Perfect coconut whipped cream is at your fingertips with this step-by-step tutorial! Plus, we’ve recently updated the post with new information on what brands are best and which brands to avoid!
What is coconut whipped cream?
Coconut whipped cream is a dairy-free alternative to classic whipped cream, which is made with heavy whipping cream! For a dairy-free, vegan-friendly version, simply swap a good quality full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream in its place and whip into soft peaks!
How is coconut whipped cream made?
Coconut whipped cream is made by:
- Selecting a good quality brand of coconut milk or coconut cream (see recommendations below)
- Chilling can overnight in the refrigerator to harden (chilling in the freezer doesn’t work as well)
- Scooping hardened coconut cream into a mixing bowl and leaving any clear liquid behind (reserve for smoothies, etc.)
- Whipping with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light peaks form
- Optionally sweetening with sifted powdered sugar or stevia to taste (liquid sweeteners can weigh it down)
Best brands for coconut whipped cream?
We tested 9 brands and these are the results! Listed from best to worst:
- Savoy Coconut Cream – 10/10 – firm on top, liquid on bottom, super fluffy / creamy when scooped out – guar free!
- Nature’s Charm Coco Whipping Cream – 10/10 whipped nicely, used the whole can, subtly sweetened, so delicious.
- Aroy-D – 10/10 – amazingly fluffy when scooped out – little liquid on the bottom. Whips like a dream – guar free!
- 365 Whole Foods Organic Coconut Milk – 9/10 – firm to scoop out, half liquid, not too grainy – blended perfectly, especially after adding some of the coconut water to the bowl.
- Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk Classic – 8/10 – firm to scoop out, ⅓ liquid – whips up nicely, especially with the addition of a little coconut water from the can.
- Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk Simple (guar free) – 6/10 – scooped a little grainy, but fluffy out of the can. ½ liquid. Whipped easily, with a few more chunks and slightly less creaminess than the “classic” counterpart
- Field Day Classic Unsweetened Coconut Milk- 7/10 – watery on top, hard at bottom, but creamy to scoop. Whipped well, a little less fluffy / creamy than the others.
- Trader Joe’s Organic Coconut Cream – 5/10 – grainy / oily at first – grainy and didn’t whip well but wasn’t runny
- Trader Joe’s Organic Coconut Milk – 3/10 – chunky and hard – half liquid – blended into bits but too firm to whip.
Tips for perfect coconut whipped cream
- Select a good quality brand of coconut milk (see recommendations above).
- Chill overnight, not in the freezer for best results.
- Chilling overnight is key or the coconut cream won’t harden and will likely be too soft to whip.
- Before whipping, chill a large mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes!
- If your coconut whipped cream is too stiff when whipping, add some of the reserved liquid from the can to help it blend smoother and create more air!
- See clumps? Keep whipping and scraping down sides, and add some of the reserved liquid from the can to soften the mixture and create more air!
- Use immediately, OR (our preferred) make ahead and chill for 4 hours + where it will firm up even more!
- Keep it sugar free by adding a little stevia to taste!
Delicious Ways to Enjoy Coconut Whipped Cream
It’s perfect for topping desserts such as pie, hot cocoa, strawberry shortcake, and ice cream. It’s also ideal for french toast, pie fillings, mousse, and even no-churn ice cream!
If you are wanting to use it to decorate a cake or cupcakes, please note that it is delicious, but doesn’t do well at room temperature (2 hours is probably the maximum it would be able to keep). For best results, we suggest making it and then refrigerating overnight. Frost your cake/cupcakes the next day and keep them in the fridge until ready to serve.
If you try this recipe let us know! Leave a comment and rating, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
NOTE: Post updated 3/21/19 with brand recommendations, tips for perfect coconut whipped cream every time, and more photos.
How to Make Coconut Whipped Cream
An easy, step-by-step recipe for how to make coconut whipped cream! Perfect for topping vegan and non-dairy desserts.
