I've had this coconut whipped cream post sitting in the queue since last year but never got around to publishing it. A dairy-free whipped cream recipe is a must for every Paleo and SCD site's archives, so I'm finally hitting the “publish” button. This is the easiest recipe that will ever appear on my site! It involves only 2 ingredients and is the perfect topping for any pie, ice cream, or just served over fresh fruit.
So what kind of coconut milk should you use to make amazing coconut whipped cream?
I performed a highly scientific experiment to answer this question for you. 🙂 I grabbed the 3 brands that my Whole Foods sells and put them all in the fridge. Then, I opened them and took note of which one had the most cream on top. Then I whipped them up. Such a rigorous evaluation, right?
(A) Whole Foods Brand Organic Coconut Milk
(B) Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk
(C) Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk
Here are my findings:
A: Has guar-gum and most likely uses a can with BPA, although I can't find info to confirm that. The flavor is good, it had a good amount of cream rise to the top, but did not whip up as sturdy as B.
B: Has guar-gum, but is packaged in a confirmed BPA-free can. Flavor is good, similar amount of cream as A, but whipped up much better and created a larger volume of whipped cream in the end.
C: throw this one out of the mix- I totally didn't realize that I grabbed a can of lite milk. You need full fat for it to separate. However, Thai Kitchen has guar-gum AND is packaged in a BPA Can. So major negative points there. Plus this can did not separate. So this one was kind of at a disadvantage. Sometimes cans just don't separate well. It obviously did not whip up because of this so I really should have just thrown it out of the experiment. Regardless, I won't use it because of the BPA.
So with that, I recommend grabbing a can of Native Forest when you want to make whipped cream!
Note: I love Natural Value because their Organic milk is BPA and Guar Gum free but it doesn't work well for whipped cream in my experience.
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Kayleen
Can C (Thai Kitchen) did not separate because it I’d LITE. In order to get the cream, a full-fat coconut mill needs to be used-it appears the other two brands were full-fat. I have used the Thai Kitchen full-fat, and it works great, but I was not aware of the BPA can. Thank you for that bit of info.
Kristie
Does this have the coconut flavor? Or does it have a neutral flavor, like whipped cream?
Against All Grain
It tastes like coconut milk.
Angela
Thank you for this recipe and (all your others!)
I don’t know if it would work, but I use Trader Joe’s coconut milk. The can is BPA-free and the only two ingredients are coconut and water — no guar gum!
Angela
Janette
Trader Joes is lite.. They don’t carry full fat in their brand.
Teresa
They do now! Yay!
Tara Q.
Oh, this is brilliant, thank you!
And I’m pretty sure the reason #C didn’t work is because you grabbed the “lite” version which had less fat and has already been through a separation. You doomed it to fail! 😉
Moira
In this post about Coconut Whipped Cream you said there are two questions you get about it but you only discussed one. What is the other question and your answer? (PS I love your comments and recipes so keep up the good work!)
Against All Grain
I guess I never finished my train of thought. I don’t even remember now 🙂 Sorry!
A. Pike
Someone on another site suggested that the guar gum may be the reason the coconut milk whips so well. (I am just repeating–I have NO idea.;))
ariyele
i had the same experience with the same brands danielle 🙂
Brittany
Does that mean homemade coconut milk wouldn’t work?
Against All Grain
I’ve never tried it but I hear that it doesn’t work as well.
Joey
Thanks so much for this post. I made a chocolate pudding with the Native Forest brand last night. I read only on the can that it was gluten free, did not read the ingredient list……….my VERY BAD! My stomach does not like guar gum, and I spent a coouple of hours in the bathroom after dinner, not knowing what had happened. Good lesson, one of those I will not forget.
Mary
Not sure if they make an Organic version but Goya makes coconut milk (regular and light version, the light version probably won’t whip up as well) and NO thickeners like guar gum. I don’t know if the can is BPA free or not.
