Thank you for all of the great feedback on my last video showing you the easy, hands free way to shred meat! Today I’m sharing a great tip from the old days on how to make a delicious whipped cream using ingredients you probably have in your pantry right now! I just had to do a video on this one because seeing is believing! So, without further ado, here is How to Make Whipped Cream using Evaporated Milk!
You can print these easy instructions below!
Have a great day 🙂

Ingredients
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 1/2-3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Place can of milk in freezer for thirty minutes (use a timer so you don't forget!). While that is getting cold, place mixing bowl and beaters (or whisk attachment) in refrigerator or freezer as well.
- Pour chilled evaporated milk into mixing bowl and beat at high speed for 1 minute, or until foamy. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat again for about two minutes, or until thick and creamy.
- Serve immediately
Note: This is great on top of desserts, fruit salads, pies, custards, etc. However, this has to be served as soon as it is made as it won't hold up for more than thirty minutes or so.
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Wow! I have never thought about using canned milk to make whip cream. It makes sense, though.
Thanks so much for the tip. 🙂
Thanks Cara! It does come in handy. I love how it tastes and that I can keep the ingredients on hand. So much cheaper than buying Heavy Cream, too! Hope you have a great weekend!
Gratefully,
Christy
I absolutely love evaporated milk. My Mom used to make am icing with it to die for! I am going to try this one for sure!
I’m with you! Whenever I used it, I always save just a little bit in the can to drink, heehee
Do you think if you added some instant pudding powder it would hold up longer? I saw a recipe for whipped cream that said to do this so it would hold up longer……….
if you didnt put it in the fridge for thirty mins will it still work
It needs to be in the freezer for thirty. I’m afraid it won’t work otherwise.
Hey Christy,
Can this be used as substitute for sour cream? Is this the same kind of cream I could use in your recipe Aunt Sue’s Pound Cake? BTW – I ordered your new book. Can’t wait to get it. I also have your first cookbook. It is my go to cookbook now. I usually have all the ingredients right in my pantry. Now that you have showed me how to make whip cream at home, I want have to run to the grocery store at 9:30 pm, when I get a craving to make something sweet that calls for cool whip.
Thanks,
Alicia in NC
Hey! This is a great substitute for whipped topping on desserts, but doesn’t work the same in recipes. Evaporated milk is a good substitute for regular milk in baking, but when it comes to recipes called for heavy cream or sour cream, subbing this one won’t work out quite the same. It may work, but it isn’t as thick or rich.
Hope this helps!
Christy,
Christy, I know you’re busy with the holidays but I have a really big question. We make a frosting for cakes and cupcakes with heavy cream or whipping cream and either sugar free pudding or regular pudding. It makes a great frosting without hurting your teeth which some tub frostings use too much sugar. It sits well as both a frosting for whatever cakes as well as a frosting too decorate (writing, and even flowers.) The way many use buttercream. I will be taking a break from the holiday baking to make my favorite birthday cake, yrs I know I’m making my own birthday cake but hey that’s what happens if I want cake. I suppose my question is could I use the evaporated whipped cream instead of heavy cream?? Cause in the hellishly cold NJ, heavy cream is expensive. I hope you can answer this before the 16th?
Alicia,
Re sour cream sub, you can use plain Greek yogurt or just some plain regular yogurt drained in a colander lined with paper towels- to get rid of some of the whey (liquid) till you get the desired consistency. I make my own yogurt and that’s what I do when I’m feeling lazy to run to the store just a 100m away. Hope that helps.
My mother used to do this all the time. It’s OK in a pinch, but doesn’t taste the same.
Evaporated milk has a slightly caramel flavor to it that I just love, especially in my coffee 🙂 Everyone has their favorite flavors though! Hope you have a great weekend!
Gratefully,
Christy
Can you mix jello to it to make a mousse?
Was great to find a recipe of how to use evap milk for heavy cream in a recipe. Thank you so much. Don’t always keep heavy cream or whipping cream on hand.
My mom used to make whipped cream this way. It was so good and such a treat.
I bet you had a great Mama, too!
Gratefully,
Christy
Hey Christy,
Have you ever done a recipe for green beans, new potatoes and bacon? I have been looking for one. As my Mom God rest her soul used to make this for us at super time. She would do this in the spring of the year when the potatoes would just get going. I have found several recipes on the Internet but they have onion in them and as I recall she did not use onions. But, could be wrong.
Thanks,
Bill
Hey Bill! I have two recipes for you to check out, you can leave out the onions in the second and put bacon in the first if you like.
This is the first one: https://www.southernplate.com/2013/06/creamed-beans-and-taters.html
This is the second: https://www.southernplate.com/2009/06/sweet-and-sour-green-beans.html
I know nothing will ever taste as good as your Mama’s cooking but maybe one of these will make you smile 🙂
Bill, I’m not Christy, but I have a recipe from my boss for something similar. All it is, is new potatoes, green beans and little smokies and cooked in a pressure cooker. I’ll bet it was adapted from using bacon!
