Take a step back in time and learn how to make whipped cream with evaporated milk. This recipe is simple, easy, and most importantly, results in a deliciously fluffy whipped topping for your favorite dessert.
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! Yep, is the perfect . I just had to do a video on this one because seeing is believing!
It takes just three simple ingredients to make this homemade whipped cream topping: evaporated milk, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla extract. The key is freezing the can of evaporated milk and then beating it with the sugar and vanilla to make the fluffiest whipped cream imaginable. Trust me, once you try this recipe, you’ll be remaking it again and again.
You should also trust me when I say that fresh homemade whipped cream is so much better than the pre-packaged version.
Skip the vanilla ice cream and top these desserts with this delicious whipped cream: crockpot apple crisp, no-bake pumpkin cheesecake, easy apple crumble, cherry pineapple dump cake, and pineapple cake and cobbler.
So, without further ado, here is how to make whipped cream with evaporated milk!
Recipe Ingredients
- Can of evaporated milk
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Vanilla extract
How To Make Whipped Cream With Evaporated Milk
Place the can of evaporated milk in the freezer for 30 minutes (use a timer so you don’t forget!). While that is getting cold, place a mixing bowl and beaters (or whisk attachment) in the refrigerator or freezer as well.
Pour chilled evaporated milk into the 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.
It tastes great with a slice of apple pie!
Storage
See the Recipe Notes section below to see how you can make your whipped cream last a bit longer, but this is one of those things you want to serve immediately and store leftovers for 30 minutes only.
Recipe Notes
- 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 30 minutes or so.
- To stabilize the end result and have it last a bit longer in the fridge, you can add 1 teaspoon of flavored Jell-O or unflavored gelatin. Dissolve that in hot water. Chill in the fridge until slightly thickened and then add to chilled evaporated milk and beat away.
- Did you know you can also add some flavor to your homemade whipped cream? When you add the sugar and vanilla, also add a teaspoon of cocoa powder, cinnamon, or pumpkin spice.
Here are even more delicious desserts to top with this homemade whipped cream:
Easy Crescent Cherry Cream Cheese Cobbler
Caramel Apple Cheesecake (Unbelievably Blissful)
Ingredients
- 12 ounce can of evaporated milk
- 1/2-3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Place the can of evaporated milk in the freezer for 30 minutes (use a timer so you don't forget!). While that is getting cold, place your mixing bowl and beaters (or whisk attachment) in the refrigerator or freezer as well.12 ounce can of evaporated milk
- Pour the chilled evaporated milk into the 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.1/2-3/4 cup confectioner's sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 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, but check the notes section for how you can make it last a bit longer.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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This reminds me of something I learned from a powdered milk box label many years ago. You can whip equal parts powdered milk and water and then sweeten with sugar and vanilla. It whips really well, but also tends to fall flat after about a half hour.
Add 1 teaspoon of gelatin to stabilize and it will keep in fridge.
Great point Deb!
thanks for commenting 🙂
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.
Bloom 1t gelatin w/2T h2o. Add to mixture. ( I use grassfed)
It should hold a bit longer.
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.
I have a problem I first whipped the evaporated milk, so I was wandering if I can still put it in the freezer?
Hey Lungi! I’m afraid this doesn’t stabilize very well so its best if it is used immediately.
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 mother used strawberry jello with half the water .Let it set until it was sloppy/wiggly. Added the jello to the cold evaporated milk and whipped it.
She then put it in a graham cracker crust. Voila pink pie,
It was requested for many birthdays
Dear Christy
Hello my names Yvonne. My grandma used to put a can in the fridge for 24 hours , to get the same result.
Also, do you know how to keep it whipped up, nice and fluffy for a couple of hours?
Maybe some cream of Tarta?
From Yvonne Chapman
Sydney, Australia
Hey Yvonne, great to meet you! I think if you add cream of tartar it will definitely stabilize it some, but it lacks the fat most whipped cream has to last terribly long. You can probably get a few hours out of it though. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
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.