Aquafaba whipped cream is light and fluffy vegan whipped cream that is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free too! You will be shocked by how amazingly delicious it tastes!  Made without coconut milk, this whipped cream is light and fluffy and stays creamy for days in the fridge or months in the freezer as a vegan cool whip.

A glass bowl filled with blueberries and raspberries topped with aquafaba whipped cream.

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❤️ You will love this recipe because it’s

  • easy to make.
  • free of soy, gluten, dairy, and nuts, plus it can be made fat-free too!
  • light and fluffy and won’t deflate easily.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions 

  • Aquafaba – the liquid from a can of garbanzo beans or white beans. See my post about everything you need to know about aquafaba if you have never used it before.
  • Cream of Tartar – for acidity to help the protein whip into a sturdy foam.  You can also use lemon juice instead if you wish.
  • Vanilla Extract – for flavor.
  • Powdered Sugar – to make it sweet.  You can also use granulated sugar, but I have found that powdered sugar makes it lighter and creamier.
  • Oil – for richness.  you can use any neutral-flavored oil to make the whipped cream richer and creamier. (Optional)

🔪 Helpful tools

  • A stand mixer works best for making this whipped cream since it has to blend for nearly 10 minutes. You can also use a hand mixer, but your arm will get a little tired of holding it.
A bowl of fluffy vegan cool whip made from aquafaba in a kitchen aid mixer.

What is aquafaba?

Aquafaba translates from Latin as bean water. Yes, that stuff in the can of beans that you usually wash down the drain and rinse off the beans. Bean water doesn’t sound very appetizing, so they call it something a little fancier – aquafaba!  I usually use the liquid from chickpeas, but any bean liquid will work.  Chickpeas and white beans will have the most neutral flavor and whip up the whitest, so most people choose one of those 2 beans.

😋 Does aquafaba taste good?

Although it has a pretty name, you may still be turned off by the idea of bean juice. I was hesitant to try anything with aquafaba. Actually, it took me a few years before I worked up the nerve to try it. Wow! I was missing out! I wish I had gotten over it years ago.  It doesn’t have much flavor itself but is delicious when sugar and vanilla are added.

Tip: Most people prefer to use unsalted beans for sweets made with aquafaba.  I have used both and I don’t notice a big difference if you can’t find unsalted beans.  I have also noticed that different brands of beans have slightly different flavors.

🥫 Do I have to use canned beans?

No, you don’t need to use canned beans.  If you make your own beans from scratch, simply save the cooking water from your beans to make the whipped cream. 

*This cooking liquid can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

🥄 Instructions

Step 1Simply drain the liquid from a can of chickpeas or white beans into a mixing bowl. There is usually about a ¾ cup of liquid in the standard can.

Pouring a can of chickpea liquid into a mixing bowl to make vegan whipped cream.

Step 2Use a mixer to beat the liquid until it gets foamy.

Step 3Add a ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar to help it to hold its shape. Then continue to beat the liquid for 5 more minutes on high until it forms stiff peaks.

Step 4Add 1 tbsp of vanilla extract. This will turn your whip cream slightly brown. Don’t worry, beat it for another minute or 2 and it will turn white again.

Adding 1 tbsp of vanilla extract to the aquafaba to make vanilla flavored whipped cream

Step 5After you have whipped it for about 7 minutes, slowly add 2/3 cup of powdered sugar while continuing to beat the mixture for a total of 9-10 minutes. 

Note: (I’ve seen some recipes that call for granulated sugar and I have tested it out, but I have found that it stays lighter and fluffier with powdered sugar).

Powdered sugar being added to aquafaba whipped cream while blending it.

Step 6 – (Optional) Turn off the mixer and add 2 tbsp of neutral oil like refined coconut or canola oil. Mix on low for about 5-10 seconds. Just enough to get the oil distributed through the whipped cream. (optional for a richer flavor).

Note:  If you over-mix once the oil has been added, it will lose its fluffiness. The oil gives it a rich flavor and mouth feel similar to real whipped cream.

