Cool Whip: Where Did It Come From?
Make a Goo-Free version of this American classic.
Last night, while Robert and I were watching YouTube, the algorithm shared a video that we couldn’t help but click: “What’s Actually In Cool Whip?” (linked below).
We both instantly said - eewwww!
“Oh, look - you can use that one in your Goo-Free post for tomorrow!” he said.
“Game on!” I replied.
As we watched the video we became more and more grossed out… 🤢
👉 Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for two healthy recipes to make your own Dairy and Dairy-Free whipped cream!
Video Highlights (TL;DR)
If you don’t want to watch the video yourself, here are the highlights:
In the 1920s, Swiss chemist Max Gelman began experimenting with synthetic cream, calling his creation “Gelee Lyonnaise.”
Gelman’s version of Gelee Lyonnaise was comprised of corn starch and vegetable oil, which the video claims “tasted good” but had an unpleasant color (yellowish-brown) which made it hard to sell.
In the 1940’s, a restauranteur in Rhode Island, named Jack Fisher*, was having trouble with his new frozen dinner products tasting “dry” and found a way to use Gelee Lyonnaise (with modifications) to make his frozen meals more palatable.
Food Scientist William A. Mitchell built upon the discoveries of Gelman and Fisher, and officially introduced Cool Whip in 1966 as a product of the General Foods company, which was eventually acquired by KRAFT.
Other food products by the same group of food scientists who created Cool Whip include Pop Rocks (candy), TANG (dehydrated drink mix), and JELL-O.
When it was first released to the public in the late 1960’s, retail grocers were “overjoyed” because Cool Whip can be frozen, thawed, and refrozen for shipping with “little to no degeneration”.
During the Watergate Scandal in the 1960’s, Cool Whip took off because an unknown sous chef added it to the high end restaurant’s “Watergate Salad”, which was jokingly referenced in a Denver Post article.
In 2020, 129.3 million Americans consumed Cool Whip (per Statista), and by 2024 over 200 million Americans ate some kind of dessert with Cool Whip. The video called out that “more people eat Cool Whip than voted in the presidential election.”
You may not be able to find Cool Whip globally, but it’s readily available in the USA and Canada.
* the YouTube video mistakenly calls the restauranteur “Jack Senn” but his name is actually Jack Fisher. (source)
So what’s actually IN Cool Whip?
Cool Whip is not really whipped cream, but was developed as a replacement for real whipped cream as a time saver to avoid having to physically whip cream, and because it can be shipped and stored frozen for extended periods of time.
Ingredients from the YouTube video:
water
dehydrogenated vegetable oil
high fructose corn syrup
skimmed milk
light cream
beta carotene
assorted flavorings (artificial)
assorted chemicals ← direct from the video!
Ingredients from the actual product label:
(Not So) Funny?
Here’s a humorous and notable quote, from the YouTube video:
Cool Whip isn’t great for you.
But, hey! You probably already suspected as much!
After all, it is dessert! But it’s also not the end of the world.
Cool Whip contains trans fats, and artificial additives like preservatives, which can be harmful to your health. But treating yourself to a crack of the whip every now and again is totally fine as long as you don’t get busted breaking into Watergate.”
The Video
For your viewing enjoyment!
Make Your Own REAL Version of ‘Cool Whip’
👇 Scroll to see the Dairy-Free Version.
Whipped Cream - Dairy Version
🧾 Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream (organic and grass-fed if possible)
1–2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or pure raw honey (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Optional: a pinch of salt for balance or a bit of cream of tartar to help it hold shape longer
🥣 Instructions:
Chill your tools: Place your mixing bowl and beaters or whisk attachment in the freezer for about 10 minutes before you start. Cold equipment helps the cream whip better.
Whip the cream: Pour the heavy cream into the chilled bowl and begin whipping on medium-high speed.
Sweeten and flavor: As soft peaks begin to form (after 1–2 minutes), add in the maple syrup or honey, vanilla, and optional salt or cream of tartar.
Whip to stiff peaks: Continue whipping until the cream forms stiff peaks and holds its shape. Be careful not to over-whip, or it will turn into butter.
Serve or store: Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2–3 days. It will not have the shelf stability of store-bought Cool Whip, but it will taste better and nourish your body.
Whipped Cream - Dairy-Free Version
🧾 Ingredients:
1 cup full-fat coconut cream
1–2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or pure raw honey (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Optional: a pinch of salt for balance or a bit of cream of tartar to help it hold shape longer
🥣 Instructions:
Similar to above…
Scoop out the solid part from a chilled can of full-fat coconut milk (no guar gum or additives)
Whip with 1–2 tbsp maple syrup or honey and a splash of vanilla
Chill it again after whipping for the best texture!
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Cool whip was something that my Nan used all the time for desserts. Good and bad memories. The containers always held leftovers as well that was most likely heated up in a microwave 🙄