What can I substitute for heavy cream in a sauce

Brian Woodcock

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?

It helps to know exactly what cream is, how it compares to other kinds of dairy, and what it's being used for in your recipe.

What is cream, exactly?

Cream is the part of cow (or other dairy) milk that contains most of the fats. After a cow is milked, as the liquid rests, the fattiest parts—the cream—rise to the top. Then it's typically skimmed off and packaged, leaving behind milk.

For comparison, whipping cream contains between 30% and 36% fat, and heavy cream at least 36% milk fat, while whole milk typically contains no more than 3.25% milk fat. Half-and-half is equal parts cream and whole milk, while 2% and 1% milk contain the percentages of milk fat you would expect, and skim milk contains less than .5% milk fat.

In most recipes, whipping cream and heavy cream can be used interchangeably, though whipping cream, being a little lighter, is fluffier when whipped.

Cream is used in everything from homemade cake recipes to rich winter soups, so it's beneficial to have on hand. It freezes well so if you have a carton that's approaching the expiration date, you can just pop it in the freezer until you need it.

But what if you don't have any cream? We've put together 9 different ideas for items you can use in place of heavy cream, along with some situations where they're more likely to work.

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. Again, because of different thicknesses, acidity levels, and water content, results may vary and it could be hard to substitute a cream alternatives one-for-one in baking recipes, so you may want to test it out before making something to serve to guests.

1

Substituting 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 adhere to a vegan diet or if you have a dairy allergy, coconut cream, which typically contains 20% fat, is the way to go.

It has a similar creamy richness as heavy cream, but it also has a strong coconut flavor, so keep that in mind when choosing this as a substitute. 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.

4

Substituting Sour Cream for Heavy Cream

Sour cream, which is cream that's been treated with lactic acid to thicken it and create a sour flavor, 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 once it's done cooking; otherwise it may curdle if the stew is still under heat).

It can also be sweetened with confectioners’ sugar and served in place of whipped cream, where it lends a pleasant tang to desserts.

5

Substituting Crème Fraîche for Heavy Cream

Like sour cream, crème fraîche is a cultured cream that has a light tang. It's even heavier than sour cream, with 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.

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.

9

Anthony's Heavy Cream Powder

What can I use if I don't have heavy cream?

What if you don't have heavy cream for a sauce?