Did you know you can make a decadent whipped cream by using a can of coconut milk? Not only is it simple to make, but it’s easily the best-tasting whipped cream I’ve tried.
I know whipped coconut cream isn’t new to many of you – people have been making coconut whipped cream for years and years. I first read about it a couple years ago on Vegan Joy’s website and have seen it popping up everywhere.
In today’s post, I’ll show you just how easy it is to make. I can promise you, your life will change when you taste this stuff!
1. Grab a can of full-fat can coconut milk (without guar gum listed as an ingredient) – Update: Native Forest now puts guar gum in the ingredients and this causes the cream and water to emulsify which is not what we want. The can must also be full-fat because you will be whipping the solid cream. Do not use light coconut milk because it won’t turn out. In summary – look for a full-fat can of coconut milk that does not have guar gum listed on the ingredient list. Cool?
Many of you have had trouble making whipped coconut cream with certain brands because some cans don’t always separate. A reader let me know that Thai Kitchen has changed their formula so that it doesn’t separate anymore. Apparently they are coming out with small cans of pure coconut cream instead. Be on the look out! I used Native Forest with decent result, although I have had some duds before.
2. Place can in the fridge overnight. This is another crucial step. You need to chill the coconut cream until it’s very firm. I once tried to make whipped coconut cream without chilling the can – big mistake! It was a watery mess. I like to keep at least a couple cans in the back of my fridge just in case I need a quick whipped cream for a recipe. Then you always have it on hand and don’t have to wait overnight to use it. A few extra cans of chilled coconut milk never hurt anyone.
Just before you make your whipped cream, place a mixing bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes or so. This helps keep everything cold and will be especially helpful for those of you in very warm climates. You can also put the beaters in the freezer too, but it’s not necessary.
3. Remove the chilled can from fridge and FLIP it upside down.
Why flip it upside down?
The liquid coconut milk (the part that doesn’t harden) will now be at the top of the can! Note: Not all cans work for this – check yours.
4. Open the can. See the liquid at the top? You won’t be whipping this part.
5. Pour the coconut liquid into another bowl. You should have just under 1 cup of liquid, but this yield will vary a bit by brand and even by can.
Don’t throw it away – I like to use it in smoothies along with mango, kale, banana, and chia for a fun tropical smoothie. You can also use it in baking and cooking.
As you can see below, you are left with only the hardened coconut cream! Come to mama!! This is exactly what we want to use to make our coconut whipped cream.
6. Scoop the coconut cream into your chilled bowl. (I don’t recommend using a shallow bowl like this one – I only used it for photo purposes so you could see it better!)
As you can see, you get a lot of hardened cream to work with!
7. Whip the cream. Grab a hand mixer (alternatively, you can do this in a stand mixer – just chill the bowl first) and whip the cream until fluffy. It’s really too much fun.
Coconut Whipped Cream
Yield
1 cup (250 mL)
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
You can easily create a decadent, fluffy whipped cream by using a can of full-fat coconut milk. Not only is the technique simple, but it’s easily the best-tasting whipped cream I’ve tried. You can use this whipped cream just like regular dairy whipped cream. I like to use it in a bowl of fruit, on top of a fruit crisp, or stirred into Banana Soft Serve. The options are really endless! One important tip: you’ll want to chill the can of coconut milk for at least 24 hours before you begin to ensure the white coconut cream solidifies (be sure to read all my tips below on how to buy the right coconut milk for this recipe).
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can full-fat coconut milk, chilled for 24 hours*
- 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 mL) sweetener (maple syrup, powdered sugar, cane sugar, etc), to taste
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) pure vanilla extract (optional)
Directions
- Chill the can of coconut milk in the fridge for at least 24 hours. I like to keep a few cans in the fridge at all times so I don’t have to wait.
- About 1 hour before making the coconut whip, chill a mixing bowl in the freezer.
- After chilling the can, open the can and scoop the solid white coconut cream into the bowl. Discard the coconut water or save it for another use (such as coconut water ice cubes).
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cream until fluffy and smooth. Add in sweetener to taste and vanilla.
- Return whipped cream to fridge until ready to use. It will firm when chilled and soften at room temperature. This will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 1 week or you can freeze it in an airtight freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. After chilling in the fridge, allow it to sit at room temperature until it softens slightly and then you can re-whip it as needed.
Tip:
- * Some brands of canned coconut milk will be better than others for making whipped cream, and even some cans within the same brand can vary quite a bit. For whatever reason, the cream and water in some brands or cans do not separate. A few of the most consistent brands for making coconut whipped cream are: Thai Kitchen full-fat coconut milk, Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream (just the cream—no water in the can!), and Native Forest. I always keep at least a few cans of full-fat coconut milk in my fridge at all times just in case I get a “dud”—then I know I have more on hand. If you happen to get a dud don’t be discouraged. Try out one of the brands above, and be sure to chill it for at least 24 hours. Odds are you will find your perfect brand after some trial and error!!
