This thick, fluffy, and delicious Vegan Whipped Cream is made from canned coconut milk! It's perfect for drinks, desserts, and smoothies. You only need 5 pantry ingredients to have a dairy-free topping that takes your homemade treats from good to WOW!
This airy vegan whipped cream has perfectly soft peaks and it's quick and easy to make! It tastes absolutely delicious and adds the perfect finishing touch to your favorite smoothies, hot drinks, and desserts. I love to use it as a dip for fresh berries or to top off a parfait! There are endless possibilities, and this vegan whipped cream is a dessert staple in a dairy-free diet. I can't wait for you to try it!
The Best Canned Coconut Milk for Vegan Whipped Cream
The brand of coconut milk doesn't matter as much as making sure you get a full-fat version! Low-fat or lite coconut milks won't have the coconut cream that we need for this recipe. I personally always have success with Whole Foods 365 Brand Coconut Milk and I've heard the Trader Joe's version doesn't work as well. The coconut milk needs to chill for at least 8 hours, so I recommend popping it into the fridge as soon as you get home from the grocery store so it's ready when you are.
How to Make Whipped Cream from Canned Coconut Milk
So many home cooks think it's really difficult to make a fluffy vegan whipped cream at home, but let me assure you...it's as easy as chilling a can of coconut milk and spending some time with an electric mixer!
- Chill a can of full-fat coconut milk in your refrigerator for 8 hours, allowing the solid cream to separate from the liquid. It will float to the top, so don't shake the can!
- With a spoon, scoop the solid white coconut cream into a chilled glass or metal mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer (beaters chilled in advance ideally). The longer you whip, the more airy and fluffy it will get. Don't use the watery coconut milk in the bottom of the jar; save it for smoothies!
- At the end I add a splash of maple syrup or pure maple sugar to sweeten. You won't need much; it's naturally sweet from the coconut flavor already. I also like to add a touch of vanilla to balance out the strong coconut flavor and a tiny pinch of salt. Beat again for another minute or so until well combined and then serve!
Natural Sweetener for Vegan Whipped Cream
I sweetened this vegan whipped cream with a little bit of maple sugar. This worked way better than variations I've made made with maple syrup, and I promise there is no grittiness or strange texture, just perfect, fluffy sweetness! A splash of vanilla and a pinch of salt brings this all together beautifully. Licking the whisk is totally allowed here!
This delicious dairy-free fluffy whipped topping pairs with so many things! It is vegan, paleo, dairy-free, grain-free, soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free which makes it wonderful for serving to anyone with food allergies or food sensitivities.
If you give this recipe a try, please let me know! Leave a comment below, rate it above, and tag a photo @eatingbyelaine and #eatingbyelaine on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook so I can see your coconut vegan whipped cream creations!
Recipes with Vegan Whipped Cream
Vegan Dessert Shooters
No-Bake Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Slow Cooker Gingerbread Steamers
Vegan Dalgona Whipped Matcha Latte
Vegan Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake
Easy Vegan Watermelon Pizza
How to Make Coconut Whipped Cream (vegan + refined sugar-free + paleo)
- Total Time: 10
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A healthy, dairy-free alternative to traditional whipped cream. This light and airy coconut whipped cream tastes sweet, has soft peaks and is absolutely delicious. It is quick and easy to make too! I love that it is refined sugar-free and allergy-friendly.
Ingredients
- 2, 13.5 ounce can full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream, chilled 8 hours or overnight
- ¼ cup pure maple sugar (or pure maple syrup)*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- tiny pinch of fine salt
Instructions
- Place metal or glass mixing bowl and beaters in the refrigerator or freezer one hour before making whipped cream. If you don't have time for this it will still work but this produces the best results especially in warm climates.
- Open the cans of chilled coconut milk and scoop out the solid white part only (this will be on the top). You can discard the liquid part of the can or save for popsicles or smoothies. Place the solid white coconut cream in the chilled mixing bowl.
- Use an electric mixer with chilled beaters to whip the coconut cream until light and airy. Start on low speed and work up to the highest speed once it starts to get smooth. Scrape down the sides with a spatula if needed. Whip for about 1 minute total to get it nice and airy.
- Add pure maple sugar (or pure maple syrup), vanilla, almond extract and a tiny pinch of fine salt. Mix again and taste to adjust sweetness if desired. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week. It will harden up in the refrigerator so you may need to re-whip it before using again.
Notes
*The maple syrup will weigh it down slightly but it still works and keeps it refined sugar-free. If you want it even more thick, creamy and airy I recommend using pure maple sugar. If you want to avoid any grittiness you can blend the maple sugar to make a powered sugar. Just be sure to use at least 1 cup of maple sugar and store the rest for another recipe. Otherwise, if you don't use enough your blend may not be able to get the mixture going. Also be sure to use a completely dry blender.
TIP: I use Whole Foods 365 brand of full-fat coconut milk and have had perfect results with that. I have heard Trader Joe's Thai Kitchen and Native Forest are not as good to work with for this particular recipe. I have not had good results with Trader Joe's coconut cream.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Hand Mixer
Keywords: homemade coconut whipped cream
Penny says
Just FYI to cooking friends. Made yesterday using Native Forest Classic because had on hand. After refrigerating two days, open opening there was no solid cream and still completely liquid. Tried to whip anyway, of course didn’t get whipped cream. Will use for smoothie. It was delicious tho! Will make again soon and use 365.
Elaine Gordon says
Thanks for sharing! Sometimes you get a bad can... that has happened even with my favorite brands. I always keep 2-3 different brands/cans in my fridge in case that happens.