This thick and creamy coconut whipped cream is totally dairy free, with just three ingredients… and it has the exact same texture as real homemade whipped cream!
The Best Coconut Whipped Cream
Did you know that you can make your own easy homemade whip cream from a can of coconut milk?
1 can coconut milk, optional sweetener of choice, and that’s it!
The resulting whipped cream will blow you away with how luxuriously rich and creamy it tastes, as you shake your head and wonder, “How can this possibly be vegan?!”
Also Try This Chocolate Peanut Butter Nice Cream
Vegan Whipped Cream Recipe
Just one or two ingredients, and you’re on your way to the perfect coconut milk whipped topping, good for serving with pies, cakes, fresh strawberries or sliced fruit, pancakes, waffles, milkshakes, as frosting for cupcakes, or on top of any of the following healthy ice cream recipes:
There’s NO heavy cream, no dairy, no eggs, no sugar, and no gums, stabilizers, gelatin, or cornstarch required for the recipe.
And it can be gluten free, low carb, paleo, whole30, cholesterol free, and keto friendly.
The cream whips up just like dairy whipped cream and can be substituted in most recipes that call for Cool Whip or heavy cream.
Shown above, on top of my Vegan Pecan Pie
Coconut Milk Whip Cream – FAQ
What Kind Of Coconut Milk?
Use either full fat canned coconut milk or coconut cream. The recipe will not work with reduced fat coconut milk or carton coconutmilk beverage found the refrigerated section of the grocery store from companies like Silk, Califia Farms, Almond Breeze, and So Delicious.
Do I Have To Chill It First?
I usually like either storing a can in the fridge to have on hand when needed or chilling the coconut milk overnight, because the results will be thicker and non-runny.
But if you open the can and the cream inside is already super thick (see the photo below) you can skip the overnight refrigeration and simply freeze for about 10 minutes before whipping it up. Try not to shake the can at any point, because you want to keep the cream on top separate from the watery part underneath.
Leftover Coconut Milk? Make Chocolate Truffles – 2 Ingredients
What If My Coconut Cream Isn’t Whipping?
It’s rare, but every now and then you may encounter a can of coconut milk that is chalky and rock hard or simply won’t whip or firm up.
Coconut milk brands I’ve had the most success with for making coconut milk whipped cream include Whole Foods 365, Sprouts, Thai Kitchen Organic, Trader Joes, Native Forest, and Nature’s Charm Coconut Whipping Cream.
Can I Make Different Flavors Of Whipped Cream?
You absolutely can! Try adding a few drops of almond or pure peppermint extract, a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp of instant coffee, or 1 tsp of lime, orange, or lemon zest.
Or add a scoop of peanut butter or half a banana for a delicious mousse-like dessert.
Of course, you can always go with my personal favorite and make it chocolate by using the following recipe for Vegan Chocolate Mousse.
❤Coconut Whipped Cream + Flourless Pancakes
How To Make Coconut Whipped Cream
Start by chilling a can of full fat coconut milk or cream in the fridge overnight.
Once it’s cold, open the can and transfer just the thick and creamy part to a bowl. Either discard the rest or save it for another recipe.
With either a stand mixer or hand beaters (or a fork if it’s all you have), whip with the sweetener and optional vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
Above – watch the recipe video of making coconut whip cream
Coconut Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 can coconut milk or coconut cream (13.5oz)
- 1-2 tbsp powdered sugar, or stevia to taste
- optional 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- *Be sure to read through the FAQ listed above in this post. And if you’re a visual learner, you might find it useful to check out the video above showing how to make the coconut whip cream.Chill coconut milk or cream in the fridge overnight. Once cold, open the can and transfer only the thick and creamy part to a bowl. (Discard the watery part, or save for another recipe.) Using either a stand mixer or hand beaters (or a fork and a lot of arm strength), whip the cream with your sweetener and optional vanilla until it forms stiff peaks like real whipped cream!View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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Ways To Use Whipped Cream:
Kathryn says
Yuuuummmmm. I need to make this. I have 3-4 cans of coconut milk sitting in the cupboard just begging to be used.
Al says
Your coconut whipped cream recipe looks so good. I’ve had coconut whipped cream at a vegan restaurant near where I live, but I’ve never tried making it before!
Julia says
I am so happy that I cam across your recipe! I was looking for a quick recipe of icing to go with my carrot cake and then saw this recipe and was like: Yeah! This match was made in heaven! Coconut flavor with nutty taste of carrot cakes makes it next level! I skipped adding vanilla as thought it was alittle bit too much!
Highly recommend!
sylvia says
my kids loved this!
Lindsey Grant says
Will this recipe work with the reduced fat coconut milk in a can?
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Sorry most likely it will not
Cherish Broady says
Best whipped cream ever. So delicious and easiest thing I’ve ever made!
cynthia marshall says
Up and down this website many times and I can’t find the most important information about which brand(ds) of coconut milk make the best tasting and easy to whip up, whip cream
Jason Sanford says
It’s listed in this post right under the heading “What If My Coconut Cream Isn’t Whipping?” Hope that helps!
