Making whipped coconut cream is one of the fastest and most convenient ways to frost pies, cakes and cupcakes. It is light and fluffy and tastes oh so good!
(This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to view my full Disclosure Policy.)
After going dairy free last year, I was trying to find the best way to frost a banana cream pie for Thanksgiving. I reluctantly turned to making frosting from canned coconut milk, because I prefer to make things from scratch. Since, I have no idea how to make coconut cream from scratch, nor could I find a recipe, I opened the can, scooped the cream from the top and whipped it up with a splash of maple syrup and vanilla extract. This can easily be whipped with a whisk, hand mixer or kitchen aid hand mixer. I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted this and realized it is very similar in texture to a regular whipped cream. It does of course taste very much like coconut. Thank God, I LOVE coconut and so does my family!
See instructions below.
How To Make Coconut Whipped Cream
You Will Need:
- full fat coconut milk or coconut cream
- organic maple syrup
- vanilla extract
- whisk, hand mixer or Kitchen aid stand mixer
- mixing bowl
Be sure to chill your canned coconut milk or coconut cream overnight. Do not shake your can, carefully open and scoop out the cream with a spoon and add to mixing bowl. Most importantly, if you see coconut oil on top of your cream, do not use that or it will make your cream grainy. Now add vanilla extract and maple syrup and whip until light and fluffy. Store in a sealed container until ready to use.
My kids are my pickiest taste testers and they loved this coconut whipped cream! I had to keep this bowl out of arms reach or it would have disappeared and our delicious pie would have been plain and bare without its fluffy white frosting! The same fate goes for my Chocolate Coconut Whipped Cream recipe!!
So now I use this mostly on pies and parfaits. This is a light and delicate frosting so please do not frost your cake and take it out in 90 degree summer heat and let it sit under the burning sun. I am pretty sure that this frosting cannot take that kind of weather. If you need a heartier frosting for an outdoor event, check out my Easy Raspberry Vegan Frosting . It can take some heat!
For more delicious healthy gluten free/Paleo-ish meals, please subscribe below. You will get my free Paleo Breakfast E-Book as my gift to you and new recipes straight to your inbox!
Check out my other Vegan Frostings:
Chocolate Coconut Whipped Cream
Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Coconut Whipped Cream Recipe
- Total Time: 7 minutes
Description
Coconut Whipped Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- cream from 2 cans of full fat coconut milk "chilled overnight"
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
Instructions
- Carefully open chilled coconut milk cans. Do not shake cans.
- With a spoon, scoop out thick cream only and pour into a large mixing bowl. Reserve coconut water in a separate bowl for smoothies.
- Whip coconut cream on high speed with an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer.
- Slowly add in vanilla and maple syrup until fully incorporated and soft peaks form.
- You can now use whipped coconut cream to frost cakes, pies, cupcakes or for parfait. Keep coconut cream or frosted desserts chilled in fridge until ready to serve. Will keep for 2-3 days.
- Cook Time: 7 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Gluten Free Breakfast Burritos with Sheet Pan Eggs and a Creamy Sriracha Sauce - 13 September, 2026
- Air Fryer Salmon Recipe {Ninja Crispi Recipe} - 8 August, 2026
- Gluten Free Peach Crisp - 13 July, 2026
Leanne says
I chilled coconut milk and followed recipe to the T. It was a flop. Coconut didn't set up right was pretty milky still .whole waste of money. I am wondering if it matters what store you buy milk at?? Mine came from Wal Mart. I need some pointers!! Thanks and I am sorry don't mean to be negative:)
Ester Perez says
Hi Leanne. I use Thai Kitchen Organic Full Fat coconut milk. It has never failed on me. Other brands can be finicky when it comes to separating the fat from the milk so it's always good to put 2 cans in the fridge in case one does not separate. Out of all the cans I have used, probably 60 cans in the last few years, I have only had one not separate the fat from the milk and it was the store brand. I suggest get 2 cans of the Thai Kitchen Full fat coconut milk and put it in a cold part of your fridge. It should separate and be thick like butter. Let me know how it goes. Sometimes it takes a few experiments to find the sweet spot in a recipe. Xoxo, Ester
Leanne says
I want to frost a cake with this recipe for baby shower and I need to know if this is good to decorate and pipe with?
Ester Perez says
How fun that you get to make a cake for a baby shower! Congrats! The coconut whipped cream will not pipe well. It is more like a soft fluffy cool whip. If you want a white frosting for piping use My Vegan Buttercream, https://nurturemygut.com/best-vegan-buttercream.html, for a yummy Chocolate frosting use my Vegan Chocolate Buttercream: https://nurturemygut.com/vegan-chocolate-buttercream-frosting.html and for a pink frosting use Easy Raspberry Vegan Frosting, https://nurturemygut.com/easy-raspberry-vegan-frosting.html . I just came up with a White Merengue (dairy free) and Chocolate Swiss Merengue (has butter) but it is not up yet. If you want the recipe, email me at nurturemygut@gmail.com and I will send those to you. Good luck! I know it will be beautiful and delicious! Xoxo, Ester
Caty says
Ohhh ma goodness~
After reading the comments, i'm suprised and saddenned to say that my results were very opposite!!
I ratioed the recipe out becuz i only have 2 small 5.46 oz cans for my mini vegan cupcakes... i was suprised to see so much water in the chilled cans... i then added 1 teaspoon of Vanilla, and 1 Tablespoon of Organic maple syrup after beating the 'milk' with no avail....
what could I have done wrong??? ;(
I am hoping to suprise my mom for her 60th bday with these delights... plz get back to me with any suggestions or tips!!
Thanks-
Ester Perez says
Hi Caty,
I am sorry to hear that you did not have success on the first try. Here is what could have went wrong. First, you must chill the FULL FAT coconut milk cans overnight so that the cream and water separates. Second, you must drain ALL of the water out. Third, scoop out only the thick cream that remains. This cream is extremely thick and will be a soft pillowy whipped cream once whipped. Also, do not add too much liquid sweetener or it will water down again. The key to a successful whipped cream is to scoop out only the thick cream and use full fat coconut cream. There are rare times when the cream does not separate from the liquid so its always good to put 2 cans in the fridge in case one does not work out. Here is a video tutorial so you can see a visual picture. https://youtu.be/BmPDvMGDm7Y
Seloy says
Hi! I'm making an Easter cake for my little sisters and i'd like to know if there might be a way to dense up the frosting a bit? Just enough that i could do some rough piping on the sides and not have it melting away or sliding out of place. Thanks! (:
Ester Perez says
You can whip in some organic Spectrum shortening made from palm oil. That will help to hold it up and pipe nicely. I will work on a recipe and post it within the next 2 weeks. Let me know how it goes. My Easy Raspberry Vegan Frosting would be perfect for an Easter Cake. It pipes perfectly and is a beautiful pink, perfect for an Easter cake. It is naturally died with fresh fruit.
Leanne says
Hi, Ester,
Thanks for this recipe. I am making it to frost a smash cake and cupcakes for the kids at my daughter's first birthday party. I wanted to ask about icing the cupcakes. You mentioned using a spoon to drop a dollop onto a cupcake, so then it is too light/thin to pipe? I guess that would be okay, since toddlers won't really mind if they're pretty or not.
Thanks so much!
Ester Perez says
Yes, it is very light, like cool whip and they will love it. I hope it was a hit for your daughter's first birthday! Many blessings to your growing family!!!
Ashley says
How much frosting does this recipe make? Specifically, how many regular sized cupcakes could I frost with it?
Ester Perez says
This will make enough frosting for 24 cupcakes. You will put a dollop on top with a spoon. It's texture is similar to cool whip but lighter.
Nautral Momma says
Hello there,
This recipe was fantastic.... I made it for my little girls first birthday cake. She couldn't get enough of it! I followed the recipe exactly as directed. The coconut taste is very strong something I will have to get used too, but again, my daughter and hubbie loves it.
Thanks for sharing this easy, simplicity recipe! 🙂
Ester Perez says
I am so glad that they loved it! Happy Birthday to your baby girl!!! How special that she got to have a healthy homemade birthday cake!! BTW, you can also try my Chocolate Coconut Whipped Cream recipe, it cut outs a lot of the coconut flavor.
Treppleclev says
Hello, could agave nectar be substituted for honey?
Ester Perez says
Absolutely! Agave would also taste great.
Jodie says
Hi Ester. You mention using canned coconut milk because you don't know how to make it from scratch. I'm also interested in making what I can from scratch and recently perfected coconut "milk" which also gives me coconut cream! Let me know if you'd like the recipe and I'll gladly share 🙂
Ester Perez says
Hi Jodie,
Yes, please share your coconut cream recipe! I make coconut milk from scratch which is in my e-book, Essentially Gluten Free but it has never been thick enough to whip into cream for desserts. Have you had success making yours into whipped cream???
Warmly,
Ester
Anonymous says
Hi again Ester. So far I've only used my coconut cream in cooked dishes like soups or sauces. I've actually never made whipped coconut cream, canned or homemade. But I recently, I mean, just today am trying sourdough cinnamon buns and was looking for an alternative to the usual confectioner's sugar topping. Maybe it's time for whipped coconut cream 🙂 I'm due to make another batch of coconut milk and will use the cream for whipping and let you know if it works, and pass my recipe along if it does.
Ester Perez says
Thank you so much!!! I would love to hear your results!!