Coconut whipped cream is a great dairy-free substitute for traditional whipped cream. With only three ingredients, it can be whipped up within minutes. All you need is a few cans of full-fat coconut milk! This coconut whipped cream recipe is dairy-free, vegan, keto, and Whole-30 friendly.
Giving up dairy was problematic for me, especially around the holidays. But once I discovered how to use plant-based foods like coconut, aquafaba, and cashews, I realized I could enjoy all my favorite foods again!
Coconut whipped cream is my go-to whipped cream alternative for almost all my cakes and pies (though aquafaba comes in second for some pies and meringues).
What is coconut whipped cream?
Just like traditional whipped cream, coconut whipped cream is made from coconut cream, whipped up with an electric mixer. However, because the structure of coconut milk is different from heavy whipping cream, coconut whipped cream is slightly denser and doesn’t double in volume the way whipped cream does. It also has a soft coconut flavor, perfect for topping on ice cream, fresh fruit, and baked goods.
How To Make Whipped Coconut Cream
To make dairy-free coconut whipped cream, you’ll need a few cans of full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream (not to be confused with coconut cream concentrate, which is another name for coconut butter).
Before you get started, you will need to refrigerate the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours. The cream will separate from the liquid once the coconut cream is chill.
Once you have your cold solid coconut cream, you’ll want to scoop it out into a medium mixing bowl. Save the leftover coconut water to add to smoothies. Next, you’ll add your sweetener if you’re using it. Stevia, powdered erythritol, powdered sugar, honey, and maple syrup all work well. It tastes great with just vanilla too!
If you’re in a humid area make sure to turn on the AC or the whipped cream will melt. Also, use a cold bowl to whip the cream in to insure it doesn’t melt.
Start by whipping your coconut cream at a low speed with an stand mixer or hand mixer. Continue to whip on high speed until it forms stiff peaks. It won’t be as light and airy as regular whipped cream. You can over-whip this, so make sure to keep an eye on it while it’s whipping up. Once the cream is whipped, use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl and pour the cream out of the bowl or onto your dessert.
Best Coconut Milk Brands
Unfortunately, not all coconut milk is made the same. Some have additives and other ingredients that make it difficult to make whipped cream from coconut milk. Below are my top favorite coconut milk brands:
- Aroy-D: This is a widely available brand that I’ve used often in my kitchen. It comes in a convenient carton, rather than a can. Aroy-D is available in bulk on amazon (affiliate link).
- Natural Value: This brand is top shelf coconut milk, comes in organic and has no additives!
- Native Forest: Another great coconut milk that I’ve found at many health food stores.
- Thai Kitchen: This is a cheaper brand of coconut milk that’s availalble everywhere, even Costco carries it in the cases. I use Thai Kitchen coconut milk in a lot of my kitchen testing since it’s so economical.
- Trader Joe’s: Trader Joe’s is another great option and I love that their coconut milk is additive free and organic.
Coconut Whipped Cream FAQ
Can I use any brand of coconut milk?
Unfortunately, not all coconut milk is made the same. I suggest using only Aroy-D, Native Forest, or Thai Kitchen. These are the only brands where the coconut cream separates when you refrigerate it.
How do I store this if I have leftovers?
Store leftover coconut whipped cream in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you want to use it again you might have to whisk it to get it fluffy again.
Can I freeze the coconut milk instead of refrigerating it? I’ve tried freezing the cans for an hour or two in the freezer, and it just isn’t the same. The texture is all off.
Can I use this to frost a cake?
Many people use coconut whipped cream to frost cake. I make a coconut cream frosting made with powdered sugar(swerve) and vanilla extract. Cool the cake before frosting to insure the frosting doesn’t melt.
Can I use canned coconut cream to make this?
In my experience canned coconut cream doesn’t always become solid when refrigerated. If you find a can of coconut cream that does turn solid, you can use it to make this recipe. I recommend sticking with the following brands: Aroy-D, Native Forest, and Thai Kitchen.
Can I use light coconut milk to make this?
No, you cannot use light coconut milk to make this. You need the fat part of the coconut milk to make the whipped cream. The cans of light coconut milk are too low in fat and do not turn solid when refrigerated. I suggest using light coconut milk for smoothies and drinks.
How To Use:
I love to use coconut whipped cream to top my favorite desserts (think pumpkin pie) and on top of coconut milk hot cocoa. You can use coconut whipped cream in place of whipped cream in most recipes!
Coconut Whipped Cream Recipe
Coconut whipped cream is a great dairy-free substitute for traditional whipped cream. All you need is a few cans of full fat coconut milk! This coconut whipped cream recipe is dairy-free, vegan, keto, and Whole-30 friendly.
