Have you ever wondered how to make homemade sour cream? Today, I share with you my no-fail method along with three ways to make your own from scratch at home.
Sour cream is fermented cream made by adding lactic acid bacteria to the whipping cream and left to multiply over a few hours similar to making yogurt. The bacteria thickens the cream naturally but, often store-bought sour cream will have artificial thickeners added to it. It is a gluten-free product and perfect for so many things from cake batters, to onions dips and sandwich spreads.
As a baker, I use a lot of sour creams. If you notice, quite a few of my cake recipes have sour cream in them. I personally think it gives the cake a nice soft crumb and the sourness blends all the different flavors beautifully. So, as a rule of thumb, I always have store-bought sour cream on hand.
Why make sour cream at home?
- Apart from the fact that it is so simple and easy, it is also more affordable?
- 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.
A few ways to make sour cream
- You can make sour cream using lemon juice, or you can make it using vinegar. Between the two, I prefer lemon juice as some vinegar can be a bit strong flavored. Both of these methods include heating the cream and bringing it back to the barely warm or room temperature, which is just right for the culture to multiply.
- But, you can also make sour cream from raw cream. This method involves buying a sour cream starter that has a strong active culture. You don't need to heat the milk but it works best with room temperature milk.
Set by step instructions
1 & 2 - Using lemon juice or vinegar
- Place room temperature milk in a mason jar. Add lemon juice or vinegar. 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. Alternatively, use a whisk to ensure it is well combined.
- Cover the jar again but DO NOT SEAL IT. Instead use a kitchen towel, paper towel, or just place a plate.
Pro tip - we want the active culture in the milk to breathe and multiply so cover but do not seal. - Let sit in a warm place for a minimum of 12 hours to a maximum of 24 hours. At this time - you should have a thick luscious sour cream.
Pro tip - depending on the percentage of fat in the milk 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.
Pro tip - the sour cream will thicken and mature, making it sourer over time as it cool in the fridge. - It will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
3. Using a sour cream starter
You can buy sour cream starter here
- Place raw cream in a bowl. Add one sachet of sour cream starter and mix well with a whisk.
Pro tip - it is very important that the sour cream starter is well mixed with the cream so letting it rest and soak then stirring again helps. - Let sit for 2 minutes then whisk well again. Pour the cream into a mason jar and cover with a towel
Pro tip - we want the active culture in the milk to breathe and multiply so cover but do not seal. - Leave in a warm, dark place for at least 12 hours undisturbed or until it is set and tastes sour.
- Place in the fridge for at least 3 hours before you use it.
- This sour cream will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
4. Sour cream with yogurt
While yogurt works as a great substitute for sour cream in baking it still lacks that tartness that comes with sour cream. So, 1 tsp of lemon juice to one cup of full-fat active bio Greek yogurt does the trick. Give it a good mix and wait 5 minutes.
Sour cream vs. creme fraiche
I get asked this a lot. I know this is confusing and often these terms 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 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.
Frequently asked questions
The milk was warmer than room temperature. Keep milk at no more than 110F just like when using yeast for bread. Lemon makes a hot milk split. It separates the whey from the milk solids. You can still use this split milk but not for the sour cream.
you have to let the cream sit untouched for a minimum of 12 hours so the bacteria can multiply.
The milk was cold when you started out 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.
As the bacteria multiply the sour cream becomes sourer. By 12 hours if the sour cream is set - place it in the fridge - this will slow the process. The longer the sour cream sits untouched in the warmth the more mature the bacteria so the sourer the sour cream.
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.
Sometimes we don't have the luxury of time to let the sour cream ferment naturally. Often Yogurt is the best substitute when baking. I like to use Greek yogurt as a substitute because it's thicker and with a higher fat percentage.
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Homemade Sour Cream
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Video
Ingredients
Sour cream using lemon juice
- 1 cup (240 ml) Heavy cream
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Milk
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
Sour cream using vinegar
- 1 cup (240 ml) Heavy cream
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Milk
- 2 tbsp White vinegar distilled vinegar
Sour cream from raw cream
- 1 quarts (1 liter) Heavy cream
- 1 packet Sour cream starter
Instructions
Using lemon juice or vinegar
- Place room temperature milk in a mason jar. Add lemon juice or vinegar. 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. Alternatively, use a whisk to ensure it is well combined.
- Cover the jar again but DO NOT SEAL IT. Instead use a kitchen towel, paper towel, or just place a plate. Pro tip - we want the active culture in the milk to breathe and multiply so cover but do not seal.
- Let sit in a warm place for a minimum of 12 hours to a maximum of 24 hours. At this time - you should have a thick luscious sour cream. Pro tip - depending on the percentage of fat in the milk 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.Pro tip - the sour cream will thicken and mature, making it sourer over time as it cool in the fridge.
- It will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Using raw cream
- Place raw cream in a bowl. Add one sachet of sour cream starter and mix well with a whisk.Pro tip - it is very important that the sour cream starter is well mixed with the cream so letting it rest and soak then stirring again helps.
- Let sit for 2 minutes then whisk well again. Pour the cream into a mason jar and cover with a towelPro tip - we want the active culture in the milk to breathe and multiply so cover but do not seal.
