Is Cool Whip Actually The Same As Whipped Cream?

Decadent desserts, creamy milkshakes, and gooey brownies are just a few of the world's treats that just wouldn't be the same without that little dollop of whipped cream on top. However, research chemist William H. Mitchell (who you can also thank for nostalgic faves like Tang and Pop Rocks) really changed the dessert game back in 1966 with the invention of Cool Whip. And though it was created to be a whipped cream substitute, Cool Whip and whipped cream are not the same things.

Although each product has a similar use, they actually couldn't be more different. Cool Whip's main ingredients, besides water, are hydrogenated vegetable oil, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and skim milk; Cool Whip contains less than 2% of cream in its ingredients list. If you've ever made homemade whipped cream, then you know it's made simply with heavy, or whipping, cream and optional ingredients like vanilla extract and sugar.

Sure, maybe nostalgia has you in a chokehold and you'd like to stick to using Cool Whip as your chosen dessert topper. It's understandable as Cool Whip doesn't disappoint when it comes to its uncanny ability to keep from melting away. It's also pretty bomb when it's in creamy, fruit-loaded salads. But if it's the real deal you're after, it really can't compare to homemade whipped cream.

Not keen on whipping up heavy cream every time you're craving a late-night slice of pie? That's when Cool Whip shines, as — unlike whipped cream — it can be easily frozen without the quality suffering. If you're looking to stick to something a little closer to real whipped cream but preserve some of Cool Whip's ease, Reddi-Wip is also a great substitute that uses real cream. So yes, they are very different, and yes, we know you've silently pronounced Cool Whip like Stewie Griffin whilst reading this.