The Secret Ingredient To Add To Store-Bought Frosting For A Fluffier Texture

When you're making homemade goodies and you don't necessarily have the time to put together frosting from scratch, store-bought can certainly save you precious seconds, headache (possible heartache), and energy. Often, though, the straight-out-of-the-can mixture can be a bit thick, dense, and overwhelmingly sweet. The secret ingredient to whipping up a lighter, fluffier frosting is simply by mixing in the tried-and-true Cool Whip. The same Cool Whip that you see on the Thanksgiving classic: maple pumpkin pie, or banana pudding, can work wonders when mixed into store-bought frosting. 

It's not about replacing it, like when mixing Cool Whip and cream cheese for an easy, decadent frosting; rather, it's a way to improve it by adding an airy element, and a slight tang to break up the intense sweetness. Since Cool Whip is quite light and airy — it's a blend of water, vegetable oil, light cream, and other ingredients — it mixes seamlessly into your frosting to create a refreshing, while still nicely sweet, cloud-like texture.

It's actually fairly easy to make this mixture. First, select your flavor of store-bought frosting and a tub of unfrozen Cool Whip (don't use frozen, as it might not mix in as well). With a mixer or hand whisk, begin gradually adding the Cool Whip to the frosting until the consistency is smooth and airy. You should see the frosting becoming lighter and fluffier. You can also taste a little bit too, so you can get the full experience all to yourself (wink, wink).

The original Cool Whip is a great place to start, as it allows you to play with the flavors of the store-bought frosting, but there are other Cool Whip options out there too, like a lite version, or extra creamy option. You can also pick up a seasonal French Vanilla tub to add a sweet, floral taste to desserts like an easy-to-make bread pudding, or Chocolate Cool Whip to mix with a peanut butter frosting to make a rich topping for a no-bake peanut butter pie.

There are so many fantastic desserts that you can add this fluffier frosting to. It's a great dip or spread for a classic crisp vanilla tuile, or an alternative topping for a light and airy Chantilly cake with berries. You can try it on a chocolate cake, or use it to fill eclairs or cream puffs. This topping doesn't have to just be for dessert either; you can make it for a sweet breakfast dish like Belgian waffles, chocolate chip pancakes, or when your crepe is ready to flip.