Out of Heavy cream, one case

Can you substitute almond milk for heavy cream?

3 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 3 options

Use Unsweetened almond milk + butter

¾ cup almond milk + ¼ cup butter for every cup of heavy cream

Not on its own: unsweetened almond milk is about 1% fat against at least 36% for heavy cream, so a straight swap leaves the dish thin. In a cooked recipe, use ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk plus ¼ cup melted butter per cup of heavy cream, or 1 cup almond milk thickened with 1 tablespoon cornstarch to keep it dairy-free. Neither version will whip.

Verdict —: You'll taste it
The tweak —: Melt the butter, let it cool for a minute, then whisk it into room-temperature almond milk in a thin stream. Whisk again just before you pour, because the butter rises to the top as it stands.
Best for —: cakes, muffins and quick breads where cream is one liquid among several
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full heavy cream card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Heavy cream substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 cup heavy cream	Verdict
1	Unsweetened almond milk + buttercakes, muffins and quick breads where cream is one liquid among several	¾ cup almond milk + ¼ cup butterYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
2	Unsweetened almond milk + cornstarchdairy-free cream soups and chowders	1 cup almond milk + 1 tbsp cornstarchYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
3	Coconut creamdairy-free whipped topping	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
Not a swap	Almond milk on its own	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option3 options

Unsweetened almond milk + butter

thinner and faintly nutty, with less of the rounded dairy taste

Almond milk brings the liquid and the butter brings the fat the almond milk does not have. The mix is still well short of cream, so it cooks and bakes but stays thinner.

Best for: cakes, muffins and quick breads where cream is one liquid among several, mashed potatoes and casseroles, cream soups you can thicken separately
Prep: Melt the butter, let it cool for a minute, then whisk it into room-temperature almond milk in a thin stream. Whisk again just before you pour, because the butter rises to the top as it stands.
Contains: dairy, tree nuts
Where it fails: Whipped cream, ganache, caramel and no-bake fillings: it will not whip and it will not set. A sauce made with it will not reduce to a coating consistency without a thickener.

Use plain unsweetened almond milk. Vanilla and sweetened cartons add sugar and flavor that show up in a savory dish.

Unsweetened almond milk + cornstarch

thick but lean

The dairy-free version. Cornstarch gives the almond milk the body of cream in a soup or sauce, but none of the fat, so the dish is thick without being rich.

Best for: dairy-free cream soups and chowders, gravies and casserole sauces, creamy pasta sauce finished with olive oil
Taste: thick but lean; a spoonful of olive oil or vegan butter stirred in at the end puts some richness back
Prep: Whisk the cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of the cold almond milk until smooth, add it with the rest, and simmer for 1 minute, stirring, until it thickens.
Suits: vegan
Contains: tree nuts
Where it fails: Baking, where the cornstarch does not replace the fat that keeps a crumb tender, and anything whipped. It can separate if it boils hard with lemon, wine or tomato in the pan.

Coconut cream

clearly coconut

The dairy-free option with real fat in it. If you reached for almond milk because you avoid dairy, this is the one that behaves like cream, and chilled it is the only common one that whips.

Best for: dairy-free whipped topping, curries, soups and rich sauces, dairy-free ganache and desserts
Prep: For whipping, chill a can of full-fat coconut milk upright overnight, open it without shaking and spoon off only the thick layer. Two 13.5 oz cans give about 1 cup.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Dishes where a coconut flavor does not belong, such as a classic Alfredo. Light coconut milk is diluted and stays liquid.

Almond milk on its own

watery where the dish was meant to be rich

Listed because it is the swap people try first. Cup for cup, almond milk replaces the liquid in the cream and almost none of the fat, and the fat is what the recipe was counting on.

Best for: a splash in coffee or oatmeal, replacing 1 or 2 tablespoons of cream in a large recipe
Where it fails: Sauces stay thin and can separate when boiled or mixed with acid, scones and biscuits bake up dry and tough, and it never whips or sets a ganache.

Tips for substituting heavy cream

5 tips

For ½ cup heavy cream, use 6 tablespoons almond milk plus 2 tablespoons melted butter. For ¼ cup, use 3 tablespoons almond milk plus 1 tablespoon butter.
Read the carton before you pour. Plain unsweetened almond milk is the only kind that works in a savory dish; sweetened cartons carry added sugar.
Add an almond milk sauce at the end and keep it below a hard boil. With so little fat, it can separate when boiled with lemon, wine or tomato.
To thicken a sauce made with the butter mix, whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch into 1 tablespoon cold almond milk per cup, stir it in and simmer for 1 minute.
Do not try to whip it. Whipping needs about 30% fat, and no almond milk mixture gets there. Use chilled coconut cream for a dairy-free whipped topping.

Questions

4 questions

Can I use almond milk instead of heavy cream in baking?

In cakes, muffins and quick breads, yes, with butter added: ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk plus ¼ cup melted butter per cup of cream. The crumb is a little less rich. In cream scones or biscuits, where cream is the only fat, the result is leaner and drier even with the butter. It does not work in ganache, whipped fillings or anything that has to set.

Can I use almond milk instead of heavy cream in pasta sauce or soup?

Yes, if you thicken it. Use 1 cup unsweetened almond milk with 1 tablespoon cornstarch per cup of cream, simmer for 1 minute, and finish with a spoonful of butter or olive oil for richness. Keep it off a hard boil once any lemon, wine or tomato is in the pan.

Can you whip almond milk like heavy cream?

No. Whipping needs about 30% fat and almond milk has about 1%, so it stays liquid however long you beat it. Adding butter does not get it there either. For a dairy-free whipped topping, use the thick layer from a chilled can of full-fat coconut milk.

Does it matter if the almond milk is sweetened or vanilla?

Yes. Sweetened and vanilla almond milks add sugar and flavoring, which is fine in a dessert or a cup of coffee and wrong in a soup or pasta sauce. Use plain unsweetened almond milk for cooking, and taste before you add sugar in baking if sweetened is all you have.