The 5 Best Substitutions For Heavy Cream (That You Already Own)

If you're an avid home cook or baker, your fridge is most likely stocked with staples like eggs, butter, and milk. But heavy cream may not be one of them. If you happen to be fresh out when preparing your favorite creamy hazelnut tiramisu recipe, don't panic. There are more than a few heavy cream substitutes. Better yet, you probably don't even need to make a special trip to the grocery store.

Heavy cream is the thicker, richer part of milk that contains between 36% and 40% fat. Since this high-fat liquid is regularly used to upgrade a variety of foods, heavy cream serves different purposes depending on context. You can use it to add a creamier flavor and texture to casseroles and pasta and also to thicken soups and stews. Heavy cream can even be whipped into a stable frosting for all your favorite desserts. 

Knowing this, it's even more important to choose the right heavy cream alternative when possible. Fortunately, there are many common ingredients you can use to make the right substitute for a variety of recipes. Here are the five best heavy cream alternatives you already own that are worth a try.

If you're looking to add creaminess to your favorite creamy potato leek soup or create a more tender crumb in your next batch of chocolate chip scones, you can use butter and milk instead of heavy cream. This simple combination is the perfect substitute for soups, pasta sauces, and a variety of baked goods. To use it, simply mix together two parts milk with one part melted butter. By using butter to add more fat to milk, you can replicate the higher fat content of heavy cream. This combination works best with milk that has at least 3.5% fat (whole milk). Also, make sure to use unsalted butter for a neutral taste and to avoid adding unnecessary sodium to your recipes. 

For proper emulsification, vigorously whisk warm milk continually while slowly adding cooled melted butter to avoid separation. You can also heat the milk and butter together, let it cool, and then blend the combined mixture in a high-speed blender for two minutes before using. Note that you cannot whip milk and melted butter into stiff peaks for whipped cream or frosting. 

If you're someone who enjoys their morning coffee extra creamy, you may very well have a pint of half-and-half tucked away in your fridge. Half-and-half is essentially milk and heavy cream mixed together and can be used in place of heavy cream in the same manner as milk and melted butter.  

While heavy cream has a fat content of at least 36%, half-and-half has between 10.5% and 18% milk fat. As such, half-and-half generally has a lighter taste and texture than heavy cream yet still serves as a worthwhile alternative in many of your favorite recipes. For example, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream to make creamy mashed potatoes, homemade macaroni and cheese, or oven-baked French toast. In these recipes, you can use heavy cream and half-and-half interchangeably, though you may notice an ever-so-slight difference in richness.

If you do want to up the fat content of this convenient alternative to better mirror heavy cream's rich, full-bodied taste and texture, simply add some butter to your half-and-half. Just make sure to blend these ingredients for proper emulsification. However, keep in mind that, like milk and butter, half-and-half and butter isn't a good substitute for recipes that require whipping the cream into a frosting or topping. Instead, save this alternative for recipes that call for heavy cream as a last-minute addition, like for creamy scrambled eggs or fish chowder.

For an efficient substitute that's higher in protein and lower in fat, combine full-fat Greek yogurt with a small amount of whole milk. Even though whole milk Greek yogurt only contains approximately 5% fat, this creamy dairy product has a custard-like consistency that can easily match that of heavy cream combined with milk. More specifically, use this substitute in recipes that primarily call for heavy cream to make sauces or add thickness to soups or casseroles.

For recipes like high-protein marry me chicken pasta that include other liquids such as chicken stock, you can use Greek yogurt without thinning it with milk. Just make sure to add room temperature yogurt while it's off the heat to prevent it from curdling. 

For a heavy cream frosting substitute, you can strain the whey out of Greek yogurt using a cheese cloth or fine mesh strainer to transform it into a thick, stand-alone topping for your favorite sweet treats. All you need to do is mix in some powdered sugar and vanilla. While strained and sweetened Greek yogurt cannot fully replace homemade whipped cream, it does serve as a sufficient last-minute frosting for baked goods like cupcakes, scones, or biscuits. Keep in mind when you use Greek yogurt, that unlike heavy cream's rich, milky taste, this alternative has a tangier, more acidic bite. 

Like Greek yogurt, sour cream is also a naturally thick, slightly acidic dairy product you can use to substitute heavy cream. However, regular sour cream has roughly 18% fat and is made by mixing dairy cream with lactic acid bacteria. To use sour cream as a heavy cream alternative, opt for full-fat sour cream as opposed to light or fat-free alternatives.

This is another substitute that works best when mixed into low-stakes recipes, like stews, soups, and casseroles. However, just as you can use sour cream to cut the sweetness of store-bought frosting, you can use it to make your own dessert topping by mixing together the tart dairy with softened butter and powdered sugar.

If you like the idea of using sour cream but wish it were just as rich as heavy cream, crème fraîche is also made with lactic acid-producing bacteria and typically contains just as much fat as heavy cream (at least 36%). Since crème fraîche has significantly more fat than sour cream and a less acidic flavor, it proves to be a better heavy cream alternative. Not to mention, unlike sour cream, which may curdle with high heat, crème fraîche won't break in hot soups and sauces.   

For a completely shelf-stable option that doesn't need any alterations, look no further than canned evaporated milk. This heavy cream alternative is milk that has been heated to remove at least 60% of its moisture. What you're left with is a thick, homogenized, shelf-stable dairy product you can mix into recipes for added creaminess and depth.

Containing roughly 6.5% fat or less per serving, evaporated milk is a great alternative to heavy cream in simple and versatile recipes like quiche, pasta, and casseroles. You can also use evaporated milk if your soup isn't creamy enough. However, since evaporated milk has less fat than heavy cream plus a mild, caramel-like flavor, be mindful of the effect this may have in your dish. 

Fat aside, evaporated milk can be a decent alternative to heavy cream in delectable desserts like tres leches-ish rice pudding and homemade ice cream. You can also turn evaporated milk into a creamy frosting or glaze for muffins and scones by combining it with melted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Not to be confused with sweetened condensed milk — which is also a concentrated, shelf-stable dairy product — canned evaporated milk is unsweetened and can be used to replace heavy cream in both sweet and savory applications.