Homemade Sour Cream

Sour Cream is made by fermenting regular cream with some bacteria. Make this fabulous homemade version which is much economical to make and quite an easy procedure to follow. Here is how to make sour cream at home.

Though Sour Cream is easily available in market these days, making Homemade Sour Cream is always a good experience. Because by making it, you can at least ensure that the quality is maintained.

It’s also quite economical to make it at home. At a fraction of price, you can make as much of this delicious cream at home and with just a bit of pre planning, it is ready with absolutely no effort.

It is needed in many dishes as it goes well as an accompaniment and it naturally perks up any dish with which it is used. 

Homemade Sour Cream is made by fermenting regular low fat cream with some bacteria. Due to the bacterial culture, the cream becomes thick and sour. It is very easy to make at home and with just 3 ingredients, you can create a homemade version in no time. 

Just keep in mind that the one prepared at home will not be as thick as the store bought version but taste and the final outcome of the dishes in which it has been used will not be affected.

Do try this simple and easy homemade recipe and drop by your feedback through your lovely comments, I am all ears! And do not forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, people so that you can keep learning cooking hacks every day without a miss – back to back!

What is Sour Cream?

Sour Cream is basically fermented fresh cream which has a slightly sour taste and is often used as a baking ingredient and as savory topping for baked potatoes.

Sour Cream has a slightly low fat content as opposed to Creme Fraiche which apart from being used as an ingredient for baking is also used for topping desserts.

In the making process of sour cream, the bacteria feed on the lactose, or milk sugar, and produce lactic acid. This increases the acidity of the liquid and causes it to “sour” i.e., to coagulate and form solids.

According to Wikipedia, Sour cream (American English) or soured cream (British English) is a dairy product obtained by fermenting regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, which is introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream. Its name comes from the production of lactic acid by bacterial fermentation, which is called souring.

Sour Cream Ingredients

To make sour cream at home, all you need is 2 ingredients. You will need Fresh cream with fat content at least 18-20%. I used Amul cream which is easily available in India. You can use any cream which is available easily to you.

By using Heavy Cream in the same recipe, the end product will be called Creme Fraiche, so make sure to use low fat cream only.

You will need a fermenting agent and I used buttermilk. I made it by adding a few drops of lemon juice in some milk and letting it rest for 2-3 minutes.

You can also use store bought buttermilk but since we require it in so less quantity, I refrain from buying a box and then figuring out what to use the rest for. Milk and lemon works just fine.

Now all you have to do is to mix this milk and lemon mixture in the heavy cream and let it do it’s work.

You can also make buttermilk using vinegar. Just replace lemon juice with vinegar and follow the rest of the steps as listed.

Another way is to make sour cream is using yogurt as the fermenting agent. Just add a tsp of plain live yogurt per 1 cup of cream and leave on the counter for 6-8 hours. Then refrigerate for another few hours.

Once the cream is ready, you can flavor it with any flavoring of your choice. You can add garlic powder to it. Or top it with some chives. Let your creativity go loose and think out of the box.

Why is my sour cream thin?

When you buy sour cream from the store, they come with added thickener and hence it can be a little thicker than the homemade version. Homemade Sour Cream might be a little thinner in consistency than the store bought ones, but is equally good and the recipes to which it is added comes out perfect.

How to make Vegan Sour Cream

If you are a vegan, you can make sour cream using raw cashew nuts. It’s not the real deal but tastes as good the original one. To make vegan sour cream, just add 1 cup cashew nuts, 1/2 cup water and 2 tbsp lemon juice in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Easy, right!!

Sour Cream Recipes

It is a very popular ingredient used in baking. It makes the bakes moist and gives them a nice texture and can also be used as an egg replacer. Use it in cakes to give them a great texture and softness.

Use it to top tacos, in burrito and over any Mexican style soup like this Instant Pot Taco Soup. You can also keep some over your Mexican style dinner recipes like Mexican Cauliflower Rice.

Sour Cream is a great topping for baked potatoes and pizza. Add a little onion powder in it for added flavour.

You can add it in potato salad or any other salad and make a creamy dip using it.

I like to add it in a  lot of my baking recipes and I am listing a few of my favourite recipes below. Do let me know how you like to use this ingredient in the comments below.

• Sour Cream Pancakes
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream
• Sour Cream Cheesecake
• Potato Salad with Sour Cream
• Sour Cream Pound Cake
• Banana Bread with Sour Cream

Can you freeze Sour Cream?

Sour Cream separates when it is frozen. So I do not recommend freezing it. Make a fresh batch according to your needs and use it before it gets spoiled.

However, if you have made a big batch and not been able to use it, freeze it in a  freezer safe box and use only for baked goodies. Do not use for dips or sauces as the texture will not be same.

How long does Sour Cream last?

You can store the sour cream in refrigerator for upto 2 weeks. Make sure to use a glass container to store it and keep the lid tightly closed.

Is Sour Cream gluten free?

Sour cream contains just cream, lemon juice or vinegar and milk hence it is absolutely gluten free unless there is some contamination and can be used by gluten intolerant people.

How to make Instant Sour Cream?

This Instant Sour Cream is a great sour cream substitute if you are on a  time crunch. To make this, you will need heavy whipping cream and lemon juice. Mix the two and whisk until cream is stiffened. Use it in place of sour cream.

You might also like

Homemade Chocolate Ganache

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Hoisin Sauce

Schezwan Sauce

Cajun Seasoning

How to make Sour Cream Step by Step

Making sour cream is just a two step process. And if you are using store bought buttermilk, then it’s just one step. Check it out.

Transfer the cream in a clean glass jar.

Add lemon juice in milk and keep aside for 5 minutes. This will make buttermilk. So if you have readymade buttermilk, you can directly use it.

Add the mixture in the jar with the cream.

Mix well.

Cover the jar and keep aside for 24 hours at room temperature. Refrigerate the jar for 6-8 hours.

Sour Cream Recipe