Homemade Cool Whip Recipe

Sprinkle gelatin over 1 ounce cold water (2 tablespoons; 28g) in a small bowl and stir with a fork to combine. In another bowl, mix together milk, powdered milk, and vanilla until relatively smooth. In a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan, combine the remaining 2 ounces water (1/4 cup; 55g) with corn syrup, sugar, and salt and set over medium heat. Stir with a fork until bubbling hard around the edges, about 3 minutes, then increase heat to medium-high. Clip a digital thermometer to the saucepan and cook, without stirring, until the clear syrup registers 250°F (120°C), about 4 minutes.

Immediately transfer to a large heat-safe bowl, scraping pot with a heat-resistant spatula, and cool to exactly 212°F (100°C), about 3 minutes. Add gelatin and whip with a hand mixer at medium-high speed until thick, snowy white, and roughly tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla milk in several small additions, letting each incorporate before adding the next. Once smooth, cover tightly and let stand at room temperature until firm, at least 2 and up to 8 hours.

To finish, drizzle in cream while mixing at low speed. Whip until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes, then increase speed to medium and whip until cream can hold floppy peaks. Use immediately, or cover bowl with plastic (or transfer to an airtight container) and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, whipped cream can be frozen 3 months in an airtight container.