Have some frozen Cool Whip in the freezer and you are ready to use it?
If you are in a rush and need it defrosted quickly and want to know how to do it properly, then you are in the right place.
Today, we are going to look at the 3 best and quickest way to thaw Cool Whip.
So, keep reading to find out how.
What Happens If Cool Whip Is Not Defrosted Properly?
Before we get into how to properly defrost Cool Whip, it is important to know what can happen if it is not thawed properly.
If you do not thaw the popular whipped cream properly, you are going to end up with a ruined product, that will more than likely have to be thrown away.
The two main things that go wrong when thawed improperly are:
- It can liquefy
- It can spoil
Liquefy:
There are some people who think that the best way to thaw Cool Whip is letting it sit at room temperature.
This is the worst thing that you can do, as when it sits out at room temperature, it will often turn into a liquid mess and will become unusable.
The fluffiness and volume you are looking for, will be non-existent.
It Can Spoil:
Aside from Cool Whip’s texture turning into liquid due to incorrect defrosting, if thawed at room temperature there is also a possible food safety concern.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, foods that are refrigerated like dairy products, should never be left out of the fridge at room temperature for more than two hours.
This time drops to one hour if the air temperature is above 90° F.
By sitting out of the fridge, there is an increase in the growth of harmful bacteria that can be cause food borne illnesses, which can make you extremely sick.
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How to Thaw Cool Whip: Safest & Quickest Methods Highlighted
There are different methods available if you are looking to defrost Cool Whip quickly & properly.
The three best are:
- Overnight in the refrigerator
- Cold water bath
- Microwave
Each method has its pros and cons, we will look at them, along with detailed step-by-step thawing instructions, below.
Overnight in the Refrigerator: The Safest Way to Thaw Frozen Cool Whip
While the refrigerator is not the quickest way to thaw Cool Whip, it is the safest and you are guaranteed to have a product that does not go flat and can be used as intended.
It is also recommend by Kraft, manufacturers of the product.
Instructions
- Take the container of frozen Cool Whip out of the freezer and place in the refrigerator.
- It takes about 6 hours for it to thaw, but you can let it sit overnight.
- Once it is fully defrosted, it should be ready to use as is.
Cold Water: A Quick & Safe Way to Thaw Cool Whip (If You Have a bit of Time)
Using the cold water method is not the absolute quickest method to defrost Cool Whip, but if you have a couple of minutes to spare, then it is quicker than leaving it in the refrigerator overnight.
What’s great about using this method is that you do not have to wait for it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or worry about the texture being possibly spoiled in the microwave (we examine this method in the next section).
Please Note: While this speeds up the process, we recommend letting it sit in the fridge to thaw.
There is a possibility it could liquefy and not be as fluffy as it should be. Use at your own discrection.
You have two options using the cold water method:
- Submerge the container in a bowl of cold water
- Let cold water run over the container.
Steps: (Submerging in Cold Water)
- Fill a bowl with cold water.
- Take the container of Cool Whip and submerge in the bowl of cold water.
- Let it sit for about 30 minutes. It should be fully thawed and ready to be used after that time.
Steps: (Running Under in Cold Water)
- Place the container of Cool Whip in a bowl.
- Place the bowl under the kitchen faucet and allow the water to continuously run over the container.
- Do this for about 10-15 minutes (depending on how big a container). After this time, the Cool Whip should be thawed and ready to use.
Microwave: Quickest Way to Defrost Frozen Cool Whip (Not The Safest)
Defrosting Cool Whip in the microwave is NOT RECCOMENDED.
The microwave is the quickest way to thaw, HOWEVER, there is a good chance you could end up spoiling it, if not done properly.
There are horror stories (like here), where some microwaved Cool Whip and it turned into a yellow tub of goo.
The key to thawing with the microwave is not use it at full power and also not to keep it in there too long.
Steps
- Place the frozen Cool Whip in a microwave safe container/plate.
- Use the microwaves defrost setting or use 30% power and zap it for 45 seconds.
- Remove and check. The middle will still be frozen, so stir around the contents and place back in the microwave.
- Place in the microwave for another 45 seconds. Check to see if there are still frozen parts, if so stir and place back in the microwave.
- You will now do the process in 30 second intervals, until the Cool Whip is fully thawed out.
Note: In using this method, you will lose some of the texture and it won’t be as fluffy, compared to letting it sit in the refrigerator to thaw.
You should also be aware that once you use the microwave to thaw the Cool Whip, you will not be
Wrapping it up
I hope this guide was clear in helping you understand the different methods that can be used to thaw Cool Whip.
Getting it ready to use is quite easy, once you do it properly.
With that said, let me know in the comments below which method you used and how did it turn out.
