How to make Homemade Sour Cream – Full-proof Method

How to make Homemade Sour Cream (No-fail method)

Nothing beat homemade and homemade sour cream is so simple, easy and effortless, not to mention healthier. The only dilemma is usually the waiting time which requires you planning in advance. In this post I share my full-proof method that will give you perfect sour cream every single time.

The Baking Hack

As a baker I go thru a lot of sour cream. If you notice quite a few of my cake recipes have sour cream in it. I personally think it gives the cake a nice soft crumb and the sourness blends all the different flavors beautifully.

How often have you decided you want to make a dish and realize you don’t have one ingredient at home? Really ruins the mood doesn’t it. I think sour cream can be one of those ingredients when I want to make a cake. I end up not being able to make a cake because I don’t have sour cream on hand. Until I started making sour cream at home. Yes, It is possible to make homemade sour cream.

Sour Cream Vs Creme Fraiche 

I get asked this a lot.  I know this is confusing and often these are used interchangeably but sour cream and creme fraiche are not the same. The ingredients to make them are quite same but they are different.  Not to go into much details but here’s just a little difference.

Sour Cream – has a lower fat content than creme fraiche. I believe about 20% fat. It’s has a distinct sour taste and acidity that’s why it’s used in baking cakes and savory toppings such as baked potatoes but not on desserts. If you read the label you will often see that store bought sour cream may have gelatin or artificial enzymes to stabilize it.

Creme fraiche – has a much higher fat content so it’s a lot more richer and creamier than sour cream. Of course it’s not sour so it works beautifully on desserts.Soups and sauces will not curdle with creme fraiche because of the high fat content.

The starter 

The main ingredient to make sour cream is a starter. Usually buttermilk is used but often we don’t have buttermilk at home So here I should the simplest and easiest way to use Lemon Juice or Vinegar. Personally I prefer lemon juice. I think it makes a less sour – sour cream.. I know!

• If you use vinegar note that the color of vinegar may change the color of sour cream so use one that is transparent.
• If using lemon juice strain the pits and sap out. They are hard to take off later.

Remember this post? How to make Homemade buttermilk in five minutes. We will make some below as our starter too.

The Full-Proof Method 

My cream became sour but did not set like sour cream?
Those of you that have made homemade yogurt from scratch or sour cream before may have seen this happen. The milk turned sour but it did not set? Why?

The temperature is important to making things like homemade yogurt from scratch or homemade sour cream.
Now I don’t want to send you looking for a thermometer. But just as I gave you a full-proof method in homemade yogurt this works the same..

The secret is the process – boil the cream and bring it back to room temperature (110 F) – then make sour cream. This is the secret to the no fail method. That heating of the milk though it sounds redundant helps take that internal milk temperature just where it needs to be to make homemade yogurt or sour cream.
How hot should the milk be – as hot as the milk you feed for a baby. Luke warm, barely warm -but above room temperature, not cold.

The best place to set sour cream

The two important thing to let the sour cream set is warmth and no touching.  SO you must not peek. I know the first time is very difficult. We are very curious and excited to see if it is working!!
The active bacteria in there needs to multiply and that happens only when it’s warm and untouched.
I find the best place to set the sour cream untouched is the oven. Even when switched off the oven is usually the warmest place in the house. Plus it will stay untouched. If you want to check after 8 hours – slowly open the jar and and see. A slight jiggle will tell you if it’s set or not.
In winter – I put the oven on at 100 F /50 C for just 5 minutes – then I switch the oven off and place the jar in there. Works every single time.

Homemade Sour Cream – Simple and Easy

Ingredients 

• Heavy Cream -1 cup
• Milk – 1/4 cup
• Lemon Juice or vinegar – 1 tbsp

Method

Prepare milk and cream

• Place cream in a sauce pan and being to almost boiling
• Do the same with the milk separately – bring to almost boiling.
• Switch the heat off and let both cream and milk cool to a warm almost room temperature.
• Place the room temperature cream in a mason jar / ceramic pot or stainless steel bowl.

Prepare Buttermilk

• Add lemon juice or vinegar to the room temperature milk.
• Stir well.
• Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes
• The milk will be thick and curdled – (how to make homemade buttermilk)

Make sour cream

• Add the buttermilk to the cream. Use a whisk to make sure it is well incorporate.
• Let the cream sit in a warm place untouched for 8 to 12 hours.
• After 8 to 12 hours the sour cream will set – place it in the fridge to chill.
• The bacteria will continue to mature and become more sour over time.

Tips / Trouble Shooting

• The milk curdled – the milk was more than warm. Lemon makes hot milk split. It separates the way from the milk solids. You can still use this split milk but for the sour cream you need to heat and cool some more milk.
• The cream is not set even after 4 hours – you have to let the cream sit untouched after for at least 8 to 12 hours so the bacteria can multiply.
• The cream is not set after 12 hours – You did not heat the milk or the place you kept it was not warm enough for the bacteria to set. Find a warm place like the oven and let it sit for a few hours more. (see setting sour cream above)
• My sour cream is not sour or too sour – As the bacteria multiplies the sour cream become more sour. By 8 to 12 hours if the sour cream is set – place it in the fridge – this will slow the process. The longer the sour cream sit untouched in the warmth the more mature the bacteria so the more sour the sour cream.

Save this Full-Proof Method to making Homemade Sour Cream for later. You can find a collection of my recipes and tutorials here on Pinterest

Recipe Card – Homemade Sour Cream – The full-Proof Method

Using sour cream.

Use this in any recipe that calls for sour cream. You can use it over baked potatoes, in salad dressings. Add a bit of honey and have it for breakfast.