Sasha says
Sadly, it didn’t work for me. I ended up with a curdled slurry…I probably overwhipped it or maybe it was too watery. I have put the mixture in the fridge and will try to whip it again as hate to waste it. Might add peanut butter if it doesn’t whip into something second time round.
Kara says
This happened to me as well, did you ever figure it out? I just ended up throwing mine out as I didn’t have time to wait for it 😥.
Denyce says
Go to your Asian aisle and get Creme of Coconut there.
Abby says
No no no you do not want to buy cream of coconut. Coconut cream and cream of coconut are 2 completely different things. Cream of coconut is a syrupy sweetened beverage similar to condensed milk whereas coconut cream is just coconut milk with a higher fat percentage. Cream of coco will never whip up as it’s not supposed to. It’s usually used to sweeten tropical beverages like pina coladas.
Katie says
Native forest does not work it has guar gum. Check your recipe and write one that works
Jason Sanford says
Sounds like you just got a bad can. Native Forest absolutely can work for this. Here is some picture evidence online: https://www.google.com/search?q=native+forest+coconut+whipped+cream&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiymZO6koLpAhUxl3IEHTiwCVcQ_AUoAnoECA0QBA&biw=1920&bih=969#imgrc=yLrjw5gfZ0PVJM
Melissa says
Ah, so that’s why mine didn’t quite work out! I could still whip the native forest into a usable consistency, but no stiff peaks formed no longer how long I mixed it. I thought maybe I was supposed to use powdered stevia instead of the granular. I will definitely try again with a different brand. It was still delicious.
Kristen Chen says
Sasha, I’m in a similar boat. I used Trader Joe’s, which was in my fridge for a few days. Seems like coconut oil rose to the top, with creaminess underneath, and the water at the bottom. I tried to break down that hard top layer with a fork, but when trying to mix it and the creamy layer, the hard oil ultimately wouldn’t break down enough, and contributed to a bigger mess than normal when I make whipped cream;) Maybe this one’s just a dud. Thankfully I was going to add the sweetener toward the end of mixing, and when I couldn’t get it to work I just saved the whole thing and will use for curry.
Pınar says
It’s hard for me to find canned coconut milk or coconut cream. İs there any substitute for it. Can I add vegan margarine or butter to coconut milk, may be ratio of 2/3 Cup of milk + 1/3 Cup of butter for one cup of cream. Thanks
Wendy says
Do I have to use any kind of sweetener?
isabel says
i’ve been chilling Native Forest classic coconut milk in the fridge for over two days and the cream hasn’t hardened and separated from the water. what should i do?
Julie A Vorwaller says
I’ve used that brand for yrs and it used to work but just tried it recently and it didn’t so they must have changed it somehow….
Gina Marie Serrago says
An you store this after making?
Liz says
Same question!
Alicia says
Also wondering about storing
Michelle Tadian says
Can I make ahead? How long will it last in Fridge, do I need to re-whip it?
Thank you
Ronda says
This is great! Just like regular whipped cream. I kept in the fridge for a couple days after and it was fine to reuse.
Jody says
Does this work as a layer cake filling?
Leah says
Hi! Do you think coconut cream will whip up without any sweetener added? Thanks!
CCK Media Team says
It will!
Joanne says
I followed your recipe to a T and it was a blob and wouldn’t fluff for love nor money! It was spraying all over the place and made a BIG mess in my kitchen. I don’t know what I did wrong – I used TJ’s Coconut Cream and opened the can and saw a lot of hard stuff so just put in freezer for 10 minutes like you said. I scooped the hard stuff out and added the powdered sugar and vanilla and it became a blob and sprayed EVERYWHERE! HELP!! I made the Hummingbird Cake in a 9 x 12 pan for 35 minutes and it came out perfect. But the frosting……..
CCK Media Team says
Hi, unfortunately it sounds like you got a can like the recipe mentions that for some reason just didn’t work. Every now and then that happens, and as the recipe says, there’s just no way to tell ahead of time. We wish there were!
Katherine Tildes says
I had same problem with Trader Joe’s. It got all hard on the too. I did have some luck with adding in some of the liquid.
Li says
what brand of mixer do you use? Can’t see clearly in your video.
CCK Media Team says
Hi! Katie just uses a basic hand mixer like this one: https://amzn.to/37xCCDA
Cassidy says
Could I use this to frost a small 2 layer 6 inch cake? Or will it be too runny?
Patti Homier says
great recipes even for candida yeast infection for people that have that with just a few
adjustments because of any type of sugar or yeast
Gramma Judy says
I made this and LOVE the taste and simplicity. I used pure Almond extract instead of vanilla. But I have a question how long can you keep it in fridge and also can you freeze it for later use?? Thank you. I love all your ideas and recipes.
Ruthy says
Thanks for sharing. Can I freeze or how long i can keep refrigerated?
Genie says
How strongly does this taste of coconut?
Ellie says
Delicious! Not vegan but we are dairy free, so we put it on top of the traditional Christmas desserts for a dairy free treat!
