Sour Cream Substitutes (5 options!) - Celebrating Sweets (2024)

FAQs

What can I use instead of sour cream in sugar cookies? ›

Fresh, spreadable cheeses like cream cheese and mascarpone generally work well as 1:1 substitutes for sour cream in baking. Be sure to let them warm up to room temperature before using, and thin them out slightly by stirring in milk or lemon juice to get a similar texture.

Creme fraiche is a French-style cultured cream with a rich and velvety texture and a slightly tangy and nutty flavor profile. It's made by combining heavy cream with a culture of bacteria. Its fat content is typically around 30-40%, giving it a luxurious mouthfeel and creamy consistency.

Cottage Cheese

It's also perfect as a sour cream substitute with quite a bit less fat than the original. To get a similar consistency and taste to sour cream, add ¼ cup milk and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to 1 cup of small curd cottage cheese.

Greek yogurt is a healthy alternative to the traditionally used sour cream in beef stroganoff recipes, so you can be confident that your family is getting a satisfying, healthy meal. Fresh dill and paprika will provide a sweet, slightly smoky garnish to top off the dish.

Full-fat Greek yogurt will offer the closest approximation of sour cream's flavor and texture, and can be used as a one-to-one replacement for sour cream. If you'd like, you can stir some heavy cream into any percentage of Greek yogurt to give it a somewhat richer body and higher fat content.

Sour cream or full fat yogurt can be substituted 1:1 for whole milk. Use this substitute in baking quick breads or for adding creaminess to pan sauces. Sour cream works especially well in recipes calling for buttermilk, too and vanilla-flavored yogurt can be used for sweet quick breads and cakes.

Incorporating extra fat into regular milk can make a great substitute for heavy cream. Simply melt unsalted butter, let it cool slightly, and then whisk it into milk, using a ratio of 1 part melted butter to 3 parts milk by volume.

Crème fraîche is basically a French sour cream (although it is ever-so-slightly less sour). If you're at the store and can't find sour cream, crème fraiche is a great even substitute: It's super close in consistency and it's extra rich and creamy—so dollop away!

Sour cream (sometimes known as soured cream in British English) is a dairy product obtained by fermenting regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria.

What do the French call sour cream? ›

Creme Fraìche makes whatever it touches fancy. It's the cultured French cousin of sour cream, a rich and luscious topping for everything from baked vegetables, to pancakes, to soups, to tacos, and beyond.

Plain yogurt

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggest making simple swaps for healthier meals. For example, they suggest plain yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.

Some possible substitutes for sour cream in cheesecake include Greek yogurt, crème fraîche, cottage cheese, buttermilk, and coconut cream.

Low-Fat Dairy

Whole milk and half-and-half can be replaced with 1 percent milk, skim milk, evaporated skim milk, or nonfat half-and-half. Instead of grabbing sour cream, try using low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt (it's nice and tangy), buttermilk, or low-fat cottage cheese.

12. Regular Milk. Although not an ideal substitute due to the lack of flavor and thick texture, you can use regular milk as a substitute for sour cream when in a pinch. Regular milk, as a replacement, is best in baked goods such as cakes, cookies, and bread.

If you're using buttermilk as a sour cream substitute in baking, swap ¾ cup for every cup of sour cream. Depending on the recipe, you might also want to decrease the amount of other liquids in the recipe or add additional flour. Plain yogurt: Equal parts plain yogurt is an excellent substitute for sour cream.

Applesauce and sour cream also have a similar consistency, and they both provide a soft and smooth texture to whatever you're baking.