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)There may be a strong urge to shove your face in the bowl.
8. Add in a touch of sweetener and vanilla extract and whip it again.
You can use regular cane sugar, confectioner’s sugar, or even a touch of maple syrup. I find 2-3 teaspoons usually does the trick for my taste buds. I also like to add about 1/4-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract or a vanilla bean. The vanilla really takes it over the edge – I don’t suggest skipping it!
The first time I made this I could not get over how amaaaaazing it tastes. Eric even said he wouldn’t be able to tell that it wasn’t made from dairy. Two big thumbs up from us!
How to use:
You can use this whipped cream just like regular dairy whipped cream. I like to use it in desserts & frostings, it’s amazing over a simple bowl of fruit or pancakes, and sometimes I add a dollop on my vegan overnight oats for an extra creamy bowl. You can even spoon a bit on top of a pie or fruit crisp or stir some into a bowl of banana soft serve. The options are really endless! Have fun making different kinds of flavours and fooling your friends and family.
If making a whipped frosting, I suggest storing the decorated cake/cupcakes in the fridge until ready to serve.
Storing:
Have leftovers? You can easily store it in the fridge for at least 1.5 weeks (probably longer) in a sealed container. It will firm up a bit more in the fridge. Simply scoop it into a bowl and re-whip it when you need it.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! For those of you who’ve been making it for a while now, what’s your favourite way to prepare/enjoy it?
I just chill my cans upside down, then open them right side up! I use Goldenstar brand, no BPA in the lining of the can.
Um seriously Angela, it just gets better and better!!!! WOW! Thank you so much!! Enjoying right now! My mind is blown…
All I can say is WOW! This is absolutely AMAZING! The vanilla really gives it the perfect taste, and you would never know it’s dairy free. Thank You for this recipe, it’s so incredibly easy and delicious!! =)
I tried it today and it was very good, but I have one question. I followed the insructions exactly but when I opened the can and poured out the liquidy part, the thick part still wasn’t nearly as thick as yours is in the photo. No way could I scoop it out with a spoon. I had to pour it although it was thicker than normal. Took a long time to whip up too. I did leave it in the fridge overnight. Could it be my frig temperature is not as cold as yours? Any ideas on this? I really want to keep using this idea because it tastes so good.
Hello Angela! Great, easy vegan recipe! Thanks for the step-by-step tutorial. Looking forward to making this.
I followed this step by step, used a can of regular coconut milk, not light. There was NO solid coconut??? What did I do wrong????
tried this yesterday to go on my GFDF pumpkin pie. Used the Thai Kitchen full fat kind. There wasn’t very much of the solid cream in it even after refrigerating over night. Used what I could. It whipped ok. But it tasted weird. I added vanilla but the coconut flavor still came through and not in a good way. It also had a slight burnt taste. Maybe if I add cocoa to it i can turn it into something else. But the pumpkin pie is definitely better without it!
Sounds absolutely lucious!!!!!!! Yum!!!
i was thinking of making a fruit dip thought id whip some coconut cream and try to fold in some raw fresh goat cheese, vanilla bean, honey and maybe a bit of beet juice to tint it pinkish(for a girls night it) Any one have any tips or reservations that it would hold up?
After reading nearly EVERY comment here, I was a bit skeptical but really wanted to try this. I couldn’t get any coconut milk in time to “test” before Thanksgiving dinner, but tried it for the first time with a housefull of hungry house guests at Thanksgiving dinner time…
It worked BEAUTIFULLY!
I tried it again two days later, different brand, different can, it STILL worked. Then tried it again tonight with yet a third brand and it worked yet AGAIN!
Seriously? Read her instructions folks…
Get coconut milk (or cream) that is PURE coconut milk and not ANY fillers, thickeners, gums, emulsifiers, ANYTHING else…
PUT IN THE FRIDGE for at least two or three days – a VERY COLD FRIDGE (but not freezer).
Tip the can, after it’s been in the fridge a day or two – can you hear “sloshing”? Or does it sound “solid”? It needs to sound almost “solid” with maybe a tiny gurgle. NOT like it’s full of liquid.
Scoop out ONLY the solids. They should be almost the texture of butter or they won’t work.
If you have all of the above – you WILL get beautiful whipped coconut milk.
On Amazon, this brand and kind of coconut milk has guar gum in it. Isn’t that an emulsifier? Any other brands that you know which would whip, with our emulsifiers?