Kelly
It is gluten free. Guar gum contains no gluten. Perhaps it was something else.
Alisa
Natural Value brand works great and has no gums or additives in it! The can is BPA-free too!
melody
I like the Natural value because of the bpa thing too…Hey Danielle….are you sure Native Forest is BPA free??? They say nothing on the can or website. If they are i would love to know for sure because it’s more convenient for me to buy this brand.
Against All Grain
I haven’t actually contacted the company myself but I’ve read on a few other websites that it is, so I’m taking their word for it.
Ginnie Coleman
Or…you could just invest in an iSi Gourmet Whip. It worked perfectly using the whole can of milk, not just the thickened top! I did it the other night for a flourless chocolate torte and it was perfect.
Beverly
Terrific, I have an Isi Whip and am eager to try this. What fun! Thank you for letting us know
Megan T
Fantastic idea!
Suzanne Perazzini
In New Zealand we have different brands and it is difficult to find one that whips well but doesn’t have additives like guar-gum, which people can be allergic to. I have been disappointed many times with how badly most of them whip. The completely organic natural one you can get here has the cream as a solid block at the top, which is difficult to deal with. I have finally found one – I should buy up all I can find in case they go out of buisness.
Ruby
Can you please tell me what brand you used?
Against All Grain
If you scroll to the bottom of this link, you can find 3 different brands there.
https://againstallgrain.com/2013/03/02/coconut-whipped-cream/
KristaI
Thanks for the recipe. I noticed that the Thai Kitchen Coconut milk you used was the “lite” version. Thats the reason it didn’t separate or whip up well. Whatever brand you use it needs to be regular, full fat coconut milk to get the thick cream. You can also make chocolate whipped cream by adding cocoa powder 🙂
Laura
Just curious… why did you use LITE coconut milk (Thai Kitchens) for the comparison. Perhaps using full fat coconut milk (like the other two brands) would have yielded a much better result. I imagine that a lot of the CREAM is removed to make the LITE milk.
Against All Grain
It was a big mistake of not reading the can when I grabbed it 🙂 I don’t usually use Thai Kitchen because oft
Mary Cronin
When I go shopping I often look at the International aisle for spices and other groceries as I find they are a bit cheaper and good quality. I like using Badia brand spices. I noticed Goya had coconut milk & it does not have any fillers in it. I do not know if the can is BPA free or not so may not be a great choice but wanted to mention the no-fillers part. Since I have no reason to make anything with whipped cream until probably Easter, I’m not going to test it until then. If anyone else has any experience using the Goya brand please let me know! Also, I am also interested in seeing how the Trop. Traditions Coconut Concentrated creme would be whipped (another poster mentioned it and I just bought a jar last week of it). Thanks!
Mary Cronin
sorry, just saw your reply to someone else about about coconut cream..I’ll search for recipes that call for it. Thought it would be good to have around.
Alexa
I’ve been looking for a good dairy-free whipped cream! Thanks!
Beverly
Can anyone tell me if Whipped Coconut Cream can be made from Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate by diluting it? By mistake I bought an extra case of 12 so being able to use it whipped would be wonderful.
Thank you for your help
Joey
I need the same info that Beverly requests. I bought some Coconut Cream Concetrate and don’t know what to do with it….any help would be appreciated.
Against All Grain
From what I understand – coconut cream concentrate can be mixed with water to make coconut milk. It is also called coconut butter or coconut manna so search for recipes using that and you should have some things to do with it!
Anette Nørgaard
Hi Danielle
Do you think that the cononut milk should contain guar-gum for it to foam?
We don’t have coconut milk with guargum in Denmark.
Btw: ecxellent recipes! I absolutely love your cooking!
Best regards, Anette
Against All Grain
There’s speculation that the guar-gum is what helps it whip up stiff, but there haven’t been any actual experiments that I’ve come across. I know personally that I cannot get the Natural Value coconut milk to whip up and I assume it’s because it’s gum free. Thank you so much! I’m so glad you’re enjoying them.
