Coconut Whipped Cream Recipe: Dairy-Free and Vegan (2024)

FAQs

Is coconut whipped cream dairy free? ›

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!

Yes, the coconut and almond varieties are vegan.

Nut milks, such as cashew, macadamia, or almond milk are all good substitutes. Although they don't taste like coconut, they do lend a nutty undertone to your dishes. Nut milks are a bit thinner in texture compared to coconut cream. To thicken, you can use the same technique as above for whole milk.

The most common reason your coconut cream won't whip is because it wasn't chilled sufficiently. Chilling overnight is key. If you don't, the coconut solid won't harden and separate from the liquid. Too much liquid will result in soupy and creamy cream that doesn't whip.

Using regular sugar, honey, maple syrup, or any other sweetener doesn't work well for whipped coconut milk. It is too thin and loose. You need to use some icing sugar (powdered sugar) to get that little bit of thickening. Anything else will make it collapse, be grainy, or again be soupy.

Vegan Whipped Cream Ingredients

Honestly, the magic of this vegan whipped cream is that it only really requires two ingredients! Soy milk and coconut oil! The key is to get the quantities right (which is why I really recommend using a set of kitchen scales for this recipe).

Soy milk and olive oil

For a vegan dairy-free alternative to heavy cream, try mixing soy milk with olive oil. Much like the pairing of milk and butter, olive oil adds fat to the soy milk for a flavor and function comparable to heavy cream.

Coconut milk contains high levels of calories and fats. Combining a high intake of coconut milk with a carbohydrate-rich diet can result in weight gain. Replacing dairy milk with coconut milk may mean that a person consumes less calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin A.

Coconut cream is the same thing as coconut milk—coconut meat blended with water—but it contains less water. While coconut milk is thin like cow's milk, coconut cream is thick like whipped cream. You can find this fat-rich cream floating on the top of any canned coconut milk, or you can buy it in a dedicated can.

Why is my coconut whipped cream grainy? If your coconut whipped cream is grainy or has chunks that will not become smooth, this is a sign of a bad brand of coconut milk. We tested this recipe using Thai Kitchen full-fat coconut milk and had excellent results.

What will stabilize whipped cream? ›

If you're making a stacked dessert with whipped cream, and the recipe calls for a particular stabilizer, it's best to use what is recommended. If you must make a substitution, Instant ClearJel is still the best choice, but cornstarch, crème fraîche, mascarpone, and plain yogurt will all work well too.

How do you thicken coconut milk into cream? This recipe calls for using the coconut cream from the top of a full-fat can of coconut milk. There are recipes that use cornstarch as a thickening agent if you use a full can.

If you don't want to change the coconut-rich flavor, use coconut flour for thickening the same as you would wheat or other flour. Remove some stock from the pot, let it cool, mix into it until you have a slurry, then return the slurry to the pot while constantly stirring and bring to a boil until thickened.

And of course, you can certainly add cornstarch (or tapioca starch, or arrowroot, or agar, xantham gum, guar gum, or innumerable other thickeners or stabilizers) to your whipped cream. As a general rule, start with 1/4 teaspoon mixed directly into the cream as you whip it.

Coconut cream is a versatile, dairy-free, and low carb ingredient that can enhance the taste and texture of many recipes. For example, use it as a delicious addition to soups, smoothies, sauces, and desserts. Because it's high in calories and saturated fat, enjoy it in moderation as part of a healthy diet.

The whipped creams may be in the form of dairy whipping cream or imitation whipping cream. Dairy whipping cream with above 35% fat is the original product; however, nowadays creams based on vegetable fat are commonly seen.

From its introduction, Cool Whip was labeled and advertised as non-dairy, but as of 2018 it contains skimmed milk and sodium caseinate, a milk derivative. Even before the skimmed milk was introduced, Cool Whip was classified in Jewish dietary traditions as dairy because of the sodium caseinate.

Coconut cream is the same thing as coconut milk—coconut meat blended with water—but it contains less water. While coconut milk is thin like cow's milk, coconut cream is thick like whipped cream. You can find this fat-rich cream floating on the top of any canned coconut milk, or you can buy it in a dedicated can.