Homemade Cool Whip Recipe

Why It Works

Marshmallow fluff provides a sweet and stable base for freezer-safe whipped cream.
Cooling the sugar syrup to 212°F (100°C) protects the gelatin from thermal degradation, so the fluff whips up thick and strong.
Powdered milk adds flavor and body, while also disrupting ice crystal formation to protect against freezer damage.
Gelatin keeps homemade Cool Whip stable at room temperature, but for food safety, it should not be left out longer than four hours.

Even if you've never cared for the real deal, homemade Cool Whip is something everyone can love. It's silky smooth and rich, but quite a bit lighter than traditional whipped cream. The real kicker is that it's freezer-safe and stable at warmer temperatures as well, making it the perfect make-ahead accompaniment for cookouts and holiday trips where refrigeration isn't always an option.

Homemade Cool Whip: How to Make the Best Freezer-Safe Whipped Cream

Active: 25 mins

Total: 3 hrs

Serves: 20 servings

Makes: 5 cups

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1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin (see note)
1 ounce cold water (2 tablespoons; 28g)
2 ounces cold milk (1/4 cup; 55g); any percentage will do
3/4 ounce powdered milk (3 tablespoons; 20g), such as Carnation
1 1/2 teaspoons (7ml) vanilla extract
2 ounces water (1/4 cup; 55g)
2 3/4 ounces light corn syrup (1/4 cup; 75g)
5 ounces sugar (3/4 cup; 140g)
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon (just over 1g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight
14 ounces chilled heavy cream (1 3/4 cups; 395g)

Sprinkle gelatin over 1 ounce cold water (2 tablespoons; 28g) in a small bowl and stir with a fork to combine. In another bowl, mix together milk, powdered milk, and vanilla until relatively smooth. In a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan, combine the remaining 2 ounces water (1/4 cup; 55g) with corn syrup, sugar, and salt and set over medium heat. Stir with a fork until bubbling hard around the edges, about 3 minutes, then increase heat to medium-high. Clip a digital thermometer to the saucepan and cook, without stirring, until the clear syrup registers 250°F (120°C), about 4 minutes.
Immediately transfer to a large heat-safe bowl, scraping pot with a heat-resistant spatula, and cool to exactly 212°F (100°C), about 3 minutes. Add gelatin and whip with a hand mixer at medium-high speed until thick, snowy white, and roughly tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla milk in several small additions, letting each incorporate before adding the next. Once smooth, cover tightly and let stand at room temperature until firm, at least 2 and up to 8 hours.
To finish, drizzle in cream while mixing at low speed. Whip until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes, then increase speed to medium and whip until cream can hold floppy peaks. Use immediately, or cover bowl with plastic (or transfer to an airtight container) and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, whipped cream can be frozen 3 months in an airtight container.

Special equipment

1-quart stainless steel saucepan, digital thermometer, heat-safe bowl and spatula, hand mixer

Notes

My favorite powdered gelatin, which I love for its extremely mild aroma, is manufactured by Now Foods, but this recipe will work equally well with any American brand (all formulated to roughly 230 bloom). The quantity used in this recipe is too small to be accurately measured in grams using most kitchen scales.

This Recipe Appears In

Homemade Cool Whip: How to Make the Best Freezer-Safe Whipped Cream

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
116	Calories
8g	Fat
11g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories	116
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	10%
Saturated Fat 5g	24%
Cholesterol 24mg	8%
Sodium 38mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 11g	4%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 31mg	2%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 43mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.