Simple and Quick Dairy-Free Whipped Cream Recipe

Welcome back to Flawed yet Functional! Treats have kind of been on my mind lately. Not that I or anyone needs to eat them all the time, but it’s so nice to have a treat every now and then. With the holidays almost upon us, let me share an easy dairy-free whipped cream recipe made with coconut milk! It’s the perfect finish to so many holiday desserts. Simple, quick and even low-carb! Check it out!

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My Love for Whipped Cream

Prior to eliminating dairy from my diet, whipped cream and creme brulee were my two absolute favorite sweet things to eat. I haven’t found a replacement for creme brulee, but my beloved whipped cream, I have found a replacement for you!

If I could write sonnets or any poetry for that matter, I think I’d write one about my love for whipped cream. The light sweet flavor, the creaminess, the fluffy texture…it’s all just so wonderful. A bowl, a large bowl mind you, heaping with whipped cream is my idea of heaven. I don’t need chocolate. I don’t need fruit. Truly, no other additions are needed. Just give me all the whipped cream.

So those are my deep feelings about whipped cream. You can see my dismay when dairy is no longer in my diet.

BUT…

never fear, coconut cream is here!

Coconut Whipped Cream Tips

Did you know, you can whip the fatty coconut cream that rises to the top of cooled coconut milk the exact same way you would heavy cream? Yeah, I was mind-blown too. I had no idea.

The process requires some planning (what AIP/Paleo recipe DOESN’T???), but once the coconut milk has sufficiently chilled, this dairy-free whipped cream comes together quickly.

Put a can of full-fat coconut milk (This is the brand I buy although from Costco. If you can get your hands on a cleaner version, like Nature’s Greatest Foods or Natural Value, then do so!) in the refrigerator overnight to allow the fat to rise to the top. When you are ready to whip it all up the next day, just carefully open the can and scoop the white cream of coconut off the top. You can toss the clear coconut water or save it for a smoothie or some other purpose. 

Don’t sweat it if you get some of the clear coconut water too. It will still stiffen fine as long as you don’t get tons of it into the bowl.

How to Use Coconut Whipped Cream

Well, that just depends on how fanatical you are about whipped cream. For me, I would eat it plain if I had the chance. It is the perfect topping for any dessert and is the finishing touch especially for pies. There’s no wrong way to eat this delightful topping, folks! Plop a dab on Homemade Fruit Gelatin.

Or perhaps a healthy scoop on fresh or frozen fruit:

The best way for me is to smother a piece of Paleo pumpkin pie in coconut whipped cream!

Actually, coconut whipped cream would taste delicious on any pie! Why not put it on a fresh blueberry pie, fresh strawberry pie, or cinnamon apples? Really, the question is what wouldn’t you put it on?

I would eat it in a house.

I would eat it with a mouse.

I would eat it here or there.

I would eat it anywhere!

That’s how that book goes, right?

Recipe Alternatives

Coconut whipped cream is such a basic, simple recipe that you might think there isn’t room for alternatives. However, there are two types of coconut products you could use to make whipped cream and of course, you could always swap out the sweetener for a different type depending on what you have on hand. So let’s chat about alternatives.

Coconut Cream or Coconut Milk

The end goal of this recipe is to whip coconut cream, the fat part of the coconut milk. There are two ways to get this fatty part. You can purchase full-fat coconut milk in a can and let it chill in the fridge so the fat rises to the top. This is the method I use most often.

Another way to do this is to buy a can of coconut cream. This is just the fatty part of the coconut milk. So the separating has already been done for you. It saves you a little bit of time if you purchase the coconut cream in a can.

Sweetener

As a type 1 diabetic, I try to limit my sugar intake. Coconut whipped cream is usually going on top of another already sweet dessert. For that reason, I choose to use a zero carb, zero-calorie sweetener like Stevia to sweeten my coconut whipped cream.

You can choose to use Stevia as I do, or really any other sweetener will work: honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar (although it will turn the whip cream brown), Agave, or any other sugar you have on hand will work.

Vanilla Extract

If you are in the elimination phase of the autoimmune protocol, you are not eating any extracts as they contain alcohol. You can skip the vanilla extract completely to be AIP compliant. You will only be missing a bit of sweetness and robustness from the vanilla.

Dairy-free coconut whipped cream is delightfully sweet and light just like regular whipped cream in texture and flavor. It compliments any dessert, doesn’t have an overly coconut flavor, AND it’s low-carb as the recipe is written. Enjoy this sweet topping with your next dessert!

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