The Store-Bought Treat That's A Perfect Whipped Cream Alternative

Whipped cream is delicious, we're not arguing against that. It's simple — heavy cream and sugar whipped into airy, pillowy mounds. It is perfect on pie, ice cream, or just on its own. Sometimes, though, you need a change of pace only for variety's sake. That's where you may find yourself looking for an alternative. Next time you make an ice cream sundae, try reaching for a jar of marshmallow creme to go on top.

You may know it by the brand name Marshmallow Fluff, but whatever you call it, it will bring a similar soft, sweet airiness to your dessert. It has a few more components than whipped cream. The main ingredients are sugar, corn syrup, egg whites, cream of tartar, water, and vanilla. Or you can make your own with a bag of marshmallows and corn syrup.

It's thicker and stickier than whipped cream. The flavor fits with any sweet you were planning to finish or fill with cream. Pipe it into cupcakes for an indulgent treat. Pumpkin pie with it dolloped on is fantastic. Adding it to peanut butter pie is a no-brainer. Even a classic fruit pie works with this swap. Make a cake roll by slathering it onto a thin sponge cake and rolling it all up. You can even add this tasty stuff into dessert cocktails like an Irish Coffee!

If you top ice cream with a thick layer of marshmallow fluff, consider using a blow torch on it. Places like Penny Ice Creamery in Santa Cruz, CA, will cover an ice cream cone with the treat and then torch it to give it a hint of campfire. Thanks to the Maillard reaction, the heat caramelizes the sugars, making them tastier and giving them a bit of a crisp. Now try this with normal whipped cream. Actually, don't — it will make a mess.

Instead of arbitrarily swapping out whipped cream, turn a chocolate cream pie into s'mores pie with a thick layer of marshmallow on top and using a graham cracker crust. Add some nuts to this to make it a rocky road pie. This is another great candidate for toasting to get the full taste of camping.

There are also great uses for marshmallow creme that whipped cream can't do. Classic dishes like a fluffernutter, white bread with marshmallow creme and peanut butter, can't be swapped the other way around. Try to spread fresh whipped cream between two oatmeal cookies for cream pies — it's too thin!