Restless Chipotle

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
×
Home » Recipes » Cooking Tips and Basic Techniques

Homemade Cool Whip Recipe without Gelatin

Published: May 22, 2018 · Updated: Dec 28, 2023 by Marye

Homemade Cool Whip copycat doesn't break down when mixed with other ingredients or  held at room temperature. This recipe does not include gelatin so is fine for vegetarians.
Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 5 minutes minutes
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
AgreencontainerofHomemadeCoolWhipsitsonachippedwhitepaintedsurface featureimage
Close up of whipped cream.

This works great in the Millionaire Pie recipe!

a white drift of homemade Cool Whip billows out of a jadite colored container - title image
Table of Contents
  • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
  • Cool Whip Was a Basic Ingredient in the 1960s!
  • Why this Recipe IS Simply the Best
  • What Are the Ingredients for Cool Whip?
  • More Copycat Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

So many summer desserts call for Cool Whip that it's almost an essential ingredient to have in the freezer this time of year.

If it isn't available where you live or you prefer to stay away from it you'll be glad to know that homemade Cool Whip is easy to make and works as well in nearly every recipe.

This particular recipe does not call for gelatin so is fine for vegetarians.

Cool Whip Was a Basic Ingredient in the 1960s!

I grew up with a constant supply of Cool Whip in the freezer, especially in summer. It went in Jello salads, frozen pies, on top of strawberries, and hundreds of other recipe that my mother came up with. It often went into my mouth on a spoon, to be honest.

When I had my own kitchen I moved away from many of the ingredients of my mid-century childhood - things like cream of mushroom soup, margarine, and ... yep... this stuff.

The thing is whipped cream, while certainly rich and luscious, doesn't hold up well for any length of time. In fact, it's often deflated and watery by the next day.

Boo!

Why this Recipe IS Simply the Best

This homemade Cool Whip won't do that. It will hold up for several days and can be gently mixed into many different desserts. A big plus for me is that it doesn't contain gelatin and can be thrown together in seconds. Store it in the refrigerator tightly covered.

Heck, you can even store it in an old Cool Whip tub. I've been making this recipe since sometime in 1980 and it's my favorite for when I'm not using plain whipped cream.

The ingredients for homemade Cool Whip placed on a counter.

What Are the Ingredients for Cool Whip?

If you were to read the ingredients on a tub of Cool Whip they'd look something like this -

Water, hydrogenated vegetable oil, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, skim milk, light cream and less than 2% sodium caseinate (a milk derivative), natural and artificial flavor, xanthan and guar gums, polysorbate 60, sorbitan monostearate and beta carotene (as a coloring).

When this easy dessert topping was first invented in the mid-1960s it didn't contain milk products and was truly dairy free.

Luckily homemade Cool Whip has ingredients that you can actually find in the store and even pronounce.

A green bowl of homemade Cool Whip is ready to serve with a silver spoon

This is likely one of the easiest recipes on Restless Chipotle so no need for extensive instructions but there are some tips that will make it even easier AND some cool (whip - get it? cool whip?) variations.

  • Cool Whip has a heavy vanilla flavor. Adjust the flavor of your homemade version by adding more or less vanilla.
  • You can add a little almond flavoring.
  • If you are using it in a tropical or coconut dessert use coconut flavoring.
  • While you can keep this in the refrigerator for several days I wouldn't recommend freezing it. The texture will change just a bit.
  • Use extra fine sugar to ensure a creamy texture. If you don't have extra fine sugar blend sugar up in the blender.

When you know how to make Cool Whip you'll have a fresh version any time you happen to need it!

More Copycat Recipes

There are a lot of things you buy that you actually can easily make at home - and they taste so much better! Here are some more of the copycat recipes found here on Restless Chipotle.

