Whipped cream is one of the delicious additions to the coffee drink, ice cream, cakes, or other sweet treats. You often see this milky white cream that is rich in flavor on most Starbucks drinks. One of Starbucks’ secret ingredients makes you fall in love with the drink from the very first sip. Ranging from Frappuccino and Mocha to Latte, Starbucks never fails to serve its consumers with whipped creams as a topping.
Generally, the art of making whipped cream is to beat the heavy cream to a fluffy and soft texture. Since it is an easy process, you can make the cream on your own by using a dispenser or a mixer. However, although the whipped cream is delicious, it is extremely bad for your health. Therefore, if you want to replace the unhealthy cream topping, we can guide you to our 7 best-whipped cream substitutes.
Homemade Delicious Whipped Cream Like Starbucks
Before jumping to the alternative ways to replace the whipped cream, we also provide some guidance for homemade delicious whipped cream. In case you want to make it at home, you can replicate the famous Starbucks whipped cream in the instructions below.
You can use two interchangeable equipment to make the whipped cream: a cream dispenser and a handheld mixer. These tools work best for creating a smooth and fluffy texture of Starbucks whipped cream. On the other hand, they both have different blending ways.
Using a Cream Dispenser
It would be great if you already had a whipped cream dispenser at home. All you need is to put the vanilla syrup, milk, sugar, and heavy cream together in the dispenser. Then you need to tighten the screw bottle and shake it for several seconds. After that, you can remove the canister and turn the dispenser upside down to pour the sweet and fluffy whipped cream.
Using a Mixer
This is also another great tool for you to make the best homemade Starbucks whipped cream easily. All you need is two bowls and a handheld mixer. To begin with, you need the heavy cream, vanilla syrup, sugar, and milk mixed in a bowl. Then, chill it in the fridge for half an hour. In another bigger bowl, you have to pour the chilled cream and whisk it with the handheld mixer for a few minutes. When you see the cream start to build a soft and foamy texture, you can stop whisking it. Then the sweet and fluffy cream is ready to serve.
Health Concerns When Consuming Whipped Cream
Since whipped cream is made with dairy milk and other sweeteners, it is associated with increased health problems. Firstly, whipped cream carries saturated fat, this type of fat is linked with heart disease due to the high cholesterol production in the heart. Besides the high cholesterol proportion it carries, the whipped cream is high in calories (400 calories for 119 grams of cream). Therefore, you can easily over-consume the daily calories intake if you regularly take the whipped cream.
In addition, lactose is a sugar substance that exists in milk. Normally, our body produces lactase to break down lactose elements into glucose and galactose so that these two sugar molecules can be easily absorbed into our bloodstream to produce energy. However, when you consume excessive milk, the body can no longer digest the lactose. Therefore, you will likely encounter a digestive system issue called lactose intolerance.
As far as it concerns, whipped cream can be the cause for so many health issues, such as stomachaches, heart diseases, mucus production, high cholesterol, breathing difficulty, and weight gains. Thus, you should reduce or terminate the whipped cream intake from your coffee or other dessert treats. If you cannot cut it off, you should take a small portion of the whipped cream but not daily. On top of that, it would be a great idea if you could replace the whipped cream with supplementary alternatives.
7 Best Starbucks Whipped Cream Alternatives and Substitutes
Of course, every Starbucks often puts whipped cream as toppings as it is their secret recipe for delicious Starbucks drinks. Since whipped cream consists of saturated fat, which is the root cause of certain health complications, some people will avoid drinking it. Yet, there are supplementary ways to replace the whipped cream as toppings. Thus, you will enjoy those healthier alternatives as much as the whipped cream.
1- Buttermilk
Whether you make coffee, cakes, cupcakes, or ice cream, buttermilk can be mixed together to substitute the whipped cream. Even though it is not a daily-free choice, butter and milk are healthier than whipped cream.
