Out of Heavy cream, one case
Heavy whipping cream vs heavy cream: can you swap?
5 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Heavy whipping cream
1 cup for every cup of heavy cream
Yes: heavy whipping cream and heavy cream are the same product under two names. In the US both must be at least 36% milkfat, so use one for the other in the same amount in any recipe, whipped or cooked. The carton to watch is the one labeled only whipping cream, which is 30 to 36% fat: it still works cup for cup, but it whips softer and holds its shape for less time.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- whipped cream
- Pantry —
- Likely in your cupboard
One casethe full heavy cream card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 cup heavy cream | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heavy whipping creamwhipped cream | 1 cupWorks | Works |
| 2 | Whipping cream (light whipping cream)soft whipped cream for topping | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Double creamBritish recipes written for it | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Light creamcoffee | 1 cupYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 5 | Half-and-half + butterpan sauces and cream soups | ¾ cup half-and-half + ¼ cup butterTweak it | Tweak it |
Heavy whipping cream
identical taste
The same cream as heavy cream, at 36% fat or more. Brands choose one name or the other, and nothing in the recipe changes.
- Best for
- whipped cream, ganache, caramel and ice cream, sauces, soups and baking
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Nowhere. It is the same ingredient.
Some cartons add stabilizers such as carrageenan or gellan gum. They do not affect cooking and help whipped cream hold a little longer.
Whipping cream (light whipping cream)
a little lighter
Cream labeled whipping cream without the word heavy is 30 to 36% fat. It whips, cooks and bakes like heavy cream with slightly less richness.
- Best for
- soft whipped cream for topping, sauces and soups, baking and custards
- Prep
- Chill the cream, bowl and beaters before whipping, and whip it close to serving time.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Piped decorations, whipped cream frosting and fillings made a day ahead: the peaks are softer and they weep sooner. A firm ganache sets slightly softer.
Double cream
richer and thicker
The British cream at about 48% fat, richer than US heavy cream. It works anywhere heavy cream does.
- Best for
- British recipes written for it, whipped cream, rich sauces and desserts
- Prep
- Watch it closely when whipping. It reaches peaks faster than heavy cream and turns grainy sooner if you keep beating.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Over-whipped, it turns to butter quickly.
Light cream
lighter
Also sold as coffee cream or table cream, at 18 to 30% fat. It is a pouring and cooking cream, not a whipping one.
- Best for
- coffee, soups and sauces added at the end, baking where cream is one liquid among several
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- It does not whip, and a reduced sauce is thinner and more likely to curdle with acid.
Half-and-half + butter
very close to cream
When there is no cream of any name in the refrigerator and the recipe cooks the cream.
- Best for
- pan sauces and cream soups, quiche and custard bases
- Prep
- Melt the butter, let it cool for a minute, then whisk it into the half-and-half. Add it off the boil.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Whipped cream: at about 27% fat it stays liquid.
Tips for substituting heavy cream
5 tips- Read the fat, not the name. Per tablespoon, heavy cream and heavy whipping cream both list about 5 g of fat; cream labeled whipping cream lists about 4½ g.
- For whipped cream that has to hold overnight or be piped, choose a carton with the word heavy on it. The extra fat gives firmer peaks.
- Whatever the label, whip it cold. Chill the cream, bowl and beaters for 15 to 20 minutes and stop as soon as it holds a peak.
- 1 cup of either cream whips to about 2 cups.
- In sauces, soups and baking, heavy cream, heavy whipping cream and whipping cream can be used cup for cup with no other change.
Questions
5 questionsIs heavy whipping cream the same as heavy cream?
Yes. In the US, cream labeled heavy cream or heavy whipping cream must contain at least 36% milkfat, and the two names are used for the same product. Swap them cup for cup in any recipe.
What is the difference between whipping cream and heavy whipping cream?
Fat. Whipping cream, also called light whipping cream, is 30 to 36% fat. Heavy whipping cream is 36% or more. Both whip, but whipping cream gives softer peaks that lose their shape sooner. In cooking and baking the two are interchangeable cup for cup.
Can I use heavy whipping cream in a sauce or soup that asks for heavy cream?
Yes, in the same amount. It is the same cream, so it reduces, thickens and resists curdling exactly as the recipe expects.
Can I use regular whipping cream to make ganache or ice cream?
Yes, cup for cup. A ganache made with 30 to 36% cream sets slightly softer, and ice cream is a little less rich. For truffles or a ganache that has to hold a sharp edge, heavy cream is the safer choice.
Is double cream the same as heavy cream?
No. Double cream is a British cream at about 48% fat, richer than US heavy cream at 36 to 40%. Each can stand in for the other cup for cup. Double cream whips faster and over-whips sooner.