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!
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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.
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.
Easy Homemade Whipped Cream (homemade 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.
Notes
Other recipes that you’ll enjoy:
Diana
Store bought cool whip is also not completely dairy free but you can buy cans of coconut cream that you could substitute in this recipe.
Lydia Beiler
That’s a great idea, for a dairy-free alternative, Diana! Thanks for the suggestion.
Robin Joyful
I found a sugar substitute once at a health food store. It might have been part stevia and part something else (perhaps that begins with an “e”… not sure tho.
Anyway, we used heavy whipping cream, added what I had boughten and vanilla… and guess what… It acted just like cool whip!! It never separated when I saved what was left… like normal whipping cream does!! It was great!! Unfortunately the bag got thrown away, and I never figured out what it was.
And if I couldn’t find something that would work, I would use organic palm cane sugar. I never use white processed sugar anymore. There isn’t even any in my home!
Thanks for the tips!!
Lydia Beiler
That sugar substitute sounds amazing! I wonder if the other ingredient was erythritol? And yes, palm sugar is great; I use it some too!
April
This is a great recipe to follow when you’re in a hurry, and it tastes good. I made it today however I added about Two Tablespoons of instant vanilla pudding mix to it and it came out even better. Y’all will have to try this.
Lydia Beiler
I bet that makes it extra fluffy, April!
Misty Hassell
Wanting to make the punch bowl chocolate cake and it suggests making overnight and serving next day would this work and hold up instead of cool whip since it will be in the fridge in a bowl mixed with cake and pudding
Lydia Beiler
I regularly use it in place of Cool Whip, Misty. However, if I’m using it for something like you are referring to, I tend to whip it until it forms fairly stiff peaks so it keeps it “form” better…but not too hard or it will turn into butter. 🙂
Deborah Wells
So easy AND delish!! Thanks for the suggestion to use the whisk attachment… substituted erythritol and monk fruit “sugar” and was just as good. Doubled and recipe worked the same. So yummmmm!!
Lydia Beiler
So glad you enjoyed it, Deborah! And I’m really glad that you mentioned those sugar substitutes too as it’s always so helpful to know what else can work in various recipes.