I’m from Kentucky and I make these all the time, it’s like tradition 🙂 I get the strings off of the beans and break them in half. I put them in a large pot and boil them, just long enough to get all of the dirt off of them. I rinse them and put them back in the cleaned pot and cover them with water. I add bacon grease to them while they cook but I wait for the salt and potatoes until almost done. I usually cook them long enough so that the largest bean I can find floating around has softened. I add the salt and potatoes about 30 to 45 minutes before I know they’re finished cooking. I don’t know if it’s an old wives tale or not but I’ve heard that salting them in the beginning will make the beans tough….. so I’ve always done it this way
My mom used to make this when I was growing up. I now use whipping cream but may try and make this to see if my husbnad and kids can tell the difference. Thanks for the wonderful recipes.
Can we all just take a moment to appreciate how cute Christy’s voice sounds! 😉
LOL! I just love you! You know, when I was a teenager I had the biggest complex about how my voice sounded. I always thought I sounded like a man 🙂 I’m just kinda used to it now, man sounding and all 🙂
Christy, i was the same way! when i sang at church, i could do Rich Mullins and Steven Curtis Chapman stuff in their key, and could “pinch-hit” as a tenor in our church choir. I think we’re kinda Lauren Bacall Goes South sounding.
Just like Momma made. I’d forgotten about doing this.
I use evaporated milk in my banana pudding also,much richer taste.
Christy, have you ever tried this with fat-free evaporated milk? And could I use Stevia to make it sugar-free? I know this changes it somewhat but just wondered. P.S. I LOVE you.
Bill/Christy,
I come from eastern KY & I grew up with my Mom making green beans with new potatoes. She cooked the beans with pieces of “side of bacon” & when they were almost done cooking added the potatoes (red or russet) & finished cooking. She always (& still does) cook the beans until they are dry. She never added onions or pieces of bacon except what cooked off the “side of bacon”. This is how I make mine, too. My northern mil says we “cook them to death” but they are wonderful with corn bread, fried taters & cole slaw & fresh “maters”.
I’m 80 and still cook my beans that way people tell me they could never taste good cooked to death. But when they eat them I notice my bowl is empty. The stories made my day. I still think my mother invented the vanilla wafers bananas and pudding desert. She had this big platter and filled as high as could be with out falling over. When my older brother came home from the World War II that’s what was waiting for him..
Can I pour the eva.milk in powell and chilled,or should be poured lafer?
Thanks and regards,
Salman, I *think* you could put the evaporated milk in the bowl and then put them in the freezer (with the beater). But I never tried that. You would need to be careful that the bowl does not tip or the milk will make a big mess. Because I am clumsy, I would put the can in the freezer by itself, and put the bowl and beater in the refrigerator. Then I would pour the milk into the bowl after everything was chilled for thirty minutes.
I hope this helps, Salman.
That will really come in handy! Thanks so much!!
You said this won’t last for longer than 30 mins or so. Does that also apply to it being refrigerated? Know this question sounds silly but when I watched the video I noticed that the milk whipped up SO much better than heavy whipping cream. My jaw literally dropped! LOL I’m also asking because when I make a Pavlova, one flavor in particular I mix together my cream and lemon curd. For some reason it seems like the curd helps to keep the cream from drooping. I know many say that Pavlova should be eaten the same day but I’ve made many that have lasted days in the frig so long as it’s placed in a cake carrier. In fact, everyone who’s tried my Pavlova’s believe they taste just as good, if not better days after the fact. If I could use your way of making whipping cream just for that baked good alone, it would save me a lot of money…
I’m about to make a pavlova this weekend, too! Getting ready for Passover so I’m working out what I want to cook. I truly wish I could tell you that this would work for that but I’m afraid I can’t. It deflates FAST, nowhere near as stable as heavy cream that has been whipped. I’d definitely stick with the heavy whipping cream and just hang onto this one for last minute emergencies. Your recipe sounds heavenly and I’d hate to contribute one speck to it not being perfect!
My sister-in-law used to make a Cheese Cake using Pet evaporated milk. It was soooo good. Wish I had that recipe!
Thanks for all the recipes and great blogs, Christy! So glad you are on the mend too!
your adorable christy finally hearing you talk . lol.. i am soooo glad you made a video and talked to us out here !! lol.. this is awesome for whipped cream and i plan on using it…. thanks and your a complete angel…. lisa
Christy, I know you do a lot of sugar free or lower sugar in your recipes. I deal with a family of diabetics so I wonder if you have tips on doing this sugar free? Could you blend up splenda in a mixer to make it fine and add a touch of corn starch maybe ?? If you have any ideas on this I would love to hear them . Its an awesome idea , and I will be using it from now on . I rarely have whipping cream around . Not that I do a lot of baking that I need whip cream . But there are always Times of the year that I do and this would be great . Thanks 🙂
Our mother used to make this when I was a child. I could never remember how she did it except she froze the evaporated milk in an old metal ice cube maker! I remember she would whip the frozen cubes, This was a treat, Over the years I asked how she did these she couldn’t remember, SO today was a real treat to see you make whip topping! Happy Fall. Love your recipes!