Thanks,
Sara
Actually Toby is correct. A diet rich in vegetable oils is not a healthy one. And it is absurd to claim that eating meat and other animal products in unhealthy – humans have been doing it for 2.5 million years. Just look back at the historical record to see what foods people have been eating for the longest time and this will give you a clue as to what our bodies need and respond well too. I assure you that the poisonous soybean is not on that list and that eggs, meat, honey, goat/sheep/cow milk and other non-vegan items are. In any event, a diet is not healthy or unhealthy simply because it either is or isn’t vegan. I have known plenty of junk food vegans who stuff their faces with refined sugars, artificial fats, deep fried snack foods and all sorts of other empty calories and heavily processed foods. And yes, there are plenty, even more, consumers of animal products who are likewise gorging on processed burgers and other crap. Actually, the meat and dairy is probably the best part of those people’s diets! In either case, a healthy diet, whether vegan or omnivorous, is not the norm in most countries today. I live in the French countryside and am lucky enough to have a huge range of local and natural foods available. So, I choose to eat ethical and sustainable meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, as well as a lot of vegetables and a little fruit. I don’t eat very much in the way of grains, pulses or other starchy carbs. It is obvious that these came into the human diet much, much later as did anything which must be cooked first. The problem with most vegan diets is that they rely heavily on these foods – rice, bread, pasta, pulses – which are not easily digested and do not contain much nutrition. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry when I see self-righteous vegans downing gallons of soy milk and acting superior because they don’t drink the real stuff. I am a huge advocate of dairy – it’s not only delicious but very healthful – as long as its not from some factory farm and stuffed with hormones and antibiotics. The only reason humans developed big brains and got to the point where they could even consider the impact of their diet on the environment and other creatures is BECAUSE they ate meat in the first place! This is a scientific fact and anyone denying it simply hasn’t done their research. Our cavepeople ancestors weren’t going to McDonalds, but they most definitely were eating red meat. There isn’t a native culture on the face of this earth that has rejected animal products. It is a purely white people, urban, modern, reactionary movement. Having said all that and returning to the purported subject of this blog page – I do love and advocate the consumption of coconut cream! Humans have certainly been eating coconuts forever and a day and coconut oil is one of the few healthy vegetable oils as it requires very little processing. Veganism is just a modern day religion and it’s no better than any of the rest of them; its foundations are highly emotional and illogical and most vegans cannot tolerate a fact-based dialectic and get red in the face and vitriolically defensive when their ideology is threatened.
“The only reason humans developed big brains and got to the point where they could even consider the impact of their diet on the environment and other creatures is BECAUSE they ate meat in the first place! This is a scientific fact…”
Hmmm…I’d like to hear your sources. I suspect this is extremely simplistic view of evolution. Wild canids and felids also are carnivores but did not become “human”.
Irregardless of personal opinion of which everyone has one (Isn’t there a little saying about people and their opinions?) It appears to be a fantastic recipe which gives everyone more options when cooking or baking. Especially those with food allergies. Thank you so much for sharing :)
I would love to try this for my Dad, who had a heart attack a few years ago and his doctor has forbidden him from high-fat foods like cream. He used to adore whipped cream and I’d love to find a good alternative for him. The thing is, it sounds like this would retain it’s coconut-flavour, which is fine if you’re eating it on something that would pair well with coconut, but not all things go well with that taste. I was just wondering, is it a strong coconut taste? Is there a way to cover it and get it more of a neutral-creaminess?
Ugh! Didn’t work :( Was hoping to serve this over our vegan pumpkin pie at last night’s Christmas Eve dinner, but the milk was a uniform consistency…it’s didn’t separate at all. It had been in the fridge over 24 hours. Used the same brand as that shown in your photo. Oh well…guess I’ll be making a curry tomorrow!
Our tins of coconut milk in the UK have rounded bottoms so you can’t open them upside down… so I will chill my coconut milk upside down and then the liquid will be at the top! Sorted!
Coconut whipped cream always improves my day! Decadence!
Hi there! Love your website! I was just wondering if the coconut milk doesn’t “whip” at all if it has emulsifiers? I live in Iceland and the only brand of coconut milk i can find here is from Thai Pride and has emulsifying agents. Is there any way i could make that work?
I think from what I’ve heard the emulsifiers do not whip or separate. I could try sourcing some online without any?
I could not find canned but carton coconut milk. I know I will end up with a lot more but will send it home with the person I am making it for. My question is will it still work? I didn’t see low fat on it. Thanks!
Good news- Thai Kitchen still makes the full fat coconut milk. Make sure you choose the red can, as they’ve come out with more varieties of coconut milk.