Out of Sour cream, one case
Can you substitute cream cheese for sour cream?
4 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Cream cheese + milk
¾ cup cream cheese + ¼ cup milk for every cup of sour cream
Yes, thinned: beat ¾ cup cream cheese with ¼ cup milk and 1 teaspoon lemon juice for each cup of sour cream. Cream cheese is thicker, richer and much less sour, so the milk loosens it and the lemon puts back some tang. It works in dips, casseroles, baking and hot sauces such as stroganoff, where it does not curdle. On a baked potato or tacos it tastes like cream cheese, not sour cream.
- Verdict —
- Tweak it
- The tweak —
- Beat room-temperature cream cheese soft on its own, add the milk a little at a time, then beat in 1 tsp lemon juice per cup.
- Best for —
- rich dips and spreads
- Pantry —
- Likely in your cupboard
One casethe full sour cream card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 cup sour cream | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cream cheese + milkrich dips and spreads | ¾ cup cream cheese + ¼ cup milkTweak it | Tweak it |
| 2 | Whipped cream cheesecold dips | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Plain Greek yogurt (full-fat)tacos, baked potatoes and other cold toppings | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Crème fraîchehot sauces and soups | Same amountWorks | Works |
| Not a swap | Cream cheese straight from the block | not a swapNot for this | Not for this |
Cream cheese + milk
milder and slightly cheesy, less sour
Cream cheese is about 33% fat and sets firm, where sour cream is 18 to 20% fat and spoonable. Milk brings it to the right thickness; lemon juice supplies the missing sourness.
- Best for
- rich dips and spreads, casseroles and baked dishes, stroganoff and other hot sauces, cakes and quick breads
- Prep
- Beat room-temperature cream cheese soft on its own, add the milk a little at a time, then beat in 1 tsp lemon juice per cup.
- Suits
- vegetarian
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Where the sour tang is the point: borscht, a plain baked potato, tacos. A dip made with it sets much firmer in the fridge and needs a splash of milk to loosen it.
For ½ cup sour cream: 6 tbsp cream cheese, 2 tbsp milk and ½ tsp lemon juice.
Whipped cream cheese
milder and cheesy
The tub of whipped cream cheese is already soft and spoonable, so it needs no thinning for a dip or a spread.
- Best for
- cold dips, a dollop on chili or soup
- Prep
- Stir in 1 tsp lemon juice per cup.
- Suits
- vegetarian
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Do not bake with it by the cup: air is whipped in, so a cup holds less cream cheese than the recipe math expects.
Plain Greek yogurt (full-fat)
a sharper, brighter tang
The better choice when the dish needs the sour taste more than the richness. Thick, tangy and ready to use.
- Best for
- tacos, baked potatoes and other cold toppings, dips that should taste sour, baking
- Prep
- Stir it smooth before measuring.
- Suits
- vegetarian
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- It curdles if it boils. In a hot sauce, cream cheese or crème fraîche is safer.
Crème fraîche
milder and richer
Cultured cream at about 30% fat: the closest thing to sour cream in taste and texture, and it can boil without splitting.
- Best for
- hot sauces and soups, toppings, baking
- Suits
- vegetarian
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- It is less sour than sour cream. Add ½ tsp lemon juice per ½ cup where the tang matters.
Cream cheese straight from the block
cheesy, not sour
Unthinned cream cheese is too stiff and too mild to stand in for sour cream by the spoonful.
- Best for
- nothing; thin it first
- Suits
- vegetarian
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- It will not dollop or drizzle, it leaves lumps in a batter, and a cup of it adds almost twice the fat the recipe expected.
Tips for substituting sour cream
5 tips- Soften the cream cheese at room temperature for 30 minutes before beating. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that do not smooth out.
- Stroganoff: cut 6 tbsp cream cheese into cubes, whisk it into the sauce over low heat with 2 tbsp milk or broth until smooth, then add ½ tsp lemon juice. That replaces ½ cup sour cream.
- Baking with baking soda: keep the 1 tsp lemon juice per cup. Cream cheese is far less sharp than sour cream and the soda needs the acid.
- Dips: thin with the ¼ cup milk, chill, then stir in another splash of milk before serving, because it firms up as it cools.
- Light cream cheese (Neufchatel) works the same way and is closer to sour cream in fat. Fat-free cream cheese turns grainy when heated.
Questions
5 questionsCan I substitute cream cheese for sour cream in beef stroganoff?
Yes. Cream cheese is high in fat and does not curdle the way sour cream or yogurt can. For ½ cup sour cream, whisk 6 tablespoons of cubed cream cheese into the sauce over low heat with 2 tablespoons of milk or broth, then add ½ teaspoon of lemon juice or a little mustard for tang. The sauce is thicker and milder.
How much cream cheese equals ½ cup of sour cream?
Six tablespoons of cream cheese beaten with 2 tablespoons of milk and ½ teaspoon of lemon juice. For ¼ cup sour cream, use 3 tablespoons cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk and a few drops of lemon juice.
Can I use cream cheese instead of sour cream in a cake?
Yes, as the thinned mixture: ¾ cup cream cheese, ¼ cup milk and 1 teaspoon lemon juice per cup of sour cream. The cake is a little denser and browns slightly more. Have the cream cheese at room temperature so the batter stays smooth.
Does cream cheese taste like sour cream?
No. Cream cheese is mild, slightly sweet and cheesy; sour cream is sharp. Lemon juice closes part of the gap. In a cooked or baked dish the difference is small. As a plain topping it is obvious.
Can I use sour cream in place of cream cheese?
Only where the cream cheese is not holding a shape. Sour cream is looser and lower in fat, so it works in a dip or a sauce and fails in a frosting or a baked cheesecake base. The cream cheese substitute page covers that direction.