Made from just 3 simple ingredients, this homemade Cool Whip substitute is so easy to make & ridiculously delicious! You’ll never want to buy the stuff from the store again. Homemade whipped cream for the win!
There are affiliate links in this post. If you use these links, I may earn a commission- please read my full disclosure policy.
I remember as a child being in awe as I watched my mom dump cream into a mixing bowl and then a couple of minutes later produce fluffy white whipped cream, with beautiful peaks. It seemed almost magical!
And I especially loved when she’d let me lick off the beaters after I sat there mesmerized watching them whirl around, the cream gradually thickening.
Eventually, my mom started using Cool Whip more instead of real whipped cream. But I always had an affinity for the real thing.
Once I was a homemaker myself, I started becoming a bit more health conscious and realized that the list of ingredients in Cool Whip wasn’t exactly pretty. But since it was usually a lot cheaper than real whipped cream, our tight budget usually won the decision and most times I relied on the bought fake stuff.
Then several years ago I made an exciting discovery! Aldi sells heavy cream for $1.99 a pint and one pint makes the equivalent of 2 Cool Whip containers full of real whipped cream. That makes it very inexpensive at just $0.99 for every 2 cups of whipped cream!
So I started making my own and haven’t looked back since. If a recipe calls for Cool Whip, I make my own homemade Cool Whip with whipping cream and sub it instead. It not only tastes more delicious, but it is also much healthier too!
Homemade Whipped Cream
Easy Homemade Whipped Cream (homemade Cool Whip)
This super easy 3 ingredient homemade whipped cream is absolutely delicious and will have you wanting to totally ditch store bought Cool Whip!
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 to 4 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
-
Pour heavy whipping cream into a mixing bowl. (If you using a hand mixer, make sure the bowl has high sides because the cream will splash quite a bit initially. I've found using the whisk attachment helps a lot!)
-
Beat on medium speed just until soft peaks are formed.
-
Add sugar and continue mixing until stiff peaks form.
-
Stir in vanilla.
-
Store refrigerated.
Recipe Notes
While you can store whipped cream in the fridge, it will usually get a bit runny as it sits. So it works best if you wait to make it until you are ready to use it.
If you buy raw milk, you can also use the cream from it to make whipped cream. Just be sure to let the milk stand for several days so the cream separates out really well. Then use only the thickest cream from the very top, making sure not to get any milk in it at all. If your cream gets milk in it, you won't be able to get it to thicken.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY:
Monica says
April 30, 2015 at 5:18 PMI’ve been doing real whipped cream, too. Mainly, I wasn’t crazy about the corn syrup in the tub o’whipped topping. It’s funny, the taste reminds me of Thanksgiving because we always went to my grandparents and my grandmother only used real cream, whereas my mom always used Cool Whip. I like to think today’s moms are coming full circle on healthy whole foods.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
April 30, 2015 at 9:15 PMAh, I love that real whipped cream takes you back to happy memories of Thanksgiving with family. Fun! And yes, funny that you mention that moms are coming full circle. I think you are so right. And it’s kind of interesting because even my own mom hardly uses Cool Whip anymore and started using real whipped cream again.
Julie@FrugallyBlonde says
May 1, 2015 at 6:42 AMWe always had cool whip growing up, I never cared for it. But, a couple years ago I had leftover cream and tried making this. SO much better than cool whip. My son loves this with fresh fruit in summer.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
May 1, 2015 at 5:34 PMAnything is better with real whipped cream, right? 😉 And now you have me hungry for fruit with real whipped cream!
Juliana says
May 2, 2015 at 7:12 PMThis sounds so easy! I’ve never made real whipped cream, but I’m ready to try!
ThriftyFrugalMom says
May 2, 2015 at 7:50 PMOh do, you’ll love it!
wvglitter says
November 19, 2015 at 7:16 PMI had never made the real stuff before either. Before tonight, that is! I just had the best cup of hot chocolate of my life 🙂
ThriftyFrugalMom says
November 19, 2015 at 9:36 PMOh yum! Real whipped cream on hot chocolate is the best! Glad you liked it. 🙂
Shelly says
May 2, 2015 at 11:04 PMI just saw a video on Facebook the other day about how to make whipped cream in a mason jar. You add 1 cup whipping or heavy cream to the jar. Then add 1-2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1-2 drops of vanilla extract. Put the lid on and give the jar a shake for 45 seconds. The result is whipped cream. I was really amazed at how well it worked in the video and when I saw your posts I just had to share.
