Out of Cream cheese, one case
Can you substitute sour cream for cream cheese?
4 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Full-fat sour cream
Same amount as the cream cheese
Only where the cream cheese is stirred into something: dips, sauces, soups, casseroles and mashed potatoes. Use the same amount of full-fat sour cream there, and add it off the heat because it curdles if it boils. Sour cream is much looser and tangier than cream cheese, so it will not make a frosting, set a cheesecake or spread on a bagel.
- Verdict —
- You'll taste it
- The tweak —
- In hot dishes, take the pan off the heat and stir it in at the end. Hold back any other liquid in a dip until you see how loose it is.
- Best for —
- dips and dressings
- Pantry —
- Likely in your cupboard
One casethe full cream cheese card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of cream cheese | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Full-fat sour creamdips and dressings | Same amountYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 2 | Strained sour creamthick dips | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Neufchatel cheesefrosting | Same amountWorks | Works |
| 4 | Mascarponefrosting and fillings | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| Not a swap | Light or fat-free sour cream | not a swapNot for this | Not for this |
Full-fat sour cream
tangier and lighter
Cultured cream with roughly half the fat of cream cheese. It has the tang, but it is spoonable where cream cheese is solid.
- Best for
- dips and dressings, soups, sauces and casseroles, mashed potatoes
- Prep
- In hot dishes, take the pan off the heat and stir it in at the end. Hold back any other liquid in a dip until you see how loose it is.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Frosting, cheesecake filling, cheese balls and anything spread or piped: it never firms up. It curdles when boiled.
Strained sour cream
tangy, thicker and richer than from the tub
Sour cream drained overnight loses much of its liquid and thickens to a soft, spreadable cheese.
- Best for
- thick dips, a spread for bagels and sandwiches, fillings for stuffed vegetables
- Prep
- Line a sieve with cheesecloth or a coffee filter, add the sour cream and drain it in the fridge 8 to 12 hours. Measure after draining.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Still too soft for a piped frosting or a no-bake cheesecake.
It shrinks as it drains, so start with more than the recipe calls for.
Neufchatel cheese
the same tang, slightly less rich
For recipes sour cream cannot handle. It is sold in the same block as cream cheese, with about a third less fat, and holds its shape when cold.
- Best for
- frosting, cheesecake, cheese balls and firm spreads
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Sets a little softer than full-fat cream cheese.
Mascarpone
richer, sweeter and milder
Firm when chilled and richer than cream cheese, with almost no tang. It does the structural jobs that sour cream cannot.
- Best for
- frosting and fillings, cheesecake, sauces that have to simmer
- Prep
- Add 1 to 2 tsp lemon juice per 8 oz for tang and mix on low speed only until smooth.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Overbeaten, it turns grainy.
Light or fat-free sour cream
thin and sharp
These are thinner than full-fat sour cream and are often thickened with starch or gums, which puts them further from cream cheese.
- Best for
- a cold dollop, not this
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- They water out in a dip and break quickly in anything hot.
Tips for substituting cream cheese
5 tips- Dips: swap 1:1 and leave out any milk or other thinning liquid the recipe adds. Chill the dip 30 minutes so it thickens.
- Hot dishes: stir sour cream in off the heat. For a soup, whisk a ladle of the hot liquid into it first, then stir it back in.
- Baked casseroles and baked dips hold up, because the sour cream is bound up with other ingredients. Expect a looser, tangier result.
- Sour cream is more tart than cream cheese. Cut back any lemon juice or vinegar in the recipe by half and taste.
- For a thicker swap, drain the sour cream in a cloth-lined sieve in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours.
Questions
4 questionsCan I use sour cream in place of cream cheese in frosting?
No. Sour cream is too thin, and the sugar draws more liquid out of it, so the frosting runs off the cake. Use Neufchatel or mascarpone in the same amount. A spoonful or two of sour cream can be added to a butter frosting for tang.
Can I use sour cream in place of cream cheese in cheesecake?
Not for the whole amount. Cream cheese is what makes a cheesecake set; a filling made with sour cream bakes into a loose custard, and a no-bake one never firms. Sour cream belongs in cheesecake as a small addition or a topping layer.
Can I use sour cream in place of cream cheese in a dip?
Yes, in the same amount. The dip will be looser and tangier, so leave out any other liquid and chill it before serving. For a baked dip such as buffalo chicken, it works but comes out saucier.
Can I use sour cream in place of cream cheese in mashed potatoes?
Yes, 1:1. This is one of the swaps where few people will notice. Fold it in at the end, off the heat, and reduce the milk a little because sour cream is wetter than cream cheese.