Question: Does whipped cream have dairy?
Answer: Yes, whipped cream contains dairy. The main ingredient in whipped cream is heavy cream or whipping cream. These creams contain enough fat to allow the cream whip. Lower fat dairy products like whole or 2% milk will not whip properly because they lack sufficient fat.
Even an imitation whipped cream like Cool Whip contains skim milk, which makes it a dairy product. Additionally, Dream Whip contains sodium caseinate, which is a milk derivative. It is highly likely that if you purchase a product that is marketed as a whipped topping, that it contains dairy.
If you are looking for a dairy-free whipped topping, it is easy to whip up coconut milk or coconut cream into a whipped cream-like texture. Simply pour the coconut milk/cream into a mixing bowl, add some vanilla extract, and whip as you would a homemade whipped cream. Check out the below step-by-step video to make dairy-free whipped cream at home.