Because my family has to eat dairy free, we usually don’t have whipped cream. Even Cool Whip has milk in it. But I have found that I can make something similar, whipped coconut cream. It takes a little planning ahead but is a good substitute.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
May 3, 2015 at 7:43 AMInteresting, Shelly! I guess it would be a good way to get a little workout too! 🙂
Keri says
May 5, 2015 at 1:07 PMLooks so delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Rebekah @ Naturally Blessed Mama says
May 6, 2015 at 9:41 AMThis would be so good for my husband and son. I wonder if you can make whipped cream out of non dairy milk? I have two girls allergic to cow and goat milk. Thanks for sharing. I will have to try it soon!
ThriftyFrugalMom says
May 6, 2015 at 1:02 PMRebekah, I think you can make something similar with other non-dairy milks, but I’m pretty sure the method is totally different. If you Google it or search on Pinterest, I’m pretty sure you’d be able to find something!
Rebekah says
May 6, 2015 at 11:46 AMThis looks so delicious! I love whipped cream :-). Found you on the Women with Intention link-up.
lyssa says
May 6, 2015 at 1:27 PMHi I’m interested in starting a blog, I adore yours and hope you could help.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
May 6, 2015 at 1:39 PMYou’re quite kind, Lyssa! I think it would be kind of fun to do a series of posts on blogging, but am never quite sure if my readers would find it interesting.
If you are interested in starting a blog, here are a few of my favorite resources:
* AmyLynnAndrews.com
She is an AMAZING resource and actually has a lot of tips for getting started and plenty of more in-depth stuff too
* How to Blog for Profit: Without Selling Your Soul
My favorite book on blogging, hands down. And while it’s not recommended to try to make money from your blog immediately, a lot of what she teaches is great just for setting up a nice looking, successful blog. Then once you get traffic built up, you’ll easily be able to monetize if you want to.
* Learn to Blog Hangouts
A collection of super helpful videos with lots of info. If you look on Facebook, they also have a group page there.
Hope that helps! Blogging is a lot of hard work, but it’s also so fun and a great way to connect with others. Obviously I enjoy it! 🙂
Holly says
May 12, 2015 at 5:16 PMThis will go great with my fresh farm picked strawberries! Visiting from GTTuesday.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
May 12, 2015 at 8:15 PMOh, it will be perfect! And I’m jealous of the strawberries. 🙂
Jenny @ Women With Intention says
May 12, 2015 at 9:22 PMI’ve never made real whipped cream but it’s going to happen very soon! Pinned! Thanks for sharing at Women With Intention Wednesdays!
Laura@shortandsweetmoments.com says
June 17, 2015 at 7:56 AMMMM, I love real whipped cream and it is incredibly easy to make (though the price of whipping cream is always a little staggering!). The canned stuff in the store is no comparison! Visiting from Women with Intention!
ThriftyFrugalMom says
June 17, 2015 at 8:58 AMYes, real whipped cream definitely can’t be beat. I always cringed at the price too before I discovered Aldi carries it for $1.89 a pint. Now I buy it frequently because it’s really no more expensive than Cool Whip!
Valerie @ Momma in Progress says
June 26, 2015 at 6:36 AMThis looks awesome and something even I could do, ha! Stopping by from the #SHINEbloghop.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
June 26, 2015 at 10:37 AMOh, it’s so easy that anyone can do it! And once you have a bite, you’ll wonder why you waited to do it. 🙂
Jennifer | The Deliberate Mom says
June 26, 2015 at 8:18 AMHomemade whipped cream is the best. There’s nothing quite like it. Plus, it’s good to know every ingredient that goes into the food we eat.
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely weekend.
xoxo
ThriftyFrugalMom says
June 26, 2015 at 10:40 AMYes, I love being able to know the actual ingredients of what we are eating.
Valerie says
July 5, 2015 at 6:53 AMIf you use honey instead of sugar it won’t get runny. Tastes the same.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
July 6, 2015 at 8:04 AMSerious, Valerie? That’s good to know! I like using honey instead of sugar in some things just because I feel like it is healthier, but I never thought of trying it in whipped cream.
Carlee says
August 6, 2015 at 8:58 PMNow that you mention it, making the real stuff isn’t that hard. I’m taking this to heart and making more homemade whipped cream. Watch out Aldi, here I come!
ThriftyFrugalMom says
August 7, 2015 at 9:18 PMI know, right? Every time I make some to replace Cool-Whip in a recipe, I’m like, “Why did I wait so long to do this?!”