- Prep Time: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 5 minuts
- Total Time: 1 day 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 can or carton of coconut milk
- 1 tbsp sweetener (I used Lakanto powdered erythritol)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Before you get started, you will need to refrigerate the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours. The cream will separate from the liquid once the coconut cream is chill.
- Open coconut milk and scoop off the coconut cream. The cream will be very thick and should easily scoop off from the top.
- Place cold coconut cream into a bowl and whip it with an electric mixer.
- Whip until coconut cream is fluffy. Feel free to add vanilla extract or your sweetener of choice to flavor this whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 114.7
- Fat: 11.4g
- Carbohydrates: 1.4g
- Protein: >1
Article originally published on June 10th, 2013 and updated on November 8th, 2021 with new images and content.
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very nice recipe
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Thanks so much for impacting us with your knowledge and time you spend to do research we appreciate.
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Once I make the whipped cream how long does it last in the fridge? Can I make it the night before for frosting a cake?
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Just found your site! Love all the recipes!
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Thank you so much for the gluten free pumpkin pie and coconut whipped cream. I’m taking this to my family’s house for Thankgiving. I don’t think anyone will be able to tell the difference from a regular pie. Yeppiee.?
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How long does whipped coconut cream last in fridge? Can it be frozen?
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I was all ready to make coconut whipped cream when I realized that I had not refrigerated my can of Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream. And my KitchenAid bowl is way too big to fit in my packed freezer. So I simply filled the bowl a quarter full of ice cubes, poured some cold water over it, and let it chill for about 15 minutes.
Then after whipping the coconut cream – which partially set, but not enough to hold its form on top a dessert – I transferred the whipped cream to a porcelain bowl and put that in the refrigerator for maybe 15 minutes. The result: nicely whipped coconut cream!
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I put my metal bowl & my metal beaters in freezer for 24 hrs. & refrigerate can of coconut cream for 2 days. Also, using vanilla bean crushed, instead of liquid vanilla. Whips up BEAUTIFUL easily and delicious!!
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I need some clarification & please forgive my ignorance, but when a recipe calls for full fat coconut milk does that mean mix the cream into the watery milk and use it that way? Or just use the creamy top? I’m confused.
Mix it all up together! 🙂
Two thins: 1) Many brands have guar gum in them. For regular uses, this is a good thing bc it helps keep the cream from separating from the water, but it is a disaster for makimg whipped cream. 2) I get canned cream (not canned milk) without the additive from a local Asian store. Bonus, I found refigerating for 2 days works best. Amazing stuff.
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is possible to make a natural coco and what is the procedure
I saw a wonderful tip, Open the liquid end first and “just pour the liquid off”, what’s left is the cream.
I couldn’t get it to whip up, but put the bowl in the freezer for a bit. Worked like a charm. Delicious – only added vanilla and some sugar.
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Can’t wait to try it ~ THANKS!
When I do this I use a tin of coconut cream. Turn it upside down and leave in the fridge overnight. Turn it gently back the right way when your ready to use it and scoop the cream from the top. Then whip it up. It is pretty delicious when flavoured with rice malt syrup and vanilla Bean.
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what do you do with what’s left in the can after you remove the cream?
The left over is just water. I toss it.
Or use the left over fluid in a smoothie – yum!
Wanted to ask how long the whipped coconut cream will last in an airtight container in the fridge. Making this to put in between a layer cake (the coconut one you posted actually.) Also wanted to ask about how long it will stay firm in the fridge if say tomorrow is independence day and it has to be transferred as of the next day ( the specific day) to another refrigerator to slather onto the cake- or can the cake be stored with the cream already on it in the fridge for a day in order to transfer it over to an outdoor event? Will it hold as far as temp? Sorry for the figurative way of speaking, I thought it might be easier to clarify this way. Thanks! If you can reply, that’d be awesome. It’s a birthday too. My cousin turned my age yesterday and I wanted to surprise her at the fourth of july family (very very small gathering and all masks, outdoors.) So thank you if you have a second. Have a great fourth everyone and an awesome day off !
I’ve tried this with that exact brand and my Kitchenaid stand mixer and the “cream” just turned to milk. It didn’t whip up at all. Any idea what I did wrong?
Same here! I refrigerated it over night to be sure it would be cold enough, separated it, but it never set up like whipped cream 🙁
Maybe put the metal bowl in the freezer first as you would do for dairy whipped cream.
How long did you refrigerate it for? I store my canned coconut milk in the fridge so it was very cold and the cream was really thick. Maybe you need to refrigerate the coconut milk longer?
I had the can in the fridge for 2 days.