How To Make Whipped Cream With Evaporated Milk

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.

Dollop of homemade whipped cream on fruit salad.

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, evaporated milk is the perfect heavy cream substitute. I just had to do a video on this one because seeing is believing! 

It takes just three simple ingredients to make this easy homemade whipped cream topping: evaporated milk, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla extract. Yep, we use evaporated milk instead of other milk alternatives like heavy cream or condensed milk. 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 heavy whipping cream version (sorry, Cool Whip).

Skip the frosting or vanilla ice cream and top these desserts with this delicious whipped cream: crockpot apple crispno-bake pumpkin cheesecakeeasy apple crumblecherry pineapple dump cake, and pineapple cake and cobbler.

So, without further ado, here is how to make whipped cream with evaporated milk!

Labeled ingredients for homemade whipped cream.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Can of evaporated milk
  • Confectioner’s sugar
  • Vanilla extract

How To Make Whipped Cream With Evaporated Milk

Set a timer while you freeze the can of 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.

Beat frozen evaporated milk with mixer.

Pour chilled evaporated milk into the mixing bowl and beat at high speed for 1 minute, or until foamy.

Add sugar to mixer.

Add sugar…

Add vanilla to mixer.

And vanilla to the stand mixer bowl. Beat again for about two minutes, or until thick and creamy.

Homemade whipped cream once mixed.

Your homemade whipped cream should look a little bit like this when done.

Bowl of whipped cream.

Serve immediately.

Glass filled with whipped cream.

What will you enjoy your whipped cream with?

Fork digging into fresh fruit salad with whipped cream.

Fresh fruit, a slice of apple pie… take your pick!

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

Triple Chocolate Brownie Pie

Old-Fashioned Rhubarb Crisp

Easy Apple Crumble Recipe

Caramel Apple Cheesecake (Unbelievably Blissful)

Glass filled with homemade whipped cream.

Whipped Cream With Evaporated Milk

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.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: milk
Servings: 4
Calories: 400kcal

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

    To stabilize the end result and have it last a bit longer in the fridge, you can add 1 tsp 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 🙂

    Nutrition

    Calories: 400kcal
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    157 Comments

    1. I wonder if you could help me please. I boiled some condensed milk in a pan of water yesterday to make caramel. that went fine. I then let it cool and tried to whisk it with Mascarpone and Ricotta to make a Salted Caramel Cheesecake, but the problem was that although I whisked the mixture for ages and chilled it , it wouldn’t set . if I did the same, but used heavy cream instead of Mascarpone and ricotta , would it set?

      1. I am afraid I have no idea. I have never made caramel that way and in school we were told flat out to never make caramel that way. If the water gets below the top of the can at any point it can and has exploded, causing serious injuries. When I need to make caramel from a can of sweetened condense milk I either cook it on the stovetop (out of the can) or in the microwave, stirring at regular intervals, until it is caramelized. I know a lot of people still do this but please be very careful as I’d hate for you or a member of your family to get hurt.
        When it comes to the recipe, I have to apologize again as I have never made a cheesecake the way you are describing. I would recommend that you go to the source of that recipe and ask them what they would recommend. I feel like they could guide you much better than I can since it is their recipe and methods of cooking. I wonder if the instructions given with the recipe might need some revision in order to allow folks to duplicated the authors intent.
        Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!

    2. I just found this recipe. I haven’t tried it yet, but do you think I could incorporate this into a chocolate mousse substituting the heavy cream for this cream?

    3. I’m so glad I found this recipe!!..its exactly what I needed…. once I make this, will I be able to save the left overs in a container?

      1. Yes, I just made a sample batch wondering if I could make it and store it (freezer). So far so good. If whipped right, the air packed into the ‘whipped cream’ helps with storage and maintaining fluffiness!

    4. I did something wrong. I chilled the evaporated milk 30 minutes and chilled the bowl and beaters. Beat one minute until frothy, added confectioners sugar and vanilla and beat another 2+ minutes but never became whip cream. What did I do wrong. I live in Nicaragua 7 months a year where we do not have whipped cream but if I can figure this out, I can make it with this seemingly easy recipe. Please help.

      1. Hey Carol! I’m so sorry this didn’t work out for you. First of all, I’m not sure where you live but where I live right now it is so hot you could fry an egg on the pavement – literally. No matter what, I can’t get my house cool due to the outside temperature being so high. I am thinking that may be the case where you are to some degree. Freezing the milk longer will likely fix the problem. Also, know that once you make the whipped cream you must keep it cold and serve immediately as this breaks down faster than what we are used to. Let me know if this might help. I was in Nicaragua last summer and I’ve got to say, as hot as it is here, Nicaragua has us beat by a mile!!!!

        1. Thank you. I am going to try again this week. I am so glad I found you. I look forward to using your recipes. They are practical and easy to follow.

    5. To make the whip cream whith evaporated milk, can I use sugar instead of confectioners sugar? My brother-in-law doesn’t have any, but has sugar.

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