I had two ideas in mind for finding a good “replacement” for whipped cream since heavy cream doesn’t last 3 months. I tried both cool whip and coconut milk and had very different results: one complete failure and one surprising success.
Coconut Milk: Failure
Unfortunately, I couldn’t get my can of coconut milk to solidify as the blog suggested. I left it in the fridge overnight and then half a day, but it was still all liquid, not at all ready to be whipped into “whipped cream”. I didn’t use the same brand as in the picture, so I’m going to try again with the exact brand the blogger used. If that doesn’t work, I guess I get to eat curry again!
Cool Whip: Success
I also tried homemade Cool Whip made from powdered milk and had great success! This is one of those recipes that left me scratching my head as to how easy it was and why I haven’t done it before.
I know Cool Whip is not a health food. It’s an inferior replacement for whipped cream. However, since I have never bought a tub of Cool Whip, I thought it would be fun to figure out how to make some at home. This recipe will be especially useful to know when using food storage because it uses powdered milk but doesn’t taste like it! Though it’s probably not much healthier than what you’d get at the store, it is most definitely cheaper, which is always a plus! This recipe is online in several places. I don’t know where the original came from.
In a small bowl, stir together
1 t. plain gelatin
2 t. cold water
Add and stir well:
3 T. boiling water
Set aside and let cool. Stick a metal mixing bowl in the freezer to chill. Prepare 1/2 c. ice water.
Pour into the chilled bowl:
1/2 c. ice water
1/2 c. powdered milk
Beat on high until stiff peaks form. This takes a while, probably 10 or more minutes. Find something to read in the meantime. Or do the dishes.
Add the following and continue beating for a few more minutes:
3 T. sugar (or more to taste. My husband said it wasn’t sweet enough. I thought it was fine.)
3 T. oil (any flavorless, liquid oil will do)
the gelatin
Place in the freezer for 15 minutes before using. Enjoy! For being such a fan of whipped cream, this concoction really is pretty good if you don’t think too hard about what it’s made of. 🙂


Cool Whip From Food Storage Items
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon plain gelatin
- 2 teaspoons cold water
- 3 tablespoons boiling water
- 1/2 cup ice cold water
- 1/2 cup powdered milk
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons oil anything flavorless
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the gelatin and cold water. Let it sit for a few minutes.1 teaspoon plain gelatin, 2 teaspoons cold water
- Add the boiling water to the bowl and stir well.3 tablespoons boiling water
- Put a metal mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes. Add ice cold water and powdered milk to the bowl, then beat until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes.1/2 cup ice cold water, 1/2 cup powdered milk
- Add the sugar, oil, and gelatin and beat until combined.3 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons oil
- Put the concoction in the freezer for 15 minutes before using.