What to Do When a Recipe Calls for Heavy Cream and You Don’t Have Any
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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 heavy cream and you don’t have any?
Knowing what cream is and understanding its purpose in your recipe helps.
What is heavy cream, exactly?
Cream is the part of cow’s milk (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. The cream can be skimmed off and packaged as heavy or whipping cream, and what’s left behind is milk.
For comparison, whipping cream contains between 30% and 36% milk 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. Two-percent and 1% milk contain the percentages of milk fat you would expect, and skim milk contains less than 0.5% milk fat.
You can usually use whipping cream and heavy cream in recipes interchangeably. Whipping cream, because of it’s lower fat content, will be lighter and fluffier when whipped.
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. To defrost transfer it to the fridge a day or two before you need it. Once defrosted give it a quick shake to reincorporate the butterfat.
What can be used in place of heavy cream?
A milk-and-butter blend is an easy heavy cream substitute you can make on your own (we tell you how below). Need a vegan or dairy-free option? Coconut cream works in many applications (just keep in mind the fat content is lower). Looking for a shelf-stable option that is the same as heavy cream? Heavy cream powder is the answer.
Depending on what you are using it for, whole milk, sour cream, crème fraîche, yogurt, mascarpone—even chicken stock!—might be the solution. In this guide, we cover each of these potential substitutes and when to use them.
Keep in mind that flavor and fat content will determine where you can successfully make a substitution. For example, milk doesn’t have enough fat to form any structure when whipped, so it won’t be ideal as a dessert topping, nor will it hold up in a pan sauce. But if you’re using a substitute for cream in mashed potatoes or hot chocolate, it can work great.
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. Baking is one case where we vote for a trip to the store, but if that’s not an option test the substitute before serving it to guests.
Melted Butter and Milk
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.
When to use: Works in most baking and savory recipes. Note that this alternative won’t whisk into stiff peaks. You’ll need the real thing for that.
Coconut 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!
When to use: Works in baking recipes that can accommodate a coconut taste. The same goes for savory dishes. Coconut cream is excellent in creamy Indian dishes or a creamy chicken dish.
Anthony’s Heavy Cream Powder
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.
Anthony’s Heavy Cream Powder
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$18.49
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Jw_cNM5KQWdt6A8xbQyQpQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTc2OA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_country_living_372/3c122235e9a1561726ef35840c8c9771>Anthony’s Heavy Cream Powder
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$18.49
Whole Milk
Whole milk alone can work in some instances as a substitute. At 3.5%, its fat content is low, but it has it’s place.
When to use: Use for lighter, healthier 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.
Sour 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.
When to use: Try it in white chili or creamy soup. Add directly after cooking as it may curdle if the stew is still on heat. You can sweeten sour cream with powdered sugar and use it instead of whipped cream for a tangy taste in desserts.
Crème Fraîche
Like sour cream, crème fraîche is a cream that has a light tang. Historically, it was 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. Crème Fraîche has a fat content around 30%.
When to use: Stir into soups and stews or to finish a creamy pasta dish. Dollop on desserts such as cake or cobblers.
Yogurt
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.
When subbing, use whole-milk yogurt. It only has a fat content of around 3.3% but it will work better than the fat-free versions.
When to use: Use it to whip up a batch of frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, or sweeten it with confectioners’ sugar and dollop it on top of freshly bakes scones. Stir Greek yogurt into sauces, off the heat to prevent curdling.
Mascarpone
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.
When to use: 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!).
Chicken Stock
Homemade chicken stock is more viscous (thicker, therefore acting more like cream) than store-bought varieties.
When to use: Substitute for cream in pan sauces, mashed potatoes, or pasta dishes.
Get the recipe for Homemade Chicken Stock.
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