Servings 6 (1/4-cup servings)
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut cream or full fat coconut milk*, chilled overnight (Savoy Coconut Cream, Aroy-D Coconut Milk, and Nature's Charm Coconut Whipping Cream work best!)
- 1/4 – 3/4 cup icing/powdered sugar (use organic to ensure vegan friendliness)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Chill your coconut cream or coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight (see notes for top brands!), being sure not to shake or tip the can to encourage separation of the cream and liquid. See notes for more insight / troubleshooting.
- The next day, chill a large mixing bowl 10 minutes before whipping.
- Remove the coconut cream or milk from the fridge without tipping or shaking and remove the lid. Scrape out the top, thickened cream and leave the liquid behind (reserve for use in smoothies).
- Note: if your coconut milk didn’t harden, you probably just got a dud can without the right fat content. In that case, you can try to salvage it with a bit of tapioca flour – 1 to 4 Tbsp (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size)- during the whipping process. That has worked for me several times.
- Place hardened cream in your chilled mixing bowl. Beat for 30 seconds with a mixer until creamy. Then add vanilla (optional) and powdered sugar (or stevia) and mix until creamy and smooth – about 1 minute. Avoid overwhipping because it can cause separation. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed.
- Use immediately or refrigerate – it will harden and set in the fridge the longer it’s chilled. Will keep for up to 1 – 2 weeks!
- Coconut whipped cream is perfect for topping desserts like pie, hot cocoa and ice cream. It’s also ideal for french toast, pie fillings, mousse, and even no-churn ice cream!
Video
Notes
*Using coconut cream yields more coconut whipped cream than using full fat coconut milk, because it contains more cream and less liquid.
*Finding a good brand with consistent firmness is key! My go to’s are: Savoy Coconut Cream, Aroy-D Coconut Milk, 365 Whole Foods Full Fat Coconut Milk, and Nature’s Charm Coconut Whipping Cream (in a can). Coconut milks that didn’t work as well for me are: Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream and Coconut Milk, Field Day, Thai Kitchen, and Native Forest.
*This is not my original recipe or concept, rather one I’ve adapted from other recipe developers.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of powdered sugar.
*Recipe makes ~1 1/2 cups coconut whipped cream.
*Finding a good brand with consistent firmness is key! My go to’s are: Savoy Coconut Cream, Aroy-D Coconut Milk, 365 Whole Foods Full Fat Coconut Milk, and Nature’s Charm Coconut Whipping Cream (in a can). Coconut milks that didn’t work as well for me are: Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream and Coconut Milk, Field Day, Thai Kitchen, and Native Forest.
*This is not my original recipe or concept, rather one I’ve adapted from other recipe developers.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of powdered sugar.
*Recipe makes ~1 1/2 cups coconut whipped cream.
Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)
Serving: 1 quarter-cup servings Calories: 126 Carbohydrates: 6.8 g Protein: 0.9 g Fat: 9.8 g Saturated Fat: 8.9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 22 mg Potassium: 0 mg Fiber: 0 g Sugar: 6.7 g Vitamin A: 0 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 0 mg Iron: 0.7 mg
Melissa says
I made this today; I used the Thai Kitchen cream and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and it came out prefect! Great taste. Thank you!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Melissa! xo
Rose says
hi there, I was surprised you did not mention Thai brand coconut cream. or milk, Would they work? it is very creamy.
thanks,
can’t wait to try it.
Rose
Hi Rose, are you referring to Thai Kitchen? If so, check the notes!
Esther says
This is not a negative on your recipe if you create it. However, I have tried the coconut milk, whipped cream several times. Properly refrigerated, drained out the liquid, full fat, and it does not hold up or get light and fluffy. Ever.
Lou says
Did you try mixing for a bit longer? I realized that 1.5 minutes of beating wasn’t enough. I mixed for about 7 minutes before stiff peaks began to form. I also used my hand mixer with the beat attachments.
