When a recipe calls for heavy cream, these easy alternatives can save a trip.
Country Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?
We love cream for baking, making pan sauces, and for lightening up our coffee and tea. It adds richness and creaminess (of course) to all manner of foods and drinks. But what can you do if a recipe calls for cream and you don't have any?
Knowing what cream is and understanding its purpose in your recipe helps.
What is cream, exactly?
Cream is the part of cow (or other dairy) milk that contains most of the fats. After milking a cow, as the liquid rests, the fattiest parts—the cream—rise to the top. Then people typically skim off and package it, leaving behind milk.
For comparison, whipping cream contains between 30% and 36% fat. Heavy cream has at least 36% milk fat, and light cream has between 18 and 30%. Whole milk typically contains no more than 3.25% milk fat.
Half-and-half is equal parts cream and whole milk. 2% and 1% milk contain the percentages of milk fat you would expect, and skim milk contains less than .5% milk fat.
You can usually use heavy whipping cream and heavy cream in recipes interchangeably. Whipping cream is lighter and fluffier when whipped, however.
People use cream in everything from homemade cake recipes to rich winter soups, so it's beneficial to have on hand. It freezes well. If you have a carton that's approaching the expiration date, you can just pop it in the freezer until you need it.
If you don't have any cream, here are 9 alternatives to heavy cream and when to use them.
Keep in mind that flavor and fat content will determine where you can successfully make a substitution. For example, because milk doesn't have enough fat, it won't maintain a structure when whipped.
So it wouldn't be ideal as a dessert topping, nor will it hold up in a pan sauce. But if you're using it for a flavoring, it can work okay.
As a rule of thumb, the higher the fat content, the more likely you'll be able to use one of these alternatives under heat. Baking with cream substitutes is trickiest. The variations in dairy thickness, acidity levels, and water content can have significant impacts. We advise you to test the substitute before serving it to guests.
1
Substituting Melted Butter and Milk for Heavy Cream
If you have butter and milk (whole milk or even half-and-half work best), you can make your own heavy cream substitute.
To make 1 cup of heavy cream, melt 1/4 cup of butter and slowly whisk in 3/4 cup milk. This works for most baking or cooking recipes that require heavy cream, but it will not whisk into stiff peaks. You'll need the real thing for that.
2
Substituting Coconut Cream for Heavy Cream
If you're vegan or have a dairy allergy, use coconut cream with 20% fat instead.
It's like heavy cream, but with a coconut taste. Remember this when using it as a replacement. Heavy coconut cream can even be whipped!
3
Substituting Milk for Heavy Cream
Whole milk alone can work in some instances as a substitute. At 3.5%, its fat content is low, but it’s a good substitute in mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin. (You'll just need to add extra flour to prevent the sauce from separating.)
Milk is also great for whipping up light and fluffy scrambled eggs, and will work stirred into a bowl of steaming oatmeal. You can also try it heated in a mug of rich hot chocolate.
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
4
Substituting Sour Cream for Heavy Cream
Sour cream is cream that's been treated with lactic acid to thicken it and create a sour flavor. It has a fat content of around 20%.
This makes it a good substitute in situations where the sourness doesn't offset the flavors of the dish.
Try it in white chili. Add directly after cooking. It may curdle if the stew is still under heat.
You can sweeten sour cream with powdered sugar and use it instead of whipped cream for a tangy taste in desserts.
5
Substituting Crème Fraîche for Heavy Cream
Like sour cream, crème fraîche is a cultured cream that has a light tang. Even heavier than sour cream, it has a fat content around 30%.
It's created by allowing natural bacteria in unpasteurized cream to naturally thicken (and sour) the cream.
In conventional production using pasteurized cream, cultures are added to create the desired results. Add to soups, stews, or puddings for a nice tang.
6
Substituting Yogurt for Heavy Cream
Similar to sour cream and crème fraîche, yogurt is made by adding cultures (usually Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus) to dairy products—but in this case, it starts with milk instead of cream.
Plain yogurt will be runny and sweet. Greek yogurt, which has had the whey (liquid remains of milk) strained out, is thicker but also more sour.
If subbing for sour cream use whole-milk yogurt. It only has a fat content of around 3.3% but it will work better than the fat-free versions.
Use it to whip up a batch of frozen yogurt instead of ice cream or bake scones and then sweeten with confectioners’ sugar to dollop on top.
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
7
Substituting Mascarpone for Heavy Cream
Often referred to as mascarpone cheese, this thick dairy product has a fat content of about 44%.
It’s made in a similar way to sour cream and crème fraîche, but is much sweeter and thicker by comparison.
It makes a great substitute and you can use it in soups, stews, and sauces. You can also sweeten it and dollop on pound cake or stir into a rich salad dressing (like green goddess or homemade ranch—yum!).
8
Homemade Chicken Stock Substitute for Heavy Cream
Homemade chicken stock is more viscous (thicker, therefore acting more like cream) than store-bought varieties. It will make an okay substitute for cream in things like pan sauces, mashed potatoes, or pasta dishes.
Want to keep heavy cream on hand but don't use it all that often? Anthony’s Heavy Cream Powder contains only sweet cream solids. Once you reconstitute it, you can substitute it one-for-one in any recipe.
