The best substitutes depend on what you're making

Heavy whipping cream can be replaced with several ingredients, but which one works best depends on whether you need the cream to whip into peaks, add richness to a sauce, or thin out a soup. Some substitutes work in all three situations; others only in one. The fat content and how the ingredient behaves under heat matter more than the name on the label.

If you're making whipped cream for a dessert, you need something with enough fat to hold air when you beat it — that's roughly 30 percent fat or higher. If you're stirring cream into coffee or a pan sauce, almost any dairy product with some fat will work. If you're making a soup or sauce that needs to simmer, you need something that won't break or curdle when heated.

Key Takeaways

  • Half-and-half and whole milk mixed together can replace heavy cream in sauces and soups, but won't whip into peaks on its own.
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream can whip into soft peaks and works well in baked goods, though it will taste tangy.
  • Evaporated milk (the canned kind, not sweetened condensed milk) has enough fat to whip and works in both sweet and savory dishes.
  • Coconut cream — the thick part from a can of full-fat coconut milk — whips like dairy cream and works for vegan baking.
  • Butter mixed with milk creates a substitute with similar fat content, though it requires a bit of math to get the ratio right.

Half-and-half and whole milk for sauces and soups

If you're making a pan sauce, soup, or custard that doesn't need whipped peaks, mixing half-and-half with whole milk is the fastest fix. Half-and-half is already a blend of equal parts cream and milk, so it has less fat than heavy cream but more than milk alone. Adding whole milk to it brings the fat content down further, which is fine for dishes where you just need richness and body.

Use equal parts half-and-half and whole milk — one cup of each makes two cups of a cream-like liquid. This mixture won't whip, but it will thicken a sauce when you reduce it over heat, and it won't break or curdle the way very low-fat milk might. If your recipe calls for one cup of heavy cream in a sauce, use one cup of this half-and-half and milk blend instead. For soups, you can use it straight without mixing, though the result will be slightly thinner.

Greek yogurt or sour cream for baked goods and toppings

Greek yogurt and sour cream both have enough fat to whip into soft peaks, and both add a pleasant tang to cakes, muffins, and fruit toppings. The catch is that they're thicker and more acidic than cream, so they change the flavor and texture of what you're making. They work best in recipes where a slight sourness fits — chocolate cakes, berry desserts, and coffee cakes all benefit from this substitution.

If you're whipping Greek yogurt or sour cream, chill your bowl and beaters first, just as you would for heavy cream. Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form — they'll be looser and less stable than peaks from heavy cream, so use them right away. For baking, you can often swap Greek yogurt or sour cream one-to-one for heavy cream in the ingredient list, though you may need to reduce other liquids slightly because yogurt contains more water. Test with a small batch first.

Evaporated milk for whipping and cooking

Evaporated milk — the unsweetened canned product, not sweetened condensed milk — contains about 6 to 7 percent fat and has been heated until roughly half the water is gone. This concentration makes it thick enough to whip into peaks when chilled, and it works in both sweet and savory recipes without adding tang the way yogurt does.

Chill a can of evaporated milk in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes until it's very cold but not frozen. Pour it into a chilled bowl and whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form — this takes longer than whipping heavy cream, usually five to eight minutes. You can use evaporated milk one-to-one in place of heavy cream in sauces, soups, and custards. The flavor is slightly cooked and a bit thinner than dairy cream, but most people won't notice the difference in a finished dish.

Coconut cream for vegan and dairy-free baking

Full-fat coconut milk comes in a can with a thick layer of cream on top and a thinner liquid below. Scoop out just the thick cream — don't shake the can first — and you have a substitute that whips almost exactly like dairy cream. Coconut cream has enough fat to hold peaks, and it works in both sweet and savory dishes, though it will taste like coconut.

Chill the can of coconut milk before opening it, then carefully scoop the solid cream into a chilled bowl, leaving the liquid behind. Whip on medium-high speed until peaks form, usually three to five minutes. Use it one-to-one in place of heavy cream in recipes where coconut flavor fits — chocolate desserts, tropical fruit dishes, and curries all work well. If you want to reduce the coconut taste, mix the coconut cream with a neutral oil like vegetable or sunflower oil at a ratio of three parts coconut cream to one part oil.

Butter and milk for a homemade substitute

If you have butter and milk on hand, you can make a substitute that mimics the fat content of heavy cream. Heavy cream is roughly 36 percent fat; whole milk is about 3.5 percent. Mixing them in the right ratio gives you something close to the original.

For one cup of heavy cream, melt one-quarter cup of butter and mix it with three-quarters cup of whole milk. Stir until the butter is fully combined and let the mixture cool to room temperature before using it. This works well in sauces, soups, and baked goods, though the texture will be slightly different from real cream because the butter and milk don't bind the same way. It won't whip into peaks. If your recipe calls for heavy cream to be heated — in a sauce or custard — this substitute works fine. For cold applications like whipped cream, use one of the other options instead.

Mascarpone for rich desserts and coffee

Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese with a fat content around 40 percent, making it richer than heavy cream. It's thick, smooth, and slightly sweet, which makes it perfect for tiramisu, mousse, and dolloping on warm desserts. It won't whip into peaks the way cream does, but it can be softened and folded into other ingredients.

Use mascarpone straight from the container for toppings and fillings. If you need to thin it for a sauce or to fold into a mousse, whisk it with a small amount of milk or cream until it reaches the right consistency. Mascarpone breaks easily when heated, so don't use it in sauces that will simmer on the stove. It's best used in no-cook desserts or added to a dish just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use milk alone instead of heavy cream?

Whole milk alone won't work as a one-to-one substitute because it has too little fat — about 3.5 percent compared to heavy cream's 36 percent. In a sauce or soup, milk will make the dish thinner and less rich. If you must use milk, add a tablespoon of butter per cup of milk to increase the fat content, or mix it with half-and-half as described above.

What's the difference between evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk?

Evaporated milk is unsweetened and has had about half its water removed by heating. Sweetened condensed milk has had water removed and sugar added. They are not interchangeable — use evaporated milk for savory dishes and whipping, and save sweetened condensed milk for desserts where the recipe specifically calls for it.

Will Greek yogurt make my cake taste sour?

Greek yogurt adds a subtle tang that most people enjoy in chocolate, berry, and coffee cakes. If you're making a delicate vanilla cake or something that needs to taste purely sweet, the sourness might be noticeable. Test with a small batch first, or use evaporated milk or coconut cream instead, which won't change the flavor.

Can I whip coconut cream if it's not very thick?

If the coconut cream in your can is thin and watery, the brand may have used a different ratio of coconut to liquid. Try a different brand, or add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the cream and whip it in — this will help it hold peaks. Some people also add a teaspoon of vanilla or a tablespoon of powdered sugar, which helps stabilize the whipped texture.

How do I keep whipped substitutes from collapsing?

Whipped Greek yogurt, sour cream, and coconut cream are less stable than whipped heavy cream and will start to weep or flatten after a few hours. Use them right away, or fold in a tablespoon of cornstarch or powdered sugar per cup of whipped mixture — this helps them hold their shape longer. Store in the refrigerator and use within a few hours.