To kick-off:
- Bring a large bowl
- Put in ⅓ of unsalted butter and pour 6 oz of milk (soy milk, almond milk, or low-fat milk)
- Beat it by using a mixer (an electric mixer or a handheld mixer)
- Keep mixing until the texture is stiff
- Then put on 1 tbsp of flour in the mixture to add more consistency
- Keep stirring it until the layer is thick
- Eventually, the buttermilk substitute is completed
2- Soy Milk and Olive Oil
If you can use both olive oil and soy milk in the mixture, it will be one of the healthiest substitutes. It is because they are both organic and provide a wide range of health benefits. As olive oil carries healthy fats and high antioxidants, it helps prevent the body from inflammation, stroke, heart diseases, and other health issues. Meanwhile, soy milk offers protein that supports muscle development. Furthermore, both have combined omega 3 fatty acids that are powerful for maintaining sugar and blood pressure levels.
To make this delicate substitute:
- Pour 5 oz of soy milk and 3 oz of olive oil into a mixture
- Use a handheld mixer to mix it until the milk looks creamy
- The tender soy milk and olive oil is ready to spoon
3- Banana and White Egg
You can try the banana and white egg as a substitute for whipped cream. The ingredients are simple, yet they provide healthy nutrients to your body. The banana and white egg taste identical to the Starbucks whipped cream, but they offer proteins and natural sugars. Besides, ripe bananas are the source of many minerals and vitamins as well.
To process this alternative:
- Peels 2 bananas (ripe)
- Crack 2 eggs and take out the yolk (use only white eggs)
- Use either fork or spoon
- Mix them as fast as you can for several minutes
- Add a touch of sugar or a teaspoon of honey if you prefer sweetness
- Finally, finish it with 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
4- Cornstarch, Flour and Milk
The cornstarch, milk, and flour mixture is a good recipe to replace whipped cream because it carries fewer carbs and fats. You can use soy milk, low-fat milk, oat milk, or almond milk to lower the fat content. Moreover, this recipe might be limited to use for certain desserts, cakes, and drinks.
Here are the steps for this substitute:
- Pour 1 cup of milk in a bowl (use the recommended milk above)
- Add 4-5 teaspoons of cornstarch
- Then whisk it for a few minutes
- Once the texture looks smooth, you can fill in 1 tablespoon of flour
- Next, keep whisking until the texture becomes silky and stiff
5- Japanese Tofu and Soy Milk
If you have never heard of Japanese Tofu, you should try this recipe. Condensed soy milk is used to make this Japanese Tofu. Therefore, it contains high protein, iron, and calcium. On top of that, when you mix the Japanese Tofu with soy milk, you will have a silky-smooth surface as a replacement for Starbucks whipped cream. In addition, this substitute is the easiest and has a straightforward recipe to make.
Easy ways to make it:
- Use a blender or food processor if you have one.
- Pour both the Tofu and soy milk for the same amount
- Mix them until the surface is silky and bulky
- When the consistency reaches, you can serve it on your coffee or cakes.
6- Grape Juice and Unsalted Cashews
You will never want to consume whipped cream again if you try this grape juice and unsalted cashews alternative. When you use grape juice, you should be aware of its quality. Organic grape juice offers a wide range of health benefits, such as natural sugar, antioxidants, and maintaining blood’s health. However, the low-quality juice contains a lot of white sugar that is bad for health. Moreover, you will have a sweet and nutty flavor substitute when bringing unsalted cashew together with grape juice. Thus, it is the best to use for topping.
Here is how to make this substitute:
- You can start by washing and drying the unsalted cashews with cold water
- Bring a blender
- Pour 1 grape juice cup (8 oz), 1 palm of cashews, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Turn on the blender and blend it for several minutes
- When the surface starts thickening, turn it off
- Freeze it for 15 minutes, and it is ready
7- Coconut Milk and Vanilla Extract
Lastly, this whipped cream substitute is suitable for those who do not like a nutty taste. When blending the coconut milk with vanilla extract, this substitute will have a creamy texture and firm coconut flavor. Also, it is a rich, creamy, and healthy alternative to whipped cream.
Here are the steps to make it:
- Prior to starting, you need to get your coconut milk, and a metal bowl chilled
- A well-chilled coconut will form a cream layer on top
- Spoon it out to the metal bowl
- Then whisk it for several minutes
- After the milk gets fluffy, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and sugar
- Continue to whisk it until it thickens
- Then freeze it for another 15-20 minutes.