Denise
Had a raw cheesecake with a dollop of whipped coconut cream on top at a vegan restaurant, they added guar-gum to whip up the coconut cream – so I was told. 🙂
SusanF
Thanks for posting this. I have been very curious about coconut whipped cream and this answered all of my questions.
Kristen
Isn’t it funny that they are all so different! I’ve seen many people make thickened coconut milk by just leaving a can unopened in the fridge. It never works for me! I’ll have to try this way 🙂
Anita
Does this work to make ahead? If I put it on top of a pie can I do it the day before serving it?
Against All Grain
You can make it ahead but you will want to re-whip it before serving.
Roanne
Have you tried adding egg whites to this? I might try my own version as I am looking for more dairy-free recipes. We are mostly sucrose and starch free, with lactose intolerance if we consume large amounts.
Debra @ Sweet Kisses and Dirty Dishes
I saw the photo and thought “you can’t use lite” but than I saw you already mentioned that. I have been wanting to try Native Forest. Where do you get Natural Value, never heard of that version but I guess if it does not whip then there is no reason for me to get canned verses my homemade coconut milk.
Emily
Looks delicious!
Would you please direct us to a recipe for the scrumptious looking dessert (fruit topped bread?) that the coconut whipped cream is topping?! Thanks in advance!!
Against All Grain
The recipe will be in the book!
Leea Browning
Whichever can I was getting at wal-mart it didn’t have guar gum. The only one out of three. Now they’ve quit carrying it where I shop. Sheesh!
Alexandra @ Creative Simple Life
Awesome recipe. I’ll have to try this! Native Forest is BPA-free too now! Great news, huh?
JP
I cannot thank you enough for this!! I have recently been placed on a restricted diet due to an IBD. My main concern has been not having my sweets!! (including and mainly whipped cream) Just made this, although leary because I am not the biggest fan of coconut….it was GREAT!! I am so happy to know that I now have this as an alternative! My daughters loved it as well. Thank you so much!! 🙂
Gutsy Girl
Is it possible to make this and store it in the fridge? If so, for how long?
Against All Grain
You can keep coconut whipped cream in the fridge for a few hours before using it. Because it’s coconut, it will harden a little as it cools. But if you need to keep it in the fridge longer, like overnight, take it out an hour ahead so it won’t be too firm when you use it.
Yvette
Here in Sweden we don’t have guargum in our coconut milk but most brand over work really well as long as it is regular and fat milk.
One brand I don’t even have to leave in the fridge or whip cold, it becomes like cream anyway. 🙂
Natalie
Can I use a can of coconut cream instead?
Meg Brothers
i’ve had this exact same question…
Against All Grain
Coconut milk has a liquid consistency and is made from simmering one part shredded coconut in one part water. Coconut cream is much thicker and richer. It is made from simmering four parts shredded coconut in one part water. The cream that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk is also considered coconut cream.
Irene
I was a food science major in college and feel the need to tell you people this, but please look at the nutritional facts before doing this!!! Coconut milk and therefore, coconut cream is very very high in saturated fats. In fact, the FDA and other government-based agencies do not recommend consuming it in large quantities. Coconut oil is almost as bad as the palm oil that movie theaters use on their popcorn. I understand that some people are all about “all-natural” and don’t line additives or processed foods but “all-natural” doesn’t always mean that its good for you. Nature gave us cocaine, marijuana and a whole slew of deadly plants and toxins. While it is reasonable to use this as a whipped cream once in a while, especially for those who are lactose/dairy intolerant, it is not recommended to consume this regularly. Also, coconut is an integral part of Polynesian diets (i.e. Hawaiian or Filipino) and they have ridiculous high rates of heard disease due to the over consumption of food rich in saturated fats. You won’t believe how many recipes for coconut-cream based frostings/whipped creams appear on Pinterest, but I would just like to warn you all before you wreak havoc on your heart and your LDL cholesterol levels.
