Is Cool Whip Gluten Free? Yes. Cool Whip Original contains no wheat, barley, rye, or oats. It is not labeled or certified gluten free, though, and it contains milk, so it is not dairy free.
Cool Whip shows up on many holiday tables, on pumpkin pie, in fruit salad, and in no-bake pies. Here is what is in the tub and what to use if you need something certified or dairy free.
Cool Whip Ingredients
Kraft Heinz lists these ingredients for Cool Whip Original.
Water, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oil (coconut and palm kernel oils), skim milk, and less than 2% of light cream, sodium caseinate (from milk), natural and artificial flavor, xanthan and guar gums, modified food starch, polysorbate 60, sorbitan monostearate, sodium polyphosphate, and beta carotene (for color).
None of these come from wheat, barley, rye, or oats.
Modified food starch is the ingredient people ask about most. In the US, if modified food starch is made from wheat, the label has to say wheat. The Cool Whip label does not, and the only allergen listed is milk.
Is Cool Whip Certified Gluten Free?
No. The tub has no gluten free claim and no certification seal.
A gluten free label in the US means the food has less than 20 parts per million of gluten. Cool Whip does not make that claim, so there is no stated test behind it. If you have celiac disease and only buy certified products, use one of the alternatives below.
Is Cool Whip Dairy Free?
No. Cool Whip contains skim milk, light cream, and sodium caseinate, which is a milk protein. That also means it is not vegan.
What About Lite, Sugar Free, and Other Varieties?
Cool Whip also comes in Lite, Extra Creamy, Sugar Free, and Fat Free. The recipes are not identical, so read the ingredient list on each tub before you buy it.
Gluten Free Whipped Topping Alternatives
Reddi-wip Coconut and Almond - Reddi-wip says both of its non-dairy varieties are gluten free, vegan, and soy-free. They may be made in the same facility as regular Reddi-wip, and the company says it cleans and tests its lines between dairy and non-dairy runs.
So Delicious CocoWhip - A coconut whipped topping that is certified gluten free and dairy free. Thaw it in the fridge like Cool Whip.
Truwhip Vegan - A plant-based whipped topping. Check the label for a gluten free claim.
Homemade whipped cream - Beat 1 cup cold heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla until soft peaks form. It is naturally gluten free. It contains dairy and holds its shape for about a day in the fridge.
Ways to Use Cool Whip
Cool Whip holds its shape on pie and folds into fillings without deflating. For more ideas, try these no bake gluten free desserts.
Looking for more? These desserts with Cool Whip include poke cakes, icebox cakes, and no bake pies.
It's perfect on top of Double Crust Apple Pie and Gluten Free Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars and all sorts of gluten free Thanksgiving Desserts.
No. None of the ingredients in Cool Whip Original come from wheat, barley, rye, or oats.
It has no gluten ingredients, but it is not certified gluten free. If you only use certified products, choose So Delicious CocoWhip.
No. It contains skim milk, light cream, and sodium caseinate.
No. It contains milk. Reddi-wip Coconut and Almond, So Delicious CocoWhip, and Truwhip Vegan are plant-based.
Yes. Kraft Heinz says to thaw the unopened tub in the fridge for about 4 hours and not to stir it. Once thawed, it keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Reddi-wip says its Coconut and Almond varieties are gluten free. Both are also vegan and soy-free.
Karen Kelly
Karen Kelly is a nationally syndicated food and travel writer, founder of Seasonal Cravings, and co-founder of The Roam Report. She develops approachable seasonal recipes and covers travel and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in numerous media outlets, including Yahoo, Taste of Home, Apple News, NBC, FOX, and other national and regional publications.
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