairy-free coconut whipping cream can be used in so many ways including to top your favorite desserts likes cakes, pies and tarts. It also tastes really good in coffee or hot chocolate!
- This whipped cream recipe is dairy free, vegan, refined sugar free, low in sugar, and paleo. It's also safe for diabetics to eat.
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Coconut cream or full fat coconut milk - to give this whipped cream that nice rich and creamy texture. Note that this recipe will not work out if you try using light coconut milk as there is too much water in it, you must use coconut cream or a thick full fat coconut milk.
- Honey or maple syrup - to help sweeten this vegan whipped cream while keeping it refined sugar free. This is optional but it gives it just a bit more sweetness - if you are vegan be sure to choose maple syrup.
- Vanilla extract - this ingredient is optional but I love the vanilla flavour it gives this whipped cream.
The best brands of coconut milk or coconut cream to make coconut whipped cream:
I've tried a number of different brands of coconut milk and coconut cream to make whipped cream and so far these are my favourites. Most other brands are too watery and won't create that nice thick whipped cream that you want. You want whatever brand of coconut milk or coconut cream that you choose to be as thick as possible.
- Real Thai Coconut Cream
- Thai Kitchen Coconut Cream
- Natural Value Organic Coconut Cream
- Thai Coco Organic Coconut Cream
- Savoy Coconut Cream
- Trader Joe's coconut cream
How to make (step-by-step):
Step one:
First, the night before you are going to make your whipped cream put the cans of coconut milk or cream in the fridge and before you make the whipped cream, place a metal bowl in the freezer for 10-30 minutes.
Step two:
Then remove the cans of coconut cream from the fridge and remove the top solid cream layer of coconut from the cans and place them into your chilled mixing bowl (leave the coconut water in the can).
Step three:
Now using your hand mixer or electric mixer blend the coconut cream on high speed until it forms thick, stiff peaks.
Step four:
Once the whipped cream is the texture you desire, add the sweetener and vanilla extract.
Step five:
Whip it a little more with your hand mixer until the sweetener and vanilla extract are combined into the whipped cream and you have soft peaks.
Top Tips:
- Put your cans of coconut milk or coconut cream in the fridge the night before you are planning to make your whipped cream.
- For best results put the bowl you will be using in the freezer for 10-30 minutes before making your whipped cream to help it thicken better.
- Do not use light coconut milk for this recipe, it will not turn out.
- Use either canned coconut cream or full fat canned coconut milk to make this whipped cream.
- If your whipped cream is too thick or stiff after adding your sweetener, you can thin it out by adding a little of the coconut water from your can. Just add a little bit at a time while blending.
- This will not hold up well if kept at room temperature for too long (longer than ~2 hours) so be sure to use it right away.
Recipe variations:
- If you prefer a whipped cream with no sugar or that is unsweetened simply omit the honey or maple syrup from the recipe.
- You can leave out the vanilla extract from the recipe if you prefer.
- Instead of honey or maple syrup you could use powdered sugar.
- To keep this whipped cream vegan use maple syrup to sweeten it.
How to serve:
You can use whipped cream in so many ways including:
- As the perfect topping for cakes, pies or other dessert recipes. It's especially good on strawberry short cake!
- It would be amazing on my Vegan Chocolate Torte or Chocolate Avocado Mousse.
- Use it to top fruit cobblers such as blueberry cobbler or peach cobbler.
- To put in your coffee (trust me this tastes amazing!).
- As a topping for hot chocolate or hot cocoa. It would be delicious on oat milk hot chocolate or as a topping for hot chocolate bombs!
- Use this healthy whipped cream for topping fresh berries, fresh fruit, or for topping fruit salads.
- As the perfect replacement for any recipe calling for heavy whipping cream or cool whip.
How to store:
Store any leftover whipped cream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just note that the whipped cream will firm up when kept in the fridge - if you want to make it light and fluffy again, add a little of the remaining liquid from the original coconut milk can and use your hand blender to blend it again.
Frequently asked questions:
Yes! Coconut cream can be used on its own as a replacement for whipping cream in certain recipes, or you can turn it into coconut whipped cream and replace it for whipping cream.
If you are having trouble whipping coconut cream, a couple tips are to put the bowl you will be using in the freezer for 20 minutes before using it and making sure you refrigerate the can of coconut cream overnight before you try whipping it. If the coconut cream is too warm it won’t whip properly.
Yes! Just be sure you are using full fat coconut milk as light coconut milk has too much water to whip. You will also want to leave your can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight to separate the coconut cream from the liquid. It is the thick coconut cream from the canned coconut milk that you will use to whip.
Both are made from the same ingredients, coconut and water, but coconut cream has a lower percentage of water so is thicker and higher in fat compared to coconut milk.
No, I do not recommend it. If you don't chill the coconut milk or coconut cream ahead of time the coconut whipped cream won't fluff up or firm up as it should.
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Recipe
Coconut Whipped Cream
Equipment
- Stainless steel bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cans coconut cream or full fat coconut milk
Optional Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon honey, maple syrup or powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- The night before you are going to make your whipped cream put the cans of coconut milk or cream in the fridge.
- Before you make the whipped cream, place a metal bowl in the freezer for 10-30 minutes.
- Remove the cans of coconut cream from the fridge and remove the top, thick layer of coconut from the cans and place them in your cold bowl (leave the coconut water in the can).
- Using your hand mixer, blend the coconut cream until it forms thick peaks.
- Once the whipped cream is the texture you desire, add the sweetener and vanilla extract.
- Whip it a little more with your hand mixer, until the sweetener and vanilla extract are combined into the whipped cream.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Do not use light coconut milk to make this recipe - it won't turn out.
- Store this in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Angie
A made this whipped cream, followed directions to the T and it was runny. I’m very disappointed with how it turned out. It never even formed stiff peaks. I didn’t bother adding the sweetener or the vanilla to it because it would have made it even more runny. I whipped and whipped it with my electric mixer and absolutely did nothing to change the texture. Very disappointed.
Erin Carter
Oh no! What brand of coconut milk did you use? And was it full fat? That is usually the biggest issue I've found. If the coconut milk has too much water it won't work