How to Make Coconut Whipped Cream

Name: How to Make Coconut Whipped Cream
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 can coconut cream (chilled overnight); 2 tbsp powdered sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract

June 15, 2016

Learn how to make Coconut Whipped Cream with this step by step tutorial. This sweet, vegan whipped cream is sure to please.

I was introduced to coconut whipped cream on a hot summer day a few years ago. I was craving something sweet, cool and refreshing when I walked into LottaFrutta over in Old Fourth Ward Atlanta. This place reminds me of a fruit stand in a South American country. It’s fun and they offer lots of delicious, fresh fruit combinations. The “Cremolatta” caught my eye. I was intrigued with the fact that it was topped with coconut whipped cream. Huh? Whipped cream that’s vegan and full of coconut flavor? I’m in!

Learn to make easy, dairy-free coconut whipped cream!

After enjoying my fruit cup, I had to find out how to make coconut whipped cream. So, I turn to one of my best friends, Google. There are tons of recipes out there for coconut whipped cream so I didn’t invent this stuff. But in case you land on my site before the others, I want to pass the goodness on to you. So here ya go!

How to make vegan coconut whipped cream

1 cold metal mixing bowl
1 cold whisk or set of beaters
1 cold can of coconut cream or pure coconut milk (If you can find it, I highly recommend using coconut cream – especially if you’ll be whipping it by hand.)

Start with a cold can of coconut cream or coconut milk. Put the can in the fridge the night before. If whipped coconut cream becomes a staple in your house, you might find yourself keeping a can of coconut milk in the fridge, just in case. Just saying.

I personally like the Trader Joe’s brand because it doesn’t have a bunch of additives. There are other great brands though – just check the ingredient list.

If using coconut milk, ignore the instructions on the can to “shake well.” You want to do just the opposite. Carefully open the can without shaking or tilting.

Scoop the solids into a cold bowl. and leave the liquid or drain it off. The method you use depends on how the solids are set. If you’re using coconut cream, scoop it all into a cold bowl.

I used my stand mixer to whip this blob into shape. It would work just as well with a whisk by hand but this way goes faster. If you use a whisk, the coconut cream may get a little warm. Simply add a bowl of ice under the bowl to keep it all cool.

Whip just until it’s light and creamy. Sprinkle in the sugar and vanilla. Whip again to fully incorporate the sugar and vanilla.

Taste. Serve it with fresh berries or atop a piece of cake or pie. Coconut whipped cream is so rich and creamy (and stable compared to regular whipped cream) that it will also make a delicious icing for cake. I used it most recently in my Vegan Roasted Strawberries.

You can refrigerate the leftovers in a sealed container for up to a week.

What’s the best canned coconut milk you can buy?

Many of the coconut milk options on the market contain lots of additives like gums and fillers. Those won’t work well for whipped coconut cream. Choose one that’s made only with coconut and water. Here are the brands of coconut milk I like in order of preference:

Trader Joe’s Organic Coconut Milk
Trader Joe’s Organic Coconut Cream
Sprouts Organic Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream
365 Everday Value Organic Coconut Milk (Whole Foods brand)
Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk

I buy the Trader Joe’s coconut milk and cream because those are the only ones that don’t include additives and both cost less than $2! And they have a pop top!

If you don’t have access to these, the folks at Good Housekeeping did a great review of the best canned coconut milk to buy. be sure to check out the comparison guide and then get to work on this recipe!

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