Rohit Gangwani says
Hi,
I’ve been enjoying your posts, and really want to make this, except, is it possible to whip this cream by hand with a balloon whisk like it’s possible with dairy cream.. ? Or is the electric hand mixer a necessity here?
Thanks!
Rohit
Hi Rohit, we’ve found it’s possible to whip by hand with thick, creamy brands of coconut milk/cream. Hope that helps!
Kim Vermeulen says
Do you think this could be mixed with regular whipped cream (heavy cream) to make it more stable? I’m afraid of it melting too soon.
That should work!
Tania says
Love all your recipes! I would just like to point out that not all coconut products are actually vegan in the way that they source the coconuts. According to sources most Thai brands abuse monkeys to source their coconuts, so if you want to be sure you are not supporting this horrible practice it’s recommended to either don’t buy Thai coconut products or do deep research to confirm your brand is ethical!
Maya Arogundade says
Hi, thanks for the recipe!
Could you use a professional whipped cream dispenser for an easier way of aerating and serving the cream?
We haven’t tested that, but have seen others do it!
Bonnie from Spanaway WA says
WATCH HER VIDEO. The printed recipe instructions differ from the video instructions. I had to modify the recipe to match what she was saying, especially about whipping to soft peaks (not just 30 seconds). The video is good for actually seeing what the layers of coconut cream look like. I used “Let’s Do Organic Heavy Coconut Cream (30%)” but I couldn’t tell whether it “worked” or not as at the time I didn’t know to just keep whipping. Tasted fine, but then I don’t have anything to compare it with. For a potluck, I packed it into squeezees so it wasn’t open to the air on a table. I do not know what “full cream” means as it’s not on labels. And, I simply thought coconut milk was a more liquid version of coconut cream. I need to do research on this.
Mary Mowdy says
This is a great way to top a serving of berries. I have modified this recipe for my family simply by omitting the sugar and vanilla because we like the coconut flavor (don’t need the vanilla) and we don’t seem to want added sweetener on top of already sweet things. Another reason I omit the sugar is we avoid sugar in order to avoid contributing to chronic silent inflammation in our bodies. But if I have guests who have a sweet tooth and who need to ease into the full coconut flavor, I do add the vanilla and I use monk fruit powder (1/8 tsp equals 1 tsp of sugar). I was so glad to find your info out here and to know which brands of coconut milk or cream work the best. You saved me a lot of heartache by doing that research!
We’re so glad the brand research was helpful, Mary! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Meri Schroeder says
Absolutely yummy! What a great and healthier alternative to dairy whipped cream. We had guests over for dinner and served over a vegan apple crisp. It was so good and our guests had seconds.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Meri. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
JR Lanoue says
I have made this before, if you want to make a version that is more closer to what you are able to buy at the store, I use this one to make my homemade Peanut Butter Pies from. I make up 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin, using the smallest amount of hot water just enough to melt the gelatin and then set it in a larger bowl with hotter water in it. It will help to dissolve any remaining lumps in the gelatin. Then while mixing the cold almost frozen coconut milk, at the soft peaks stage start adding the clear and lump free gelatin into your milk and beating it to the consistency that you want to keep it in. I also like to add vanilla and any additional sugar, sweetener, or flavoring like cinnamon, a dash of salt to sharpen the flavor. I also have made Chocolate, and Strawberries, mint chocolate chip, several other flavors your imagination is the limit once you get the hang of stabilizing the original recipe. Once it’s set up and you have finished using it put it in the fridge or freezer and the gelatin will help it to hold its shape and keep everything together. I use 2 full packages of gelatin to a single can of milk or cream. You should be able to use Vegan gelatin for those that are on the non dairy or non animal diets. I have only used the animal products version so I can only speak from that experience, I was making cheesecakes and thought it would be a great way to stabilize my coconut whipped cream that I use in other recipes instead of the regular store bought stuff. You can also use a pastry bag and a whipped cream canister to decorate your cake and cupcakes. Please understand that even though it is still stabilized by gelatin it is not going to stand up to a 80*-110* degree temperature day. Please use your common sense if ice is going to melt then so is whipped cream even though it’s able to be made more stable.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Nancy Zordan says
It would have been helpful if the Note that cream has to be in fridge OVERNIGHT was highlighted at the top of the recipe – next to the ingredient in the Ingredients List.
