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Easy Homemade Whipped Cream (homemade Cool Whip)

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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! 

a bowlful of homemade Cool Whip on a wooden table
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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 homemade 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.

Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe

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!

How to Make Cool Whip

Homemade Cool Whip is super easy to make and takes just three simple ingredients: heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla!

To make the Cool Whip, just add the heavy whipping cream to a bowl, then use an electric mixer to whip it up until it starts to thicken.  Once it becomes fluffy and forms soft peaks, you add a bit of sugar and vanilla and mix a bit more.

It’s done and ready to enjoy once it’s well mixed and forming stiff peaks.

Some people say that it’s important that you use a chilled bowl when you make DIY Cool Whip, but my grandmother, mom nor I have ever done that and it’s never been an issue. So I say, keep it simple and just use a room temperature bowl!

Recipe for Cool Whip (or homemade Whipped Cream)

Disclaimer: This Cool Whip substitute is not dairy-free like real Cool Whip and therefore is not a good substitute for anyone that is lactose or dairy intolerant.

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4.66 from 55 votes

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!
Prep Time5 mins
Total Time5 mins
Servings: 2 cups
Author: Lydia @ ThriftyFrugalMom.com
Prevent your screen from going dark

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.

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.

Other recipes that you’ll enjoy:

  • Best Ever Chocolate Cake (no eggs, no butter)
  • Super Easy Homemade Chocolate Syrup
  • Homemade Bisquick Mix
  • Homemade Cream Soup Mix
  • Homemade Refried Beans
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Filed Under: Other, Recipes

Previous Post: « Our $200/mo. Grocery Budget: What I Spent & Saved This Week (4/19-4/25)
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Allyssa

    December 4, 2021 at 6:34 AM

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing whipped cream recipe! Will surely have this again, highly recommended!

    Reply
  2. Camille

    November 29, 2021 at 4:06 AM

    5 stars
    This looks so yummy!

    Reply
    • Lydia Beiler

      November 29, 2021 at 6:26 PM

      It is! 😉 You can’t beat homemade, you know.

      Reply
  3. Ruby

    August 15, 2021 at 7:22 PM

    Why is this any different from whipped cream?

    Reply
    • Lydia Beiler

      August 15, 2021 at 11:50 PM

      It isn’t any different, Ruby.

      Reply
      • Lynda

        October 9, 2021 at 12:38 PM

        The distinction is the fat content. And the amount of fat can be the difference between a failed whipped cream and a stable one. Use heavy cream whenever possible. Also this is not homemade Cool Whip… Thank goodness… Cool Whip has no dairy and is made out of oil. It’s processed junk.

        Reply
        • Lydia Beiler

          October 13, 2021 at 7:07 AM

          I call this homemade Cool Whip simply because it works great as a substitute for it and many people are looking for ways to replace convenience foods with homemade versions made using real ingredients. T

          Reply
  4. Selena Rjovoski

    March 16, 2021 at 4:57 AM

    5 stars
    Thanks for sharing. I’ve just prepared it with the help of my newly purchased hand blender with whipping blades.

    Reply
    • Lydia Beiler

      March 23, 2021 at 11:47 AM

      Glad you liked it, Selena!

      Reply
      • Irina

        June 15, 2021 at 7:30 AM

        I’m going to be making jello mixed with cool whip, im wondering if homemade cool whip would work instead of bought for jello?

        Reply
        • Lydia Beiler

          June 15, 2021 at 7:35 AM

          It should. I never buy Cool Whip anymore and use this homemade whipped cream exclusively. In order to make sure the Jello sets okay, I would just make sure that you whip the cream till stiff peaks are formed- but not too hard that it turns into butter! It should look stiff like Cool Whip and when you pull the beater out, it will leave a peak in the whipped cream. Does that make sense?

          Reply
  5. Marilyn

    January 30, 2021 at 9:04 AM

    5 stars
    I mix a teaspoon of corn starch with the sugar. It gives it a bit more consistency and it doesn’t get runny in the fridge .

    Reply
    • Lydia Beiler

      February 2, 2021 at 10:18 AM

      Oh, that is super helpful to know, Marilyn! Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
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Welcome! I’m Lydia. I want to help you find ways to live well and enjoy life on a budget! Read more…

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