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?
OK, so stupid question for you. If you put the cans in the frig upside down, would the watery part be on the top, so you can open from the top and pour off the liquid? Reason I ask is that some cans are hard to open with the new style openers, as they are rounded unlike the top (haven’t bought a can yet, so not sure if this is the case for what I can get here). thanks!
Ok never mind, I see someone at the very end of the comments said this would work!
Over the summer, I tried making coconut whipped cream with the wrong kind (less fat) and it was a sad, epic failure. Now that I’ve gotten over it, I’ve been stocking up on cans of the good stuff for a couple weeks every time they come on sale.
I just made it now and words cannot describe it. I’m forever changed. :)
I love your site! I had a problem with this working, though. I chilled the can for twenty-four hours and when I opened the can, it hadn’t even begun to separate. I’m now processing it in the hopes that it will be whipped after some time in there. What happened? Thanks.
Hey Wren, If you read some of the other comments, this has happened to ohers. I don’t know why that happens, but it seems like some cans just don’t harden up like they should. I would contact the brand to see if they know why this happens.
Thanks, Angela! You’re probably right about it being the brand. I’ll try a different one next time. Incidentally, processing it made it fluffy like whipping cream but then I ruined the batch by putting way too much agave in. It was a watery mess! Oh well… trial & error. Anyway, thank you again… for your response & for this great website!
Okay, this time I used the Native Forest brand, and I chilled it for two days in the fridge. It still did not separate. I decided to process it again anyway. I didn’t use any agave, vanilla or anything else this time, and it still wound up watery & chunky. Actually, first it was fine, almost whipped, but then it must’ve reached a mixing threshold or something because it fell apart. I’m baffled. Do you think I should freeze the can instead? I’m about to just throw my hands up at the whole thing.
i opened the can after refrigerating and it is all watery….what happpened??
It dosen’t work. The coconut milk will not harden. I even left the can in the refridge fow 2 days.
I’m no where near vegan, neither is my coworker.. However. She can’t do cow dairy, and I needed a whipped cream to fill a roulade for a Christmas party and hoping this will work.
Looks yummy. Do you find it “wilts” when left out, i.e. if I topped a pie w/ it and left it on the table for an hour or so?
Yes it can, I recommend chilling it until read to enjoy
I put the can in the door of the fridge over night, but the coconut milk did not get hard? What did I do wrong??
I’m wondering… I can’t find the coconut milk in cans, I don’t think they sell them at my store, but there is the stuff the comes in a big juice carton thing.
Is it possibly to do something like this with that?
Hi Julia, Im not sure. It might be worth a try! Maybe you can find the info online? Let me know how it goes
Hello, just wanted to let you know I tried your recipe and it was awesome!! I can’t eat regular whipped cream anymore… I used this as a whip topping for a haupia coconut pudding dessert (a Hawaiian dessert) for my Adult English class in Japan. It was a hit!! The Japanese students loved it too. I had no problems making this. I used Chaokoh coconut milk and I froze my coconut cans for about 4 hours in the freezer. The coconut liquid nicely separated and became “slushy ice” so it was easier to separate that from the coconut cream. Then just whipped up the cream with a hand mixer. Came out perfect! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. :)
Great recipe! Looking forward to giving it a whirl. I am going to make a coconut cream pie and would like to use this as a stand-in for the traditional whipped topping. I’ll whip it up, add a touch of vanilla and some coconut extract and put a healthy amount on the filling and form a dome. I’ll use the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to create some peaks, I’ll then sprinkle some coconut flakes that i will have already roasted and pop it in the oven to give the peaks a golden brown color. My questions…… roughly, what’s the yield of whipped cream per 1 can of coconut milk? Will it cover my pie or do you feel that I would need second can? Secondly, will the coconut whipped cream stand up in the oven?
Thank you for sharing your recipe and thanks in advance for your response.
bob
I’m about to try this recipe today to top off some deserts….*fingers crossed* wish me luck…I’m from the Caribbean so I’m hoping the brand I use doesn’t affect it particularly in the warm climate. I was thinking honey to sweeten….is that ok?
I am baking a cake for my husband right now and wanted a tip on how to fill it. This is fantastic idea. I bought some whipping cream so I am going to try a half and half mixture. love the photos. xx
Wow, this looks really good and so easy to make! I am going to have to try this once I’m done with Whole30. Thank you for sharing!
You can also add 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence and sugar to taste to make chocolate mousse/icing!!! yum!!!
Hi, My chilled tin of coconut cream seperated into 3 layers. Milk, cream and a very solid oil layer. Is the oil good for cooking with? The tin states it contains stabalizer and thickener.
I was making a delicious choc. mousse that i found on the link below. And decided to research to find out what the solid layer is.
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2013/01/4-ingredient-chocolate-mousse-vegan-in-a-good-way.html
Good idea to shake the can and see if it sounds solid, because if it sounds too swishy it won’t separate. I think I just learned another tip the hard way: read the ingredients, and if it has “emulsifiers” in it, it won’t separate either. (As I understand, that is the purpose of emulsifiers.)
I think I love you! Lol! Honestly, this sounds so amazing. I just love your blog. Your banana peanut butter oatmeal is my heaven :)
Loved your pretty step by step tutorial so much that I just couldn’t resist trying my hand at this yummy vegan whipped cream. It was so lightning quick to make and easy anyone can and should make this! So much healthier and yummier than the store bought stuff!! It is now chilling in my refrigerator and will be topping my hot chocolate tonight since it is freeeezing here in Los Angeles! Can’t wait! Thank you, I loved this!
I did this the other day and it was delightful, mine didn’t get as thick as yours even though it was in the fridge for two days. But, other than that it was still very edible and delicious and creamy.