Thank you for the feedback and sorry for the trouble, Nancy! We’ll see if we can make that more clear.
Amber says
Hello,
I’ve made this a few times and love it! Can this be frozen like the so delicious coco whip?
Thanks!
Hi Amber, so glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe! We aren’t sure, but we think the texture will probably become much more solid than coco whip in the freezer. Hope this helps!
Nicola says
What size mixing bowl do you generally use to whip coconut cream?
In the past, maybe it was “dud” cans or the wrong brands, but I wonder if my whipped coconut cream problems might have been the wrong size bowls. Do I want to allow a lot of air to be able to enter the cream by using a larger bowl, or should I keep the coconut cream close, without a lot of excess surface area, as in a smaller mixing bowl?
My set of 3 mixing bowls measures 11, 9, and 7(?) inches across — of course, as I write this, the smallest bowl, which I usually use, is “hiding” on me! My similar-size Tupperware batter bowl is 8 cups/4 pints, so maybe the mixing bowl is 3 to 4 pints. Which do you think would give me the best results? (I actually controlled myself and have some leftover avocado mousse/pudding from last night, and it is calling for whipped cream.)
Thank you.
Hi Nicola, hm, we hadn’t thought about that making a difference, but perhaps! We typically use a bowl that’s ~10 inches across. Hope that helps! P.s. Yummm to that mousse!
Jackie says
There are no good brands of coconutmilk in the Netherlands. Or they cost a fortune:(
If anybody has tips where to buy good brands in Netherlands pls tell 🙏🏻
Hey Jackie! Sorry we aren’t familiar with whats available there, but perhaps another reader can help! xo
J says
Jackie – I’m also in NL and tried a UHT-boxed version of coconut cream from Sligro for the first time, but it didn’t really whip up light – at least not how I imagine that it should… It was still tasty and I mixed it with cocoa powder and powdered sugar for a mousse, but it was dense and rich. I’m going to look for a canned kind at an asian food store next time.
Katarina says
I found that the Fairtrade Original Kokos Melk (bought at Jumbo in Amsterdam) worked really well! It is definitely expensive, but it worked perfectly.
https://www.fairtradeoriginal.nl/product/kokosmelk-400ml/
Atara Dahan says
1. Does it need to come in a can? The only preservative-free coconut milk I’ve seen around is in a carton.
2. If I use it to ice a vanilla cake and keep the cake in the fridge when not eating, how long will it last?
Thanks
Hi Atara, if you’re referring to the refrigerated or shelf-stable box, those aren’t thick enough. It doesn’t keep well on the cake. It’s best to frost with coconut whipped cream just before serving!
Kara says
Hi! Can this be used and blended in with lingonberry preserve to fill swiss roll cake? Thanks, I’ve made coconut cream whipping cream and even frosting before. For larger cake a four can ratio is enough since the yeild isn’t doubled the same way as dairy. Tanks, trying for birthday with lower sugar sponge gf options but it’s still cake, regardless. Gi post gallbladder and the like. Gastritis only goes off if it hates my cooking in a pinch so hope to get response before the 21st. Birthday is certainly the first day of winter here in Ny.
Hi Kara, the texture of this whipped cream is probably not thick enough to hold up in a Swiss roll. We think it might ooze out!
Jackie says
Whoa! I was unsure but it came together beautifully!
Whoop! We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Jackie. Thank you for sharing! xo