Vegan Whipped Cream

You can’t get much simpler or more luxurious than this recipe for how to make vegan whipped cream from canned coconut milk. This coconut whipped cream is a delicious dairy-free, paleo, whole30, vegan alternative to dairy whipping cream. It makes the perfect addition to your dairy-free desserts!

The Ingredients

• Full-Fat Coconut Milk: You’ll need cans of full-fat coconut milk. Allow to chill overnight (or longer) in the fridge to separate the cream (what we need) from the water. You can also use canned coconut cream, but avoid cartons and other types, as those won’t work.
• Vanilla Extract: While technically optional, vanilla helps transform the coconut milk whipped cream into the perfect dessert topping.
• Sugar: It’s best to use granulated/powdered sugar. (Whichever you’d prefer: white sugar, coconut, date, or sugar-free like erythritol). Liquid options can weigh down the whipped coconut cream and affect the whip. However, if your coconut whipped cream has worked well or is particularly thick, feel free to use a liquid (like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, etc.)

Which is the Best Coconut Milk to Use for Plant Based Whipped Cream?

An important factor to making successful coconut whipped cream is the brand of coconut milk you use. Some brands contain additives that will affect the whipping, and others that I’ve tried just don’t work (I’m not entirely sure why). So here are a few tips for choosing your brand of coconut milk.

• Avoid additives: My number one tip is to use a brand that doesn’t contain a lot of additional additives, especially stabilizers and ingredients like guar gum.
• Choose full-fat: Next, make sure to use a full-fat coconut milk brand, not a light version.
• Brand recommendations: Finally, the best brands that I’ve had success with when making coconut whipped cream are as follows (in no particular order): Thai Kitchen, 365 Organic, Native Forest, and Aroy-D.

Sometimes, even following all the tips, you may find a can that won’t whip correctly. For that reason, I always recommend putting a few cans in the fridge at one time.

How to Make Coconut Whipped Cream?

Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions. 

There is no need to throw away the leftover coconut water. You can use this in smoothies, baking, sauces, etc.

As you’re whipping the vegan cream, it will go through several stages. It may start by looking grainy slash lumpy (honestly, it looks curdled). However, it should eventually become smooth, light, and fluffy. If you find it isn’t whipping properly because it’s too thick, you may add a tiny amount of the liquid from the can (one spoonful at a time) to thin out the vegan cream and make it easier to whip OR use a liquid sweetener.

Storage Instructions

Fridge: Once you’ve whipped the coconut whipped cream, you can use it immediately or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.

While chilling, it will thicken up (and out of the fridge, it will become too soft and lose its shape). When you need to use it, you may need to re-whip it slightly to achieve a light and fluffy texture once more.

Freezer: You may also freeze the coconut milk whipped cream (in an airtight Ziplock or Stasher bag) for up to a month. After that, however, you will probably need to re-whip it once thawed.

Serving Suggestions

This vegan whipped cream makes for the perfect alternative to dairy whipped cream. This means you can use it in all your favorite ways, including:

• Fruit: Dollop over fresh fruit for a simple snack or dessert, like this Mexican fruit salad.
• Frosting: As a healthier frosting, over cupcakes and cakes.
• Ice Cream: Over ice cream and ice cream based desserts, like a chocolate banana milkshake, or strawberry banana milkshake.
• Breakfast: Add a scoop on top of pancakes, waffles, and French toast.
• Desserts: Decorate a dessert like tarts or cheesecake (like this banana cheesecake).
• Cold Pies: Keep the cream from melting by serving it over a chilled pie. Like this chocolate peppermint pie, vegan key lime pie, banana cream pie, or creamy chocolate pie.
• Hot Pies: Embrace the melty goodness by heaping it on a slice of fresh-from-the-oven warm pie. Like apple pie, apple pear pie, mixed berry pie, or one of my crumbles like this plum or strawberry crumble.
• Drinks: Level up a fancy cold or hot drink, whether a smoothie like a coffee smoothie, a milkshake or frappe like my coffee milkshake. Try on a latte like this Biscoff or pumpkin spice latte, or even a cozy cup of hot chocolate. It will melt pretty quickly into hot drinks, though (which I don’t mind)!
• Mousse: Use it as the base for mousse. Whipped coconut cream is just one of several dairy-free base options you can use for a delicious vegan mousse.

Let us know in the comments how else you enjoy using your homemade vegan whipped cream!

FAQs for How to Make Dairy Free Whipped Cream

Toni’s Recipe Tips and Notes

• Avoid additives like stabilizers: I’ve had mixed results when using cans that contain guar gum. (My best advice is to chill any with guar gum for at least two days, instead of one, as that can help). However, in general, I find it best to use coconut milk free from stabilizers and additives.
• Chill the bowl: Keeping everything chilled when attempting to make coconut milk whipped cream is key. It can help to chill the bowl for 30-40 minutes in the fridge before whipping.
• The flavor: If you aren’t a fan of coconut, I’m afraid to say that this does have a subtle coconut flavor. Although the vanilla and sugar help to balance it somewhat, it’s definitely still there.
• To add any extra flavors: Add them at the same time as the sugar and vanilla. You can use other extracts (mint, orange, coffee, etc.). You can also add spices (like cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, etc.) to flavor this whipped coconut cream.
• Don’t rush the chill stage: You may be tempted to place the can in the freezer for a shorter time, rather than the fridge overnight. However, this won’t work the same (believe me, I’ve tried).
• It won’t always work: Unfortunately, after many years of making coconut whipped cream, I found sometimes it just doesn’t want to play ball. So if you’ve tried all the tips and tricks and it’s still not working, don’t worry. It likely isn’t you doing something wrong. You can use that can to add to other recipes that don’t require whipping. Then, try again with a new brand/can (we always recommend keeping a few in the fridge, just in case). Unfortunately, this process isn’t known for its consistency.

More Dairy Free Coconut Dessert Recipes

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Vegan Coconut Cake

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3-Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Balls

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Vegan Coconut Cream Pie

Vegan Desserts

Vegan Coconut Pineapple Pie

Looking for more inspiration on how to use the coconut milk whipped cream? Why not browse through my section of dessert recipes now!

If you tried this vegan whipped cream recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla