Publised on 19/01/2022. Last Updated on 06/12/2024 by Richard
Light and fluffy vegan whipped cream made without coconut milk - ideal for cakes, scones and even for topping coffee!
Ask anyone who's ever tried to make vegan whipped cream and you're likely to hear a rather traumatic story of loss, pain and sorrow. Countless people have been DUPED by the idea of "whipped coconut cream" - wow how wonderful! You just chill it, stick it in a stand mixer and whip away - great - EXCEPT IT'S NOT GREAT IS IT!!??
In fact, raise your hand if you've ever been personally victimised by a "whipped coconut cream" recipe…A MILLION HANDS RAISE SIMULTANEOUSLY. See! Proof! My vegan whipped cream, on the other hand, is fool-proof and super smooth! It's perfect for in scones, cream cakes or on my delicious vegan strawberry shortcake!
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Vegan Whipped Cream Ingredients
Honestly, the magic of this vegan whipped cream is that it only really requires two ingredients! Soy milk and coconut oil! The key is to get the quantities right (which is why I really recommend using a set of kitchen scales for this recipe).
It's also a good idea to use unsweetened and unflavoured soy milk. Ideally also use deodorised or "refined" coconut oil! This way your vegan whipped cream won't taste like coconut!
As always, the full recipe with quantities etc is at the bottom of the page!
Instructions
The process is simple to make my vegan whipped cream but you need to pay attention to a few specifics, otherwise it won't whip. I've broken everything down into 4 steps to make things easier to follow.
1. Melt the coconut oil and warm the soy milk. This recipe only works if the two ingredients are similar temperatures at the point of blending. Using fridge-cold soy milk is a recipe for disaster!
2. Blend the ingredients. This is the point where we emulsify the two ingredients together. You'll need a high-speed blender ideally, but you can also blend using an immersion blender.
3. Refrigerate the vegan whipping cream. This recipe will only work if the mixture is thoroughly chilled. I recommend chilling for a minimum of 4 hours, but really you should aim for an overnight chill.
4. Whip the cream. It's finally time! I like to use my stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, but a hand whisk will do the same job! As you're whisking you'll add the final two ingredients: sugar and vanilla!
Hint: If your vegan whipped cream heats up too much while you're whipping it, it won't pick up the bubbles necessary to get all light and fluffy! Fro. this reason, make sure your mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer are chilled before use! Guaranteed success!
Substitutions and swaps
I haven't tested any subs or swaps for this recipe. However, I'm told by followers that the following worked in their personal experimentations!
- Soy milk - instead of soy milk, some people have tried using other plant milks including almond and oat milk. Again I haven't experimented myself, but people tell me these work too!
- Coconut oil - Vegetable oil or sunflower oil ALSO work instead of coconut oil. I always believed that coconut oil works best because it solidifies at room temperature, but turns out this isn't the case!
I love to hear about your experimentations, so if you do try any subs or swaps while making my vegan whipped cream, let me know! Can't wait to hear what you get up to!
Vegan Whipped Cream Variations
You're now free to use this vegan whipped cream in any way you'd like! It works just like real cream and can be flavoured and piped etc!
- Boozy - For Christmas, why not try adding a few tablespoons of vegan Baileys to your vegan whipped cream? Ideal for topping a vegan mince pie!
- Coffee - add a tablespoon of instant espresso powder to vegan whipped cream ingredients as it blends. Once whipped you'll have a subtle delicious coffee kick to your whipped cream! Ideal for vegan hot chocolate!
- Almond - Add a dash of almond extract to the vegan whipped cream while whipping! It'll give it a tasty nutty kick!
If you're looking for things to serve your new favourite vegan whipped cream with, here are my all time faves! Start with my vegan scones (see below for a beauty shot), then work your way up to my vegan chocolate cake, which has a whole layer of whipped cream in the middle!
Equipment
There are two pieces of must-have equipment for this recipe. First, you'll need some sort of blender! Ideally a high-speed blender like a Ninja or Nutribullet but if you don't have one, a stick blender/immersion blender will do the job!
Secondly you'll also need a way to actually whip the cream. A stand mixer is my equipment of choice, fitted with the whisk attachment. Alternatively you can use an electric hand whisk.