- Leave in a warm, dark place for at least 12 hours undisturbed or until it is set and taste sour.
- Place in the fridge for at least 3 hours before you use it.
- This sour cream will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Recipe Notes
- In baking, yogurt, or buttermilk works as a great replacement.
- 1 tsp of cornstarch helps thicken 1 cup sour cream. Adding too much cornstarch can make it very gummy.
- 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 (110F)
- 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 in 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.
Nutrition Information
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
Robert
I agree, the lemon has a better appeal (appeel?) 😚 than vinegar 😝. Easy recipe with nothing special for stock. Great flavor. Be nice to publish the temperatures with instructions, but I eventually figured out a steady-state plan, and it’s nice to have. I’m done with store bought sour cream. 🥳
Jenn Figg
Veena, Have you made "sour cream" with full-fat coconut milk? I'm asking because my family can eat butter, but not milk or cream, and there are so many recipes that call for sour cream. I have tried non-dairy sour creams before and they are not tasty. Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Jenn, when baking yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream and non-dairy yogurts are easily available these days. I have used one made with soy milk, and the cake was good.
My favorite is coconut cream. I keep the can of coconut in the fridge overnight then scoop out the thick part of the coconut cream
I know a common vegan sour cream is cashew cream - cashews are soaked in water overnight then blended with lemon juice or vinegar. I have not tried this so not sure how it tastes.
I hope this helps
Garnett
Lemon juice plus Greek yogurt and cream. My sour cream needs to be thick! Thank you.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Garnett
Ida Y.
Hi Veena, I have tried to make the recipe twice and neither turned out. I am so disappointed. The first time I did not heat the milk and I don't think I left it in a warm enough spot. So, the second time, I tried the "fail proof" method. I heated the milk and cream separately and then brought down to about 110 degrees then I followed the rest of the recipe. Was I supposed to only heat the cream? For the second attempt, I put the jar in the oven and left the oven light on as I usually do for yogurt but that time again, the cream did not separate and it did not smell like sour cream. Actually, Neither of my attempts separated cream from whey as you describe. The frist one smelled sour but was liquid so I let it sit in a slightly heated oven (about 100 degrees for 5 mins-then off) for 2 additional hours. Then I added to the fridge, and the next day it had no smell at all. We tried it and there is a sweetness to the flavor, no sour. The second batch smelled like bad milk the day after it was put in the fridge. Should I hold the boil for a certain period of time? Could I use cream and milk around 90-100 degrees? I am concerned my milk and cream were too warm the second time at 110 degrees. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Hey Ida. I'm so sorry you did not succeed. It really is a very simple recipe as you can see in my video on the post.
I make it exactly as shown almost every week. If I dont' use it for baking it gets eaten like yogurt.
When it is just done it is not very sour but it does develop flavor and sourness as it continues to mature in the fridge. The longer you leave it out the more mature the bacteria /sour.
In summer I leave it on the countertop as shown in the video.
But, in winter, I heat the oven at 50 C - for 5 minutes. Then turn it off and place the jar in there.
I usually leave it overnight and place it in the fridge when I wake up in the morning.
Also, there should be no smell when you just make it. It does have a sour smell when it get too mature.
The milk does not need to be too warm. Just warm similar to how we use for making bread with yeast. Closer to room temperature.
In summer my sour cream becomes in about 8 hours - in winter it can take up to 12 hours but there are people who say it can take up to 24 hours. Personally, I have never had to leave it that long.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask again.
Mary
Hi Veena! I tried out the sour cream. I used fresh cream with 34% fat. I reside in a very humid place which is convenient for me to make fermented batters and homemade yoghurt. The mixture sat at room temperature for 12 hours and then I refrigerated the same overnight. When I tasted it I didnt find it much sour. It just tasted like the fresh cream. Yes, it did set with liquid at the bottom of the jar. Is it possible to add a sour yoghurt starter in place of lemon juice? How can I flavour it?
Thank you!
Veena Azmanov
Mary, sounds like it needed a little longer maturing outside. Though 12 hours is a long time. Yes, you can use yogurt as well.
Was the milk cool than 110 F, if yes, then the first few hours would slow the process as the milk comes to the right temperature.
I like to bring my milk to a boil. Then let it cool down to 110 F at room temperature.
Missy
Divine!! Best sour cream ever! Heated milk and cream together to 108F added lemon juice and put in my turned off gas oven around 18 hours? I checked after 12 and wasn't quit there yet! I want to mention make sure you are using REAL 100% LEMON JUICE! Unfortunately many of these bottled so called lemon juices are from concentrate and they may not work as well! I know bc I've done it! Lol You could try doubling the amount if thats all you have! The better the milk and cream you use the better your sour cream will be! I had cream top whole milk and a lightly pasteurized heavy cream from a local dairy.
Chandra Persaud
The 24 hours are up for mine but it’s not sour not even barely still sweet cream taste!! What to do? Please help!!
Veena Azmanov
Let it take a little longer Chandra. It usually does not take this long. Did you make sure the cream was not more than warm when you started? I have given some troubleshooting tips in the post - please read them and I hope something works. Thanks