This delicious dairy-free whipped cream recipe is the BEST substitution for heavy whipping cream! The fluffy texture reminds me of Cool whip, but with a nutty hint from the coconut.
My dairy-free version is made with just 3 ingredients and is great to add to your favorite desserts, use in baking, or top pies. I love serving it with fresh berries and some mint for a light snack or dessert.
Just like my dairy-free cream cheese frosting and my homemade vegan buttercream frosting, this recipe is great for icing cakes and cupcakes!
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Ingredients You'll Need
Get all the details on these simple ingredients in the recipe card at the post's bottom.
- Canned coconut milk: You'll need full-fat coconut milk from a can as a heavy cream substitute. Light coconut milk or coconut milk from a box won't work.
- Powdered sugar: You can add more or less depending on how sweet you want it to be.
- Vanilla extract: Just a splash of vanilla takes this dairy-free whipped cream recipe to the next level.
- Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
How to Make Dairy-free Whipped Cream
- Chill a large bowl and your mixer attachments in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before starting the recipe.
- Scoop the thick part of a can of coconut milk (reserve the coconut water to add to smoothies). Add it to a bowl and using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat on high speed for a couple of minutes until soft peaks form.
3. Sift the powdered sugar into the whipped coconut cream and add the vanilla extract. Mix until creamy and smooth. Avoid overmixing, because it can cause the coconut cream to liquefy.
4. Taste and adjust the sweetness as needed. Add 1 more tablespoon of powdered sugar if you like it sweeter. If the whipped cream is too soft, refrigerate before using.
Top Tips
- Use full-fat coconut milk. You'll need to use coconut milk with at least 70% fat. The higher the fat, the more coconut cream you'll be able to scoop from the top of the can.
- Refrigerate the can overnight. This is a key step of this dairy-free whipped cream recipe. Do not skip it. You will need the fat to harden in order to scoop the solid part.
- Chill your utensils. This further helps with keeping the cream cool for as long as possible. Do not skip it!
- Don't overmix. The more you mix the cream the softer it gets. Stop mixing the moment everything comes together.
- Chill the whipped cream before using. If you have overmixed your whipped cream, or it has softened too much - refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
- It's important to keep in mind that every brand of coconut milk is different and can yield totally different results. If you try with a certain brand and it doesn't work out, next time try with a different one and see how that goes.
Frequently Asked Questions
It does. Since we are using only coconut cream as the base, it will have a prominent coconut flavor. I would say that this recipe is definitely for those who enjoy the taste.
A liquid sweetener such as maple syrup can it weigh down. If you want to substitute powdered sugar, you can use stevia.
If your whipped cream is too thin and runny, try refrigerating it first for at least 1 hour. if that doesn't help, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of tapioca starch. Make sure to add it a little bit at a time, while mixing, until you reach the desired result.
Yes! Transfer it to a freezer-safe bag, or a container and keep it in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before using. You may need to whip it up with a mixer until it's light and fluffy again.
Serving
This is dairy-free whipped cream is the perfect substitution for anything that you would need a dairy-based whipped cream.
You can use it to top desserts such as hot cocoa, vanilla pudding, and even vegan ice cream. It's also great for vegan pancakes and muffins.
If you want to use it for decorating cakes and cupcakes, you'll have to scale up the recipe accordingly. Also, note that, unlike regular whipped cream, this one doesn't keep well at room temperature. I suggest frosting your cake the day before and keeping it in the fridge until the very last minute.
Storage
Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
More Dairy-free Dessert Recipes
Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
Vegan Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
If you're looking for even more ideas, check out my 30 Best No-Bake Dairy-Free Desserts.
Dairy-free Whipped Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can (14oz) full fat coconut milk (chilled overnight in fridge)
- 2-3 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Chill a large bowl and your mixer attachments in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before starting the recipe.
- Scoop the thick part of a can of coconut milk (reserve the coconut water to add to smoothies). Add it to a bowl and using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat on high speed for a couple of minutes until soft peaks form.
- Sift the powdered sugar into the whipped coconut cream and add the vanilla extract. Mix until creamy and smooth. Avoid overmixing, because it can cause the coconut cream to liquefy.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness as needed. Add 1 more tablespoon of powdered sugar if you like it sweeter. If the whipped cream is too soft, refrigerate before using.
(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)
Suggested Equipment/Tools
Notes
- Use full-fat coconut milk. You'll need to use coconut milk with at least 70% fat. The higher the fat, the more coconut cream you'll be able to scoop from the top of the can.
- Refrigerate the can overnight. This is a key step in this recipe so do not skip it. You will need the fat to harden in order to scoop the solid part.
- Chill your utensils. This further helps with keeping the cream cool as long as possible. Do not skip it!
- Don't overmix. The more you mix the cream the softer it gets. Stop mixing the moment everything come together
- Chill the whipped cream before using. If you have overmixed your whipped cream, or it has softened too much - refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
- It's important to keep in mind that every brand of coconut milk is different and can yield totally different results. If you try with a certain brand and it doesn't work out, next time try with a different one and see how that goes.
Nutrition
Post photography by: Petranka Atanasova.
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