Against All Grain
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/22/coconut-oil-and-saturated-fats-can-make-you-healthy.aspx
Beverly
RE: Irene’s comment about Saturated fat and coconut oil and saturated fat. I believe the more current information is that the best three oils from a health standpoint are olive oil (only to be used raw), coconut oil, and grapeseed oil(not to be confused with rapeseed oil also better known as Canola Oil, which is genetically modified and a bad for you oil, but widely used in commercial prepared foods and salad dressings.) Dr. Mercola’s article is right on. Also read Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Dr. Mary Enig
Kat
Late to the party, and as an aside… The Islands never had an issue with health until they started consuming refined grains and sugar as a part of their regular diet.
Also, ditto to the other points! And I can vouch for Dr Enig’s book as an excellent read.
Beth
This recipe was a complete flop for me. I used exactly the product recommended, left it in the fridge over night, and all I had for my efforts was a bowl of mealy looking coconut milk solid. (For the record, I have, many times, made homemade whipped cream from whipping cream, so I wasn’t new to this concept) I don’t know that I would waste the ingredients to try again.
Lorene Peetz
Hello,
Thanks for the recipe. I am trying to make some whipped cream using SO Delicious coconut milk creamer. I put it in a chilled bowl, used a chilled beater and ran my Kitchen Aid on 8 for about 5 minutes and it only foamed. Any ideas? (It comes in a little pint container, wax coated paper carton, you know)
I guess I will try to find something else? We don’t have a Whole Foods near us, so I’m not sure what I’ll be able to find.
Thanks for your help!
Against All Grain
Only the canned versions will work, the carton kind has too many additives and stabilizers.
Lorene Peetz
Hello again,
I was able to find Native Forest brand coconut milk at my local Kroger! Surprise! I am going to put it in the fridge tonight and try whipping it tomorrow. Will let you know how it turns out! I will be serving it on strawberry shortcake. (GF Bisquick shortcake recipe)
Thanks!
Against All Grain
Yay! I’m so glad you were able to get it 🙂 I hope it turns out well!
Leona
I have a can of 365, BPA Free
Angie
I tried the Thai kitchen brand and when I opened it, the cream was not white but grey and grainy tasting. didn’t taste bad, just….& my whipped cream did not set up. I did use another brand with it and it was not as sepperated and maybe that was my problem. I don’t know, just disappointed. Will try again cause the flavor was great!!
Olivia Reed
@IRENE: Don’t know where or when you went to college, but science has proven since then that coconut is naturally good for your heart. Remember, trans-fat was supposed to be a healthy alternative to butter and other natural fats back in the day. Turns out it was more like coating your arteries with silicone.
Kelly Clark
QUESTION: isn’t guar gum a no no on SCD? Will this work with a full fat milk with no guar gum?
Holly
If i want to use a can of coconut cream instead is one 4-5oz can whatever the native forest coconut cream comes in enough for a big bowl of whipped cream?
Jennifer Katherine Markoc
lets say the coconut cream over night does not set and seperate to solid and liquid on the bottom… can you add anything to it to harden it? like corn starch or can you put it in the freezer ?
Michele Schnelker
i’ve had 1 out of 4 successful tries at whipped coconut milk…never thought of re-whipping right before serving…clever! thx for this recipe danielle 🙂
Roli
I see amazon has native forest that’s guar free.
Melanie Shaddock
Can you freeze leftover the leftover coconut whip cream
Danielle
Yes
Kelly
Can’t wait to try this with your apple pie next week 😉 Thank you for the live video last night- I am a visual learner!! I’m wondering if you’ve ever tried with maple syrup instead of honey? Thank you!
Danielle
You’re so welcome! I haven’t tried it with maple syrup but it’s a good sub. Enjoy!!