KrisAnne says
October 9, 2015 at 2:15 PMI thought about leaving a comment the other times you posted it, but never did. However, I really do need to say this! You’re missing one very important thing in this recipe: a good pinch or 2 of salt! It rounds out the flavor and makes it that much yummier. 🙂 {In my humble opinion.}
ThriftyFrugalMom says
October 9, 2015 at 2:18 PMWell, I value your humble opinion a lot, so I’m glad you finally took the time to leave the comment. 😉 Seriously, I never heard of adding salt, but it makes a lot of sense that it would give more depth to the flavor. Definitely going to try it!! (Now you have me scheming to figure out something to make whipped cream for just so I can try the salt thing.) 😉
Nita says
October 17, 2015 at 11:56 PMJust a quick note to share since I have a deep love for whipped cream also. You can make your fresh whipped cream last longer. Put 1/4 cup of cold water in a pan, add 2 tablespoons of unflavored gelatin and let sit until the water become thick and gel like. Whip your whipped cream while the other sets up. After it turns to thick gel and water is absorbed turn on the heat on low and let it turn into liquid again. After that- turn your mixer on again and slowly start adding the liquid to your whipped cream till its all added then rewhip.. The whipped cream will not form the stiff high peaks from the original but you will get nice soft peaks and whipped cream that will stay fresh and not break down! Enjoy!
ThriftyFrugalMom says
October 19, 2015 at 2:05 PMI’ve heard that you can add gelatin to whipped cream to stabilize it, but I have never tried it and I wasn’t exactly sure how to do it. Thanks for the great tip!
Jo says
February 18, 2016 at 6:16 AMI have to say that I find it very strange that this is considered something of a revelation! How ridiculously ‘instant’ have some countries in the world become?
ThriftyFrugalMom says
February 18, 2016 at 11:03 AMJo, you are right, lots of folks have become so used to “instant” that they no longer now how to do things like this that our grandparents considered the norm. Thankfully, the tide is changing and many folks are interested in more natural eating and so things like real whipped cream are being revived. I’m happy about that! 🙂
Lou says
February 21, 2016 at 8:48 PMGlad to know I’m not the only one thinking it is a bit strange that it even needs a blog post.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
February 22, 2016 at 2:06 PMLou, I’m there are plenty more people that have felt the same way too. Thing is, I’ve also had lots of folks let me know that they are so grateful to know how to make real “Cool-whip” and I’m more than happy to help them learn that there are better alternatives than that stuff. 🙂 It’s fascinating to me, because I learned long ago that sometimes the things that I think are “normal” or obvious, other people find totally new and amazing.
Ruth says
April 14, 2016 at 10:49 AMHave you ever frozen this ??? I am buying raw jersey milk and it has about 2-3 inches of cream on the top !!!! I made some whipped cream today and it turned out great !!! However, not sure I’ll be using it fast enough.Thanks!
ThriftyFrugalMom says
April 14, 2016 at 11:01 AMOh, raw jersey milk with lots of cream sounds like fun! 🙂 I’ve never frozen real whipped cream but I don’t think it will really work to do it either. I’m pretty sure freezing will change the consistency and it will just end up being a soupy mess once you thaw it. Could you make a peanut butter pie and top it with whipped cream? Or serve it on some fruit….or just eat it with a spoon? 😉 If you happen to have some canned pumpkin, you could also make these No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecakes and use up some of the whipped cream in that.
Tisha says
July 1, 2016 at 12:53 PMI use confectioners sugar instead of granular sugar. Some cream doesn’t thicken well, and waiting to put the confectioners sugar in when the cream is nearly done not only sweetens the cream but thickens it as well.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
July 2, 2016 at 3:17 PMTisha, I know some people use confectioners sugar instead, but I prefer regular sugar myself. I tried the confectioners and just didn’t think it had the sweetness that regular sugar did. But obviously it’s purely personal preference. 😉
Lori Nadolski says
April 4, 2018 at 12:54 PMI love this recipe for whipped cream! It’s so simple and fresh. It can be used on just about any dessert. Thank you for sharing. I hope you don’t mind, but I placed a link to your recipe on my blog post. Just sharing the love! -Lori (Country Radiance)
ThriftyFrugalMom says
April 7, 2018 at 1:33 AMSo glad you loved it, Lori! It’s so delicious, isn’t it? And of course you can link to it on you blog! I’m honored! 😉
Tara says
December 10, 2018 at 10:18 AMHomemade whipped cream is SO much better than Cool Whip!!! I’ll never go back.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
December 11, 2018 at 12:24 PMI couldn’t agree more, Tara!
Anne says
December 12, 2018 at 4:29 PMMy mother always had cool whip in the fridge! But homemade is so much better and it is so easy to make too!
ThriftyFrugalMom says
December 12, 2018 at 8:50 PMWhen a homemade version is this easy, I say why not?!
Molly says
April 6, 2019 at 7:40 PMCANNOT believe this is as good as it is.
ThriftyFrugalMom says
April 13, 2019 at 12:23 AMIsn’t it delicious?! So much better than the bought stuff, right?