Vegan whipped cream being whipped in a blue kitchen aid mixer.

✨ Troubleshooting

If your whipped cream is not holding its form

  • Keep whipping it!  It can take up to 10 minutes to get really fluffy stiff whipped cream.
  • It will look like whipped cream after about 5 minutes of whipping, but it will not hold its form very long after just 5 minutes, so you need to continue whipping for a full 9-10 minutes to get the best results.
  • Be sure to add cream of tartar or lemon juice.  These acids help the protein bind and keep your aquafaba fluffy.
  • Reduce your aquafaba.  Some brands of chickpeas have a thinner light-colored, watery liquid.  If this is the case, you will have better results if you simmer the liquid for a little while to get a more concentrated aquafaba. You read more about how to reduce aquafaba here.

😋 How to make aquafaba taste better?

Some people don’t like the taste of the chickpea liquid.  If it tastes too salty to you, look for a low or no-salt variety. I have also noticed that different brands have different tastes, so you may just want to try another brand until you find one that you like.  You may also try using the liquid from white beans or cannellini beans instead.

🧈 Make it fat-free

You can easily make this whipped cream without adding any oil to it, and it will still taste great. It is a little lighter and fluffier without the oil, but it’s a little less creamy too. So, if you don’t want the fat and extra calories, leave it out!

🥡 How to store the aquafaba whipped cream

Serve immediately on berries, ice cream, vegan chocolate cream pie, or your favorite smoothie, or keep it in the fridge for about 24 hours. 

❄️ How to make vegan cool whip

FreezingIf you are not going to use it the first day, store it in a sealed container in the freezer and use it like you would any frozen whipped topping like Cool Whip.  (Just take it out of the freezer and let it warm up for about 10 minutes before using it).  If kept airtight, it will keep up to a month in the freezer.

🌟 More recipes using aquafaba 

A bowl of berries topped with vegan whipped cream.

🍲 Chickpea recipes

Now that you have opened a can of chickpeas and used the liquid, you need to make something with it. Make this easy vegan chickpea salad, a citrus salad with chickpeas, or a chickpea salad sandwich.

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

A glass bowl of berries topped with vegan whipped cream made with aquafaba.
4.87 from 23 rating

Aquafaba Whipped Cream – Vegan Whipped Cream

Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free whipped cream made with aquafaba.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup aquafaba , (liquid from canned unsalted chickpeas or white beans).
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, or lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup vegan powdered sugar, (most organic varieties are vegan)
  • 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil , like canola or refined melted coconut oil

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Drain and save the liquid from a can of chickpeas or white beans. 
  • Pour 3/4 cup of the liquid in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
  • Use a mixer and beat the liquid until it starts to get foamy.
  • Add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and continue to mix for 5 minutes on high until it becomes very fluffy and forms stiff peaks.
  • Add 1 tbsp vanilla and continue to beat for another minute. (It will turn light brown for a minute, but then turn white again as it beats in).
  • Slowly add 2/3 cup powdered sugar while continuing to mix on high until all vanilla and sugar are mixed in and the mixture if very fluffy. Mix for a total of 9-10 minutes for whipped cream that will hold it's fluffiness the longest.
  • Turn off mixer and add 2 tbsps of your choice of neutral oil. (Melted if using coconut oil). 
  • Turn on mixer to low and beat for 5 -10 seconds to get the oil distributed. (Do NOT over mix once the oil has been added or you will lose the fluffiness)!

Notes

  • Make sure to beat the aquafaba for the suggested time or longer before adding the oil or your whipped cream will separate and lose its form.
  • You can leave out the oil and make this whipped cream fat-free!
  • Any white bean liquid can be used.
  • Use unsalted or low-salt beans for the best flavor.
Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 40kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Fat: 1g, Potassium: 7mg, Sugar: 4g
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!

*This was originally posted on 2/9/2018.  It was updated on 2/17/20 to include new images and an instructional video showing how to make the aquafaba whipped cream.