  • Just like the food court at the mall! Bourbon Chicken
  • Cut these in any shape you like. Copycat Zebra Cakes
  • What would Thanksgiving be without the green bean casserole? Copycat French's Onions
  • You can have your favorite scones anytime of the year! Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Scones
  • Love the food at the State Fair? Try these Copycat Deep Fried Oreos... so good.
  • A little spicy, a lot crunchy! Copycat Popeye's Chicken Strips
  • So sweet and light! Copycat Twinkies Cupcakes
  • Starbucks doesn't make these anymore but you can still enjoy them! Copycat Petite Vanilla Scones
A container of homemade Cool Whip sits on a table.

This quick and easy Homemade Cool Whip recipe is a great substitute for Cool Whip in no-bake pies and desserts, as a whipped topping, or as a filling for cakes -although for cakes you might want to use a little more instant pudding mix and Confectioner's sugar instead of superfine sugar.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

AgreencontainerofHomemadeCoolWhipsitsonachippedwhitepaintedsurface featureimage

Homemade Cool Whip Recipe

4.38 from 37 votes
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved! Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Homemade Cool Whip copycat doesn't break down when mixed with other ingredients or  held at room temperature. This recipe does not include gelatin so is fine for vegetarians.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American Copycat
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings:24
Calories:80
Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Heavy whipping cream, , very cold
  • ⅓ cup superfine sugar, , or pulse granulated sugar in the blender a few times. You can use up to ½ cup if you like it sweeter
  • 1 ½ teaspoons instant pudding powder, , vanilla or any light color
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Whip the cream, adding the sugar slowly.
  • When it starts to thicken add the instant pudding powder and vanilla.
  • Continue to whip until light and fluffy.
  • Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Use in place of Cool Whip for any recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 13mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

First published May 22, 2018. Last updated June 30, 2021 to add ingredients list.

More Basic Kitchen Skills and Recipes

  • Overhead view of pickles in a white bowl
    Sweet Heat Refrigerator Pickles
  • Closeup of fried chicken on a plate.
    Why Do Southerners Put Buttermilk in Everything?
  • A collage of 3 images - pizza, French fries, and hamburgers.
    How to Reheat Food in the Air Fryer
  • Close up of fried onions on a platter.
    Copycat French's Fried Onions Recipe from Scratch

Love it? Share it!

8.8K shares
  • Facebook
  • Flipboard

About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

Comments

    4.38 from 37 votes (33 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Love it? Give it 5 stars!




  1. Shelah says

    January 11, 2024 at 3:16 am

    Can this be frozen, like Cool Whip?

    Reply
    • Marye says

      January 13, 2024 at 6:26 pm

      I haven't frozen it. I think it could be but I am unsure.

      Reply
  2. Tammy says

    November 07, 2022 at 10:26 pm

    5 stars
    Ok. This I can definitely do & be super happy with not having ingredients in it I can’t pronounce! Now, can you help me with answering what the heck “crème fraiche” is??? I watch a lot of food porn. Keep hearing this term mentioned, and I have no idea what it is or how to make my own. Help!!!

    Reply
  3. Terry says

    May 30, 2022 at 8:02 pm

    Is this whipped topping pipe able for cakes and cup cakes?

    Reply
    • Marye says

      June 03, 2022 at 11:44 pm

      It is but use a bit more instant pudding than called for in the recipe.

      Reply
  4. Diane says

    October 14, 2021 at 4:35 am

    5 stars
    how long does it keep in the fridge? thank you

    Reply
    • Marye says

      October 15, 2021 at 11:10 pm

      Several days.

      Reply
    • Carol Bergquist says

      December 16, 2024 at 1:30 pm

      Can you use powdered sugar?

      Reply
      • Marye says

        December 17, 2024 at 5:58 pm

        You probably could - I never have.

  5. Dottie says

    January 11, 2021 at 12:05 pm

    I'm going to try this for I can't use Cool- Whip because it contains polysorbate and artificial sweetners. I know this will be much better too. Glad to have an easy recipe.

    Reply
  6. Nancy Martinez says

    December 01, 2020 at 7:20 pm

    Is super fine sugar the same as powdered sugar?