Storing Vegan Whipped Cream
The best thing about the recipe (besides how great it tastes) is how well it stores. You can either keep it sealed and unwhipped in the fridge for a week (just give it a good shake before whipping). Alternatively, you can whip the cream and store in the fridge. It will keep its whip even longer than regular double cream if refrigerated and stored in a sealed container!
Pro tip!
When whipping, make sure that the bowl and whisk you use are spotlessly clean! Give them a good wash in hot soapy water (even if you're using them straight from the cupboard) then wipe a wedge of lemon around the bowl and around the bars of the whisk. The acidity of the lemon juice will break down any residual grease and allow the cream to whip to its full potential!
SNV FAQ
Many people use whipped coconut cream in place of dairy cream. This is famously unreliable and tricky to master. This recipe uses a blend of soy milk and coconut oil which is much more stable and reliable.
Yes! This recipe can be used however you'd use dairy whipped cream.
Vegan Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 235 g soy milk (unflavoured and unsweetened)
- 200 g deodorised coconut oil melted (aka refined coconut oil)
- 25 g icing sugar (aka confectioner's sugar)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the soy milk in 10 second bursts in the microwave until lukewarm (it should feel warm to the touch but not hot). Place the soy milk in the cup of a high speed blender followed by the melted deodorised coconut oil. Blend together on the highest speed until smooth.235 g soy milk, 200 g deodorised coconut oil
- Cover and transfer to the fridge and chill for a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally overnight. Alternatively you can blend the cream and refrigerate up to 5 days in advance before moving onto the next step.
- With the lid still on, shake up the refrigerated cream to re-homogenise it then transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer. If using a hand-mixer, transfer to a large bowl. Starting with the mixer on low speed and working your way upwards gradually, whip the cream until the texture has thickened and the cream falls from the beaters in ribbons.
- Add the icing sugar and vanilla then whisk again on high speed until soft to stiff peaks form. Don't over whisk or the mixture will curdle, like real cream, into butter.25 g icing sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to a day.
Robin
Came to change my reply. I tried to whip it again after another day in the fridge, and it whipped up beautifully. I think the key is to fridge the container and the cream together, and just whip it right out of the fridge. Maybe the author suggested this, but, that's my discovery 🙂
Robin
I followed the recipe to the T but it never whipped up. Beat it with the hand mixer for ten minutes. I used Silk soy milk and refined coconut oil, let it chill for 12 hours. Yet another vegan whip cream recipe that doesn't work.
Sammie
How long can it stay out for at room temperature? I’m baking a cake that will have to travel for at least an hour. Will it hold its shape until then? Thank you! Looks great.
K
Despite the polarized reviews, I tried this hoping that I could make whipped cream from scratch without relying on store-bought vegan whipping cream. It was a huge success and I’m never going back to store-bought.
Some things that I did that I think helped: I used soy milk that is only made from soy beans and water. If your mix is solidifying in the fridge, it might be because your soy milk has added gums or stabilizers that cause it to behave differently. I also followed Richard’s advice to clean the mixing bowl first and wiped it down with vinegar before placing it and the whisk attachment in the fridge.
It took about 7 minutes to whip to stiff peaks. The resulting cream was light and delicious. 5/5 will make again!
Nerida
This recipe did not work. I followed the instructions very carefully.
Kate
This is excellent and gives stellar results, and this is coming from someone who has been baking vegan for over 20 years. Aquafaba and coconut milk have never given me the results that Richard's recipe does!
The key is following the recipe to a "t," especially mixing the melted coconut oil and milk at the same temp only. I had no issues with the cream hardening in my fridge overnight because of this. When I whipped the cream the next day to make a mousse, it was a warm day, so I did need to pause a few times and put my mixing bowl in the freezer for a couple minutes while whipping. The mousse turned out amazing and held its shape like a champ! The non-vegans who ate my mousse cake could not tell any difference and thought it was the best mousse they'd ever had. Well done, Richard! This is a game changer for my dessert game.
Steve
Vegetable oils emulsify, as in mayonnaise.
Claudia D.
Perfect. Luscious, delicious, and stable. Do make sure to follow the instructions to a T, and be patient for the whipping step; it took about 12 minutes with a handheld mixer. Served atop Richard's scones, topped with blueberry compote. Ridiculously good.