Need a dairy-free dessert topping that's not overly sweet and made with simple ingredients? This whipped coconut cream is just as thick, luscious, and creamy as dairy-full whipped cream and ideal for topping cakes, tarts, puddings, hot cocoa, and more.
This vegan whipped topping is made with 3 ingredients in 5 minutes of active time. Be sure to chill the canned coconut milk the day before you need it.
Though I love a good vegan cream cheese frosting or paleo cashew butter icing, sometimes whipped cream is the dessert topping that's called for. So it was a happy day when I learned that canned coconut cream can be whipped into a thick, luscious, dairy-free dessert topping. All it requires is an overnight chill to solidify the cream and separate it from the watery liquid, then a few minutes of whipping.
I've shared this formula on loads of dairy-free recipes here on TBG, including this vegan chocolate tahini tart and dairy-free gluten-free sponge cake. And I'm finally giving this essential vegan baking component a home.
This coconut whipped cream is so easy and versatile. See more favorite serving suggestions lower down in the post, and read on to see how it's made!
Ingredients
This recipe uses 3 ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
- Canned coconut cream (or milk) gets chilled overnight and whipped. Coconut cream will have more cream and less water, but coconut milk will work fine too. I've had the best success with Thai Kitchen brand, which is available at many grocers. As much as I try to avoid gums and other additives, I've had bad luck with some brands of guar-free coconut milk being curdled and grainy out of the can, so I tend to go with guar for the best results.
- Powdered sugar adds sweetness and helps the cream whip up firmly. I've had success using a few teaspoons of maple syrup too.
- Vanilla adds flavor. You can use vanilla extract, paste, or the seeds from half of a vanilla bean.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient quantities and instructions.
How to Whip Coconut Cream
This recipe makes about 1.5 cups of whipped coconut cream, about six 1/4-cup servings or enough for a 9-inch tart or single-layer cake. Increase the recipe as needed.
Once you've chilled your coconut cream or milk, it just takes a few minutes to whip up. It can keep in the fridge for up to 1 day; just re-whip if it separates.
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient quantities and instructions.
- Chill the can of cream for at least 8 hours or overnight, and up to several days.
- Without tilting or shaking the can, remove it from the fridge.
- Open the can from the bottom and pour off any liquid that has separated out.
- Scoop the firm cream into a bowl or stand mixer and add the sugar and vanilla.
- Use the whip attachment or a whisk or hand blender to whip the coconut cream until it's floofy and firm, like regular whipped cream.
- Use right away, or cover and chill for up to 1 day.
Troubleshooting
Some common whipped woes and how to solve them.
- Curdled cream from the can: If the coconut milk or cream looks curdled or separated right out of the can, it might not be salvageable. Best to start with a fresh can.
- Won't whip: If the cream refuses to whip up after several minutes of whipping, it might not have been chilled long enough. Try returning it to the fridge for several hours until firm. Drain off any water that has separated out, and try whipping again.
- Lumpy: If the coconut cream has some lumps in it, not to worry! These are just bits of coconut cream that are firmer than the rest. They'll melt once they're in your mouth! Mine always turns out a bit lumpy too, and nobody ever minds.
How to Use your Perfect Whipped Coconut Cream
This dairy-free topping can accompany just about any dessert. Here are some of my favorites:
- Spread it over cakes, such as coconut milk tres leches cake or dairy-free chocolate almond torte
- Float it in a warm drink such as vegan champurrado (thickened Mexican hot chocolate)
- Swirl it over tarts such as vegan tahini chocolate tart, no-bake lemon tart, or dairy-free key lime pie
- Serve it with paleo almond flour crepes and seasonal fruit
- Dollop it over puddings such as paleo vegan chocolate pudding
- Use it to frost layer cakes such as gluten-free dairy-free sponge cake
How will you use this vegan whipped cream? Let me know in the comments!
Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or Pinterest, purchase my award-winning gluten-free baking cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this whipped coconut cream recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.
3-Ingredient Vegan Coconut Whipped Cream
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 (400 ml) can coconut milk or coconut cream, refrigerated for at least 8 hours or up to several days
- ¼ cup (35) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy*
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Equipment
Instructions
- Remove the chilled can of coconut milk or cream from the refrigerator. Don't shake the can; we want the liquids and solids to stay separate.
- Open the can from the bottom and pour off all the watery liquid that should have separated from the creamy solids.
- Scoop out the solidified cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or into a large bowl and use a whisk or hand mixer).
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Whip on high speed until fluffy and thick, 1-2 minutes.
- Refrigerate until needed, up to 2 days. Re-whip if the cream separates.
Michelle says
Hi! The list of ingredients says coconut cream but the instructions says coconut milk. Please clarify which one to use for this recipe. Thank you!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Great question and my apologies for the confusion. You can use either one! I've updated the recipe to reflect that. If you have both or if you're going to the store, go with coconut cream which will have more fat and less liquid. Please let me know how it turns out!
Jo Jervis says
So I made this once and it was fabulous, however the last two times were epic fails!! At first I thought my fridge was too cold, and that was the reason. I tried to remember what I used the first time and I think it might have been cocoa cream. You state, that you can use both but coco milk no matter how long I whip up just remains, well, milk. I will try again next time with coconut cream.
Thanks for all our your great ideas!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear this! I've made this with both coconut milk and coconut cream in the past and both worked well. On one occasion I did have that same issue, but it was because I didn't let the can get cold enough.
Out of curiosity, which brand of coconut milk did you use? Wondering if that could be part of the issue.
Please let me know how it goes with the coconut cream - fingers crossed!
-Alanna