    Reply
    • Marye says

      December 01, 2020 at 8:20 pm

      No. Powdered sugar is sometimes called Confectioner's sugar.

      Reply
  7. Marie K says

    September 03, 2020 at 8:02 pm

    Thanks for this! They don't sell Cool Whip in Oz and I need it for a key lime pie requested by my aussie father in law.

    Reply
    • Marye says

      September 03, 2020 at 10:34 pm

      Awesome! I'm glad it helped!!

      Reply
  8. Melanie says

    January 28, 2020 at 11:39 pm

    5 stars
    It's just perfect and so easy!

    Reply
    • Marye says

      January 30, 2020 at 9:50 pm

      Thanks Melanie!

      Reply
  9. Joni says

    December 28, 2019 at 6:17 pm

    I did it! Yummo!

    Reply
    • Marye says

      December 29, 2019 at 6:14 pm

      🙂 Glad you liked it1

      Reply
  10. Carol Andrews says

    April 13, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    I would like to know if the homemade cool whip would work mixed with ice cream in a frozen ice cream pie recipe ?

    Reply
    • Marye says

      April 13, 2019 at 5:53 pm

      It should, but to be honest I haven't tried.

      Reply
  11. Albert Veteto says

    October 02, 2018 at 5:27 pm

    I’m going to have to try this recipe in the next day or two

    Reply
  12. Deborah says

    June 20, 2018 at 9:52 pm

    Thanks for this recipe!
    The made amount is equal to 8 ounces of Cool Whip?!
    Thanks!!!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      June 22, 2018 at 9:34 am

      I htink it's more like 16 ounces - it makes a lot.

      Reply
  13. Marisa Franca says

    May 25, 2018 at 6:11 am

    5 stars
    Hey!! Great idea! I didn't even know I'd inadvertently made this recipe when I made my Cannoli cake. I needed a whipped cream frosting that wouldn't weep and get watery. Instant pudding to the rescue. It's a great idea!!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      May 25, 2018 at 11:39 am

      🙂 It really is. so easy

      Reply
Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

Hey Y'all, I'm Marye

Welcome to my kitchen! ☕

NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. Collector of old cookbooks.

Find out more

🍉 Summer Cookouts

  • Overhead view of potato salad in a glass bowl
    Mom's Homemade Potato Salad
  • Overhead view of the finished watermelon basket filled with an assortment of fruit.
    How to Make a Watermelon Basket
  • Closeup of a finished hamburger in a bun.
    Retro Lipton Onion Soup Burger (Vintage Recipe)
  • Closeup of a star shaped cake covered in white chocolate with red and blue sprinkles.
    Zebra Cake Recipe: Little Debbie Copycat

🫖 Picklefork Stories

Picklefork town crest.
Click here to visit Picklefork

👑 Reader Favorites

  • Square overhead of chicken for feature image.
    Crockpot Angel Chicken
  • Close up of the sauce showing the creamy texture.
    Copycat Red Robin Campfire Sauce Recipe
  • Wooden spatula removing fried potatoes out of iron skillet.
    Crispy Fried Potatoes in a Cast Iron Skillet (Southern Style)
  • Blue cocktail with a red and white straw.
    Sex in the Driveway Cocktail
  • A sliced loaf of english muffin bread.
    Easy English Muffin Bread – No Knead, Perfect for Toasting!
  • Two finished loaves of Amish white bread cooling on a table.
    No-Fail Amish White Bread

Footer

^ back to top

About

  • About Marye Audet-White
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Contact
MaryeAudet Whiteandherchildren Dec

Featured In:

Places Restless Chipotle has been featured

We improve our products and advertising by using Microsoft Clarity to see how you use our website. By using our site, you agree that we and Microsoft can collect and use this data. Our privacy statement has more details.

Copyright ©2006 - 2025 Restless Chipotle Media, LLC

Picklefork Tales Copyright ©2025 Marye Audet, Restless Chipotle Media

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.