Don’t Have Heavy Cream? Here’s a Smart Substitute That Actually Works (2024)

FAQs

Don’t Have Heavy Cream? Here’s a Smart Substitute That Actually Works? ›

Milk and Butter

Butter (melted) In a jar or bowl add milk and allow to come to room temperature, next slowly whisk in melted butter. Once mixed on stop mixing if you mix to long the butter could start to resolidify. Store w/an airtight lid in the fridge. Use in most recipes that call for heavy cream.

Healthy Heavy Cream Substitutes

Half low-fat, unsalted cottage cheese and half plain low-fat yogurt. Low-fat Greek yogurt thinned with milk, or half Greek yogurt and half heavy cream. Whole milk. Half-and-half.

Can I substitute light cream for heavy cream? Depends on the recipe. Light cream generally has a fat content of 20 percent, while heavy cream is at least 36 percent. If you need the cream to whip, light cream won't cut it (there isn't enough fat to form a foam—try to say that five times fast).

Sour cream is an easy replacement for heavy cream. It can be easily stirred into a dish and offers another flavor profile to soups, stews and sauces. Plus, using it as a heavy cream substitute is a great way to use up that lingering tub in the fridge.

The substitute works just as well and brings an additional sweetness, fluffiness, and lightness to the table. When it comes to whipped topping, more is more. Cool Whip is all about lightness, so for every cup of heavy cream, opt for about two cups of Cool Whip.

No milk (except for coconut milk) can replace heavy cream without the addition of a thickener, ideally a fat of some kind. To make a heavy cream substitute with almond milk, we recommend adding soaked nuts or vegan butter, or plain silken tofu to get the right texture.

Condensed milk is evaporated milk that has been sweetened with sugar. Evaporated milk can be used in place of heavy cream in most recipes, whereas condensed milk is best reserved for desserts. Some health food stores may sell evaporated coconut milk, which is also a good substitute.

According to the FDA, half-and-half contains between 10.5 percent to 18 percent milk fat, while heavy cream contains between 36 percent and 40 percent milk fat. Because heavy cream contains more fat, it is thicker and has a richer taste and a creamier mouthfeel than half-and-half.

Is there a lighter version of heavy cream? ›

Light cream: 18-30% milkfat. Light whipping cream: 30-36% milkfat. Heavy whipping cream: at least 36% milkfat. Half and half: 10.5-18% milkfat.

Versatile coconut milk can add creamy texture to soups, rich flavor to sauces and is the perfect substitute for heavy cream in any of your favorite savory dishes and desserts.

Whole milk is an excellent substitute for heavy cream. It adds richness to your pasta sauce without the excess fat. Simply simmer your favourite pasta sauce with whole milk until it thickens to your desired consistency. The result is a velvety and indulgent sauce that pairs beautifully with pasta.

1 Chilled all-purpose cream = a substitute for whipping cream and heavy cream. This is the most basic way of using all-purpose cream. When all-purpose cream is chilled, it thickens in consistency. It becomes stiff and can hold its shape.

Some of the best substitutes include coconut cream, soy milk, olive oil cream, vegan soy heavy cream, non-dairy milk and cornstarch, and vegan cashew cream. You can also use store-bought dairy-free creamers to replace heavy cream in recipes.