Out of Sour cream, one case
Can you substitute creme fraiche for sour cream?
5 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Crème fraîche
Same amount as the sour cream
Yes: use crème fraîche in the same amount, 1 cup for 1 cup. It is cultured cream like sour cream, with about 30% fat against 18 to 20%, so it is richer, milder and less sour. It works in baking, dips and toppings, and it is better than sour cream in a hot sauce or soup because it can boil without curdling.
- Verdict —
- Works
- The tweak —
- Where the tang matters, add ½ tsp lemon juice per ½ cup.
- Best for —
- stroganoff, pan sauces and soups
One casethe full sour cream card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of sour cream | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crème fraîchestroganoff, pan sauces and soups | Same amountWorks | Works |
| 2 | Homemade crème fraîchewhen you can plan a day ahead | 1 cup heavy cream + 2 tbsp buttermilk per cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Mexican crematacos, enchiladas and nachos | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Plain Greek yogurt (full-fat)cold toppings and dips | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | Cream cheese + milkfrostings and cheesecake | ¾ cup cream cheese + ¼ cup milk per cupTweak it | Tweak it |
Crème fraîche
rounder and less sour, a little nutty and buttery
The closest swap for sour cream there is. Same cultured-cream family, more fat, a softer tang.
- Best for
- stroganoff, pan sauces and soups, cakes, muffins and scones, dips and toppings
- Prep
- Where the tang matters, add ½ tsp lemon juice per ½ cup.
- Suits
- vegetarian
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- It carries more fat than sour cream, so it is the wrong choice if you wanted a lighter dish. In a dip built on sharpness, such as onion dip, it tastes flat without the lemon.
It is the one cultured dairy that takes a hard boil, because of the extra fat.
Homemade crème fraîche
mild, rich and lightly tangy
If the store has none, heavy cream cultured with a little buttermilk thickens into crème fraîche overnight.
- Best for
- when you can plan a day ahead, hot sauces and soups
- Prep
- Stir 2 tbsp buttermilk into 1 cup heavy cream, cover loosely, leave at warm room temperature for 12 to 24 hours until thick, then chill.
- Suits
- vegetarian
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- It needs 12 to 24 hours. Ultra-pasteurized cream thickens more slowly and sets softer.
It keeps about a week in the fridge.
Mexican crema
mild, slightly salty, less sour
A pourable cultured cream, close to crème fraîche in richness and a little salty. It drizzles where sour cream dollops.
- Best for
- tacos, enchiladas and nachos, soups and chili, stirring into hot dishes
- Prep
- Use the same amount and taste before salting the dish.
- Suits
- vegetarian
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Too thin for a thick dip, a frosting or a cheesecake topping, and its looseness thins a cake batter.
Plain Greek yogurt (full-fat)
a sharper, brighter tang
The swap to use when crème fraîche is too mild or too rich for the dish. It is tangier than sour cream, where crème fraîche is milder.
- Best for
- cold toppings and dips, baking, when you want the sharper tang back
- Prep
- Stir it smooth before measuring.
- Suits
- vegetarian
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- It curdles if it boils, which is exactly where crème fraîche is the better choice.
Cream cheese + milk
milder and cheesy
A thick, rich stand-in when the mixture has to hold a shape. Much less sour than either sour cream or crème fraîche.
- Best for
- frostings and cheesecake, very rich dips
- Prep
- Beat room-temperature cream cheese soft, add the milk gradually, then 1 tsp lemon juice per cup.
- Suits
- vegetarian
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Wrong where the sour taste is the point, such as on a baked potato.
Tips for substituting sour cream
5 tips- Baking: swap 1 cup crème fraîche for 1 cup sour cream and leave the baking soda alone. Crème fraîche is cultured and acidic enough to react with it.
- Hot sauces: stir it straight into the simmering pan. It does not need tempering and it will not split at a boil.
- Dips and dressings: add ½ tsp lemon juice per ½ cup to bring the sharpness up to sour cream level.
- Toppings: crème fraîche softens faster on hot food than sour cream does. Spoon it on at the table.
- It whips. Whisked for a minute or two, cold crème fraîche holds soft peaks, which sour cream cannot do.
Questions
4 questionsCan I substitute crème fraîche for sour cream in baking?
Yes, cup for cup, with no other change. The cake or muffin comes out slightly richer and a little less tangy, because crème fraîche has about 30% fat against 18 to 20%. The leavening works as written.
What is the difference between crème fraîche and sour cream?
Both are cream thickened with a bacterial culture. Crème fraîche has about 30% fat, tastes milder and can be boiled. Sour cream has 18 to 20% fat, tastes sharper and can curdle if it boils. Crème fraîche usually costs more.
Can I use sour cream in place of crème fraîche?
Yes for cold uses and baking, cup for cup. In a hot sauce, stir the sour cream in off the heat and do not let it boil, or it can curdle. Sour cream also will not whip.
Does crème fraîche work on tacos and baked potatoes?
Yes. It is milder and looser than sour cream once it warms, so add a squeeze of lime or lemon and a pinch of salt, and spoon it on just before eating.