Samantha says
Does it taste like coconut?? Thanks!
gina says
This did not work. Filled recipe exactly.
CCK Media Team says
Hi Gina, what brand of coconut milk did you use, and was it full fat or lite? This is just a basic coconut whipped cream recipe that can be found all over the internet, so it definitely does work. But as the post mentions, every now and then you can come across a bad can that either doesn’t have enough fat or is rock hard. Can you explain more about what was the issue with yours?
Cricket says
Fyi, Goya definitely DOESN’T work for this. Seems like any with guar gum get too hard in the fridge. Unfortunately that was the only coconut cream available in my closest grocery store. If you’re making a cake, this can be used to do a poke cake. I smashed the hard bits as much as possible, poured the whole can in (plus a shot of coconut rum) and used an immersion blender on it. Becomes a consistency like a thin pudding.
Elle says
Well, I used one of the recommended coconut milk brands, refrigerated over night and the results were an epic failure. It was runny even after following some tips of adding more powdered sugar and a thickening agent. Popped into fridge for a few hours even – still runny and unusable. Too bad because the flavor was good.
I’ll try again just for experimental purposes.
CCK Media Team says
Hi Elle, this coconut whipped cream recipe is pretty basic, and you can find versions of it all over the internet, so it definitely does work if you want to try again and hopefully get a better can :). It sounds like you just got a bad can. Unfortunately that can happen!
Maria says
Brilliant, having got covd, with loads of strawberries and raspberries in the garden and not a drop of cream or ice-cream in the house our family thanks you very much for the delicious, convenient & cheaper than double cream tip. It’s a keeper!
CCK Media Team says
This makes us so happy, thank you!
liza says
My coconut cream after refrigeration was hard and did not whip up at all, it was like a bunch of rocks in the bowl being twirled around by the mixers. It only became soft enough to “mix” as it reached room temperature.
Tracey says
Hi,Firstly thankyou for sharing this great idea. I am the worst baker I can cook most food recipes but cakes are another story, I did this and it turned out great I used a cheap coconut cream and put the can in the fridge overnight the next day it had thickened I scooped the top of the can into a food processor and whipped for 2-3 minutes stopping once to scrape down the sides turned out perfect it’s in the fridge now waiting until I fill a two layer vanilla buttercream cake later, If you dont have a food processor use an electric mixer it just might take a little longer thanks again👍
Ro says
Do you use coconut cream with or without guar? And how long do you mix it – 20 seconds or 5 minutes?
CCK Media Team says
Hi, it does not matter 🙂 And mix it until thick and creamy, which is usually pretty fast but sometimes takes a few minutes.
Leslie D Lammers says
Any tips for using the leftover liquid? I hate to waste it.
Ann Walton Sieber says
That’s my question too!
Abby says
The leftover liquid is just water that was blended with the coconut fat to make milk. It’s not the same as coconut water so it not much of a waste to dump it. I’ve seen people use it for smoothies tho to add a hint of coconut flavor or frozen it as ice cubes to add to water or regular coconut water. You could also dump it into your plants. Good luck!
Jo says
I’ve made this many times and it’s always so good, but I’d like to add white chocolate to it, can I do that? If so do you know how much I should add? Thanks, Jo.
Abby says
Girl you gotta get your website fixed bc it keeps jumping me back to the top every time I try and comment and it’s super frustrating.
Also I have some tips for people. First of all this isn’t gonna be like heavy cream where you keep whipping it until it reaches stiff peaks, for this you whip only until it’s blended bc the more you whip the runnier it’ll be. Second my favorite coconut milk for this is Thai kitchen coconut cream. It’s the only brand I’ve found to work well for coconut whipped cream. I use TJ coconut cream as well but only if I’m blending it like for smoothies or ice cream bc of the oil that separates on top is super hard. I do have a tip tho if that happens is to remove the oil and cream from the water and put it in a separate container, melt gently in the microwave until it’s all combined, place it back in the fridge until hardened again, then whip as normal. This recombines the oil with the cream so it’ll whip normally. I’d recommend stiring as it hardens so it doesn’t separate again. Another tip is to not open the can when it’s room temp even if it appears to have separated bc it’s never gonna whip into whip cream that way since it’s not the same as heavy cream and won’t get any thicker than it already is. Putting it in the freezer will just cause the fat and water to solidify together and they won’t separate properly. If y’all want something more like regular whipped cream then blend 235 grams soy milk with 200 grams refined coconut oil (or any oil), refrigerate until really cold, then whip to firm peaks like normal whipped cream. Make sure your soy milk is warmed and your oil is melted (they have to be around the same temp as each other). Also it HAS to be soy milk bc other non dairy milks don’t have enough protein for it to work. This works like a charm and isn’t as hit or miss as coconut whipped cream. You can also buy silk heavy whipping cream or another brand of vegan whipping cream and use that. Good luck everyone!
Amy says
Delicious! I used this coconut whipped cream recipe to top your vegan chocolate cake and my whole family could not get enough!
Hailey says
Can this be made ahead and stored?