I used to work for Woolworth’s many, many moons ago and they had a cheesecake that we made with whipped evaporated milk. Very light, fluffy and delicious.
I loved the cheesecake at Woolworths!! Wish I could find the recipe.
Pattie-I think this may be the recipe you want.
Woolworth’s Cheesecake
Dissolve one 3oz box or lemon jello into 1 cup boiling water. Set in fridge to chill. Allow it to thicken, but not set up. Also place a 12 oz. can of evaporated milk in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
In a separate bowl beat 8 oz. softened cream cheese with 1 cup white sugar and 5 tablespoons lemon juice. Fold in the thickened jello and beat until well combined. Set aside while you whip the chilled evaporated milk till it is fluffy and then combine with the cream cheese/jello mixture. Line a 9X13 pan with a graham cracker crust made by mixing 1/2 cup sugar and 1 stick of melted butter with 3 cups graham cracker crumbs. Keep 1/2 cup out for topping and press the rest in place. Pour in the cheesecake mix, sprinkle with the reserved graham crumbs and chill till firm.
Thanks Elaine for sharing this recipe. I don’t remember eating this cheesecake at Woolsworth but do remember when very young eating at their diner counter -“those were the days My Friend”. Thanks!
elaineraye — thank you so much for the recipe. I appreciate it so much!! I look forward to enjoying this cheesecake again.
Thank you for the Woolworth’s cheesecake recipe. My mother used to make this every summer–no baking. I lost the recipe over the years and am thrilled to see it again. I have already printed it out. I’ll probably make it as soon as the milk chills. :0)
Should say one 3 0z. box OF lemon jello not or. I don’t want to confuse anyone.
SOOOO much easier than trying to keep whipping cream in the fridge! Thanks Christy!
Ummmm…….how are you doing?
Marcia–I cook for diabetics too so maybe I can help you here. Whipping a can of evaporated milk (usually about 6 carbs per can) won’t result in many carbs per serving of whipped cream. Even adding a teaspoon of sugar, or better yet Splenda, won’t increase the carb count that much. I would stay away from using cornstarch as it is about 7.5 carbohydrates per tablespoon. Best solution when you have it around is to use whipping cream, which comes in at ZERO carbs. Hope this helps.
Carol you are awesome, thanks so much for the help! You can totally do without the cornstarch in this so no worries there, and I’m a big Splenda fan when making this for myself, works great! The main thing to keep in mind is that this doesn’t last very long and has to be served immediately either way.
Christy, just a thought but for chocolate whipped cream what about adding chocolate syrup to the milk first? Still add the vanilla as vanilla enhances the flavor but reduce the amount a little? Or maybe adding Dutch coco powder to the powdered sugar? Hmmm Strawberry syrup?
For the last couple of recipes, I have been unable to print because the content of the recipe does not appear after clicking the “print” button. I don’t know if it is something regarding my computer or a glitch in your website. If you haven’t received any other comments regarding this, then I can assume it is on my end.
Hope you are almost to the end of the long battle with the wheelchair. My best to you always,
Jane P.
Christy. thank you so much Mary told me she had asked the question about canned milk whipped cream/ Bless your heart.
This is the way my mama made whipped cream when we were growing up, I didn’t know at the time there was any other way!!!
This is the way my mama made whipped cream when we were growing up. But she did not have an electric hand mixer, I remember her using the hand held egg beater to mix with, probably took a little longer, but gosh it was so good.
This is such a Great Recipe to have. I have always bought the
Heavy whipping cream but since I am a very “frugal”
Person, ( I am the one that price matches and uses coupons
that some people just LOVE to get behind at the store;) LOL THIS IS
WONDERFUL!!!! Thanks so much Christy!!
🙂 SO glad you enjoyed the video Emily!!!
You can also me caramel sauce out of the sweetened condensed milk too .
Loved this tip.Please continue to share your tips Christy I love step by step video,s .A huge fan of yours from Texas!
Thank you Kathy!!
I was JUST talking to my friend about how my Mama used to do this….and then you went and did a post about it!! She (my Mom) never put any sugar or anything in it (that I noticed) but she’d pour the evaporated milk into a plastic (probably Tupperware) bowl and stick it in the freezer while she finished cooking supper….then when it was time for strawberry shortcake or some other delightful treat, she’d pull the bowl out of the freezer and whip up some wonderful “whipped cream.” Thanks, Christy…I’ve just traveled back 40 years!!
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed the video and that it brought back so many precious memories!!!
Enjoyed hearing your sweet voice, and getting to see a tutorial. I did not know you could do this with evaporated milk! Good to know, and simple enough to do when yu need it quick.
I hope you get to try it soon Vicki!!