Out of Heavy cream, one case

Heavy cream substitute for quiche

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use Half-and-half

1 cup for every cup of heavy cream

In quiche, use half-and-half in the same amount as the heavy cream: 1 cup per cup. The eggs set the custard, not the cream, so the swap holds; the filling is a little lighter and less silky. Whole milk also works cup for cup, but the custard is leaner and weeps if it is overbaked, so pull it while the center still jiggles.

Verdict —: Works
Best for —: quiche Lorraine and any classic custard quiche
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	Half-and-halfquiche Lorraine and any classic custard quiche	1 cupWorks	Works
2	Whole milk + butterwhen milk and butter are all you have	¾ cup whole milk + ¼ cup butterTweak it	Tweak it
3	Evaporated milka quiche that has to slice cleanly	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
4	Whole milkrecipes that already mix milk and cream	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
5	Full-fat canned coconut milkdairy-free quiche	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
Not a swap	Skim or low-fat milk	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

Half-and-half

lighter and a little less rich; most people do not notice

About 12% fat against 36% for heavy cream, which is still enough for a smooth custard. Many quiche recipes are written for half-and-half in the first place.

Best for: quiche Lorraine and any classic custard quiche, recipes that call for only cream, crustless quiche
Where it fails: Fat-free half-and-half: it is thickened skim milk and the custard turns watery.

Whole milk + butter

close, with a faint butter note

Butter puts back some of the fat that milk is missing, so the custard is richer than with milk alone.

Best for: when milk and butter are all you have, quiche with lean fillings such as vegetables, recipes that use 1 cup of cream or less
Prep: Melt the butter, let it cool until warm, and whisk it into room-temperature milk. Then whisk in the eggs. Cold milk sets the butter into flecks.
Where it fails: The butter can rise and leave a thin yellow film on top if the mixture sits before baking. Whisk again right before you pour it into the crust.

Evaporated milk

a faint cooked, slightly sweet canned-milk note

Canned milk with about 60% of its water removed. It is thicker than fresh milk and sets into a firm, smooth custard, though it has only about 7% fat.

Best for: a quiche that has to slice cleanly, ham, bacon and cheese fillings that cover its flavor, when the fridge is empty and the pantry is not
Prep: Use it undiluted, straight from the can.
Where it fails: A plain custard quiche with little cheese, where the canned flavor shows.

Check the can: sweetened condensed milk is a different product and will ruin a quiche.

Whole milk

leaner and more eggy

The eggs still set it, so the quiche holds. With about 3% fat the custard is firmer, more eggy and less forgiving of extra minutes in the oven.

Best for: recipes that already mix milk and cream, quiche with plenty of cheese, which adds fat back, a lighter quiche
Prep: Keep to 1 large egg per ½ cup of milk, bake at 325 to 350°F, and take it out while the center 2 inches still jiggle.
Where it fails: Overbaked, it curdles and leaks water onto the plate. Cream forgives a few extra minutes in the oven; milk does not.

Full-fat canned coconut milk

a mild coconut note that strong fillings cover

The dairy-free option. It has enough fat to give a soft, rich custard, and it sets with the eggs as cream does.

Best for: dairy-free quiche, quiche with spinach, mushrooms or curry spices, crustless quiche
Prep: Shake the can or whisk the contents smooth before measuring, so the thick layer and the thin liquid are mixed.
Suits: dairy-free
Where it fails: Quiche Lorraine and other plain versions, where coconut is out of place. Carton coconut milk is too thin; use the can.

Skim or low-fat milk

thin and eggy

There is too little fat to keep the egg proteins from tightening, so the custard sets rubbery and wet.

Best for: nothing in a quiche
Where it fails: The filling curdles into small lumps and a pool of water forms under each slice. If skim is all you have, use the milk and butter row with it.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeHeavy cream

In a quiche the eggs do the setting. The cream is there to keep the set soft: its fat gets between the egg proteins so the custard stays smooth instead of turning firm and wet. That is why a lower-fat dairy still gives you a quiche that holds, and why the lower the fat, the more careful you have to be about oven time.

Tips for substituting heavy cream

5 tips

Keep the ratio at 1 large egg per ½ cup of dairy, whatever the dairy is. Adding an extra egg to make up for thin milk makes the custard rubbery.
With milk or evaporated milk, bake at 325 to 350°F and take the quiche out when the edges are set and the center still jiggles. It finishes setting as it rests for 15 minutes.
Blind-bake the crust before you fill it. A thinner custard soaks into raw pastry faster than a cream one does.
Cook the water out of vegetables first. Spinach, mushrooms, zucchini and onions leak into a lean custard and make it weep.
Cheese adds fat. With milk in place of cream, a full cup of grated cheese in a 9-inch quiche goes a long way toward the richness you lost.

Questions

5 questions

Can you use milk in place of heavy cream in quiche?

Yes. Use whole milk in the same amount and keep 1 large egg per ½ cup of milk. The quiche sets, but the custard is leaner, firmer and more likely to weep if overbaked, so take it out while the center still jiggles. Skim and 1% milk make a watery quiche.

Can I use sour cream in place of heavy cream in quiche?

Yes, thinned. Whisk ½ cup sour cream with ½ cup milk until smooth for each cup of heavy cream, then whisk in the eggs. The custard is rich and slightly tangy. Straight sour cream is too thick to pour and bakes up dense.

My recipe uses half cream and half milk. What do I do?

Use half-and-half for the full amount of liquid. A recipe with 1 cup cream and 1 cup milk takes 2 cups half-and-half. If you only have milk, use milk for all of it and watch the baking time.

Why did my quiche turn watery without cream?

Usually it baked too long or too hot. A low-fat custard curdles when it overcooks, and the curds squeeze out water. Wet fillings do the same. Next time bake at 325 to 350°F, pull it with a slight jiggle in the center, and cook the vegetables dry first.

Can I use almond or oat milk in quiche?

It sets, because the eggs do the work, but the custard is thin-tasting and firm. Use an unsweetened, unflavored carton and expect a lighter result. Full-fat canned coconut milk gives a richer dairy-free quiche.