How to make Sour Cream – Homemade Sour Cream

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

Have you ever wondered how to make sour cream? Homemade sour cream? This sour cream from scratch recipe is so simple, easy and effortless, not to mention healthier. Today I share with you my no-fail method on how to make sour cream. Furthermore, I will share with you two techniques to make sour cream at home. One using milk and vinegar, and another using lemon juice. As a result, you will never have to buy sour cream again.

As a baker, I use a lot of sour creams. 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, for example, a cake, and then realized you don’t have one ingredient at home? Really ruins the mood doesn’t it. For me, sour cream is often one of those ingredients. Especially, when I want to make a cake. As a result, I end up not making a cake because I don’t have sour cream on hand. That was until I started making sour cream at home. Yes, it is possible to make a homemade sour cream. Furthermore, it’s not just simple and easy but also more affordable.

Sour Cream vs Creme Fraiche

I get asked this a lot. I know this is confusing and often these are used interchangeably. And yet, sour cream and creme fraiche are not the same. While the ingredients to make them are quite the same, there are some differences. I don’t want to get into too many details, and yet here’s just one difference.

Sour cream – has a lower fat content than creme fraiche. I believe about 20% fat. Also, it 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 richer and creamier than sour cream. Of course, it’s not sour so it works beautifully on desserts. Also, soups and sauces will not curdle with creme fraiche because of the high-fat content.

What’s the best thing about making sour cream at home? Apart from the fact that it’s more affordable? Well, you can use it in so many things other than cake, like mashed potatoes, and baked potatoes. Another great option is to take a bowl of sour cream, drizzle some honey and sprinkle some chopped nuts and you have a perfect dessert.

How to make Homemade Sour Cream (Save/Pin)

Ingredients – can be found in the recipe card below with conversions

Method

• Place room temperature milk in a mason jar.
• Add lemon juice.
• Close the lid and give it a good shake.
• Open the lid again.
• Now add the room temperature fresh cream.
• Close the lid and give it a good shake again.
• Cover the jar again but DO NOT SEAL IT. Instead use a kitchen towel, paper-towel or just place a plate. (you want the milk to breathe)
• Let sit in a warm place for a minimum of 18 hours to a maximum of 24 hours.
• After 24 hours – you should have a thick luscious sour cream.
• Whey from the milk would have been separated and resting at the bottom of the jar. This is normal.
• If you want thick sour cream just spoon the thick mixture from the top.
• I prefer to stir the sour cream with a spoon and bring it all together.
• Cover the mason jar with its own lid now and store it in the fridge to chill.
• The sour cream is ready to use.
• It will stay fresh for up to two weeks in the fridge.

A common issue with making the homemade sour cream (Save/Pin)

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 make 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 fail-proof method in homemade yogurt this works the same.

The secret is in 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 a baby. Lukewarm, barely warm – but above room temperature, not cold.

The best place to set sour cream

The second important thing in order to let the sour cream set is warmth and do not disturb. 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 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.

Frequently asked questions

Don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.

Homemade Sour Cream – The Full Proof Method

Author: Veena Azmanov

5 from 27 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course – Breakfast

Cuisine – American, European

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 2 mins

Total Time: 12 hrs 7 mins

Calories: 272

$5

Adjust Servings Here: 1 cup

Description

Have you wondered how to make sour cream? Homemade sour cream? Yes, this sour cream recipe is so simple, easy and effortless, not to mention healthier. Today I share with you my no-fail method on how to make sour cream. Furthermore, I will share with you two techniques to make sour cream at home. One using milk and vinegar, and another using lemon juice. As a result, you will never have to buy sour cream again.

Equipment /Tools

• Mason Jars
• Measuring Spoons

Ingredients

• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice or vinegar

Metric – US customary

ADJUST SERVINGS HERE – 1 cup

Conversions – Switch between Metric & US for other measurement options

Instructions

• Place room temperature milk in a mason jar.
• Add lemon juice.
• Close the lid and give it a good shake.
• Open the lid again.
• Now add the room temperature fresh cream.
• Close the lid and give it a good shake again.
• Cover the jar again but DO NOT SEAL IT. Instead use a kitchen towel, paper-towel or just place a plate. (you want the milk to breathe).
• Let sit in a warm place for a minimum of 18 hours to a maximum of 24 hours.
• After 24 hours – you should have a thick luscious sour cream.
• Whey from the milk would have been separated and resting at the bottom of the jar. This is normal.
• If you want thick sour cream just spoon the thick mixture from the top.
• I prefer to stir the sour cream with a spoon and bring it all together.
• Cover the mason jar with its own lid now and store it in the fridge to chill.
• The sour cream is ready to use.
• It will stay fresh for up to two weeks in the fridge.

About Videos – most recipes has two videos – a quick version in the post & longer detailed version on this recipe card. Sometimes a similar recipe video may be used. Please do subscribe to my channel if you like my videos

Nutrition Information

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.4g | Protein: 2.2g | Fat: 28.4g | Saturated Fat: 17.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 3.2g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

Keywords – baking, DIY, from scratch, homemade, sour cream

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it was.Mention @veenaazmanov or tag me on Instagram #veenaazmanov

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