If you’re in the market for quick, easy, vegan or healthy heavy cream substitutes, then look no further. This article tells you all you need to know about heavy cream and why you might want to swap it out for one of our top 8 alternatives.
What is heavy cream?
Heavy cream, also known as double cream or whipping cream, is an extremely versatile ingredient that can be used in a wide variety of dishes. It is typically made from the fatty layer which forms on the top of milk and is thicker and contains a higher percentage of fat than other types of other creams, such as light cream or single cream. It also differs from other types of cream in the fact that it can be whipped.
How healthy (or unhealthy) is it?
Unfortunately, as versatile and delicious as heavy cream is, it’s not the healthiest ingredient out there. Heavy cream is very high in fat and calories, with up to 40g of fat (including 23g saturated fat) and 350 calories per 100g. This certainly isn’t the food you should be reaching for if you’re on a diet, but it does have some redeeming benefits, such as moderate amounts of calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and a little bit of protein. See below for the full nutritional makeup of 100g heavy cream.
Nutritional Breakdown
Heavy cream | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 345 kcal | 17 % |
Total fat | 37 g | 56 % |
Saturated fat | 23 g | 115 % |
Cholesterol | 137 mg | 45 % |
Salt | 38 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 2 g | 4 % |
Calcium | 65 mg | 6 % |
Vitamin A | 1,470 IU | 30 % |
Vitamin D | 27 IU | 6 % |
Vitamin E | 1 mg | 6 % |
What recipes are heavy cream used in?
Heavy cream is extremely versatile and can be used in a wide variety of recipes, including soups, sauces, dressings, casseroles, ice cream, frosting, whipped cream and many other dessert recipes. It can provide a thick, creamy base for sauces and soups or a rich, creamy topping for desserts.
It can also be whipped up into a whipped cream or mixed with other ingredients and churned in an ice cream maker to make a deliciously creamy dessert dish. Whether you’re serving up a hot creamy soup or a cold complementary dollop of cream for your desserts, heavy cream is considered a staple ingredient in many parts of the world.
Why do we need heavy cream substitutes?
As we continue to become more conscious of our health and environment, many of us are ditching the fatty dairy cream in flavor of low-fat or non-dairy alternatives. Going dairy-free is kinder to animals, our environment and usually our stomachs too. The lactose intolerant among us also require non-dairy alternatives if they don’t want to start a war on their digestive systems.
Or maybe you simply forgot to pick some heavy cream up from the store and are looking for a quick and easy alternative. Whatever the case may be, no need to fret over your cream-less sauces, soups or ice creams. This article reveals the top 8 heavy cream substitutes, their advantages and disadvantages, and the dishes they work best in.
Note:
🌱 = vegan
🥛 / 🌱 = dairy and vegan options1. Milk and butter 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: Soups, sauces, casseroles and some dessert recipes
Overview
Made from two of the most common household ingredients, this milk-butter combo is perfect if you simply forgot to add the heavy cream to your shopping list.
Advantages
Most of us will have these two ingredients at hand, making this heavy cream substitute one of the most convenient on our list. It’s also easy to make, requiring just a few minutes of preparation.
Just like heavy cream, this substitute provides a nice thick, creamy texture and rich flavor that makes it perfect for soups, sauces and casseroles.
Though not the healthiest option on our list, it will also provide plenty of calcium (about 100mg per 100g) and is slightly lower in saturated and overall fat than heavy cream (30-33g compared to the 40g in heavy cream). You could also swap out regular dairy milk and butter for vegan or low-fat alternatives in order to up the health factor a little more.
Disadvantages
However, if you’re specifically looking for a healthier alternative to heavy cream, this probably isn’t the one for you. Sure, it may have slightly less fat, but not enough to really bring down the calories or bring up the health factor.
From our research on this substitute, we also found that many people end up with a lumpy consistency.
TIP: To ensure that your milk-butter mixture is smooth and lump-free, first melt the butter in a saucepan and then make sure it has cooled completely before you mix it with the milk. We recommend using 3/4 cup of milk and 1/3 cup of butter for this technique. There is also much more advice online on how to make your own.
We would also not recommend using this substitute for ice cream. Although you can make it work, there are smoother, more effective options on our list.
Nutritional breakdown
Milk and butter “cream” | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 240 kcal | 12 % |
Total fat | 30 g | 44 % |
Saturated fat | 15 g | 73 % |
Cholesterol | 62 mg | 20 % |
Salt | 36 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 3 g | 5 % |
Calcium | 80 mg | 8 % |
Vitamin A | 700 IU | 14 % |
Vitamin D | 20 IU | 4 % |
Vitamin E | - | - |
2. Milk and cornstarch 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: Low-fat soups, sauces and casseroles
Overview
Another great heavy cream substitute that requires two simple household ingredients. It may be less rich and tasty than other substitutes, but it is also much lower in fat and calories.
We recommend adding 2 tablespoons of cornstarch per 1 cup of milk to get the best out of this substitute. Have a look online for more info on how to make your own.
Advantages
The simplest advantage of this substitute is that it’s just so convenient and easy to make. Most of us will have milk and a box of cornstarch lying around somewhere, and it takes just a couple of minutes to mix the cornstarch into the milk.
The result? A thick yet healthy mixture that works great to thicken up soups and sauces just like heavy cream does.
With less than 60 calories and 3g of fat per 100g (based on 100g of a mix of 2 tbsp cornstarch and 1 cup 1% fat milk), this substitute is perfect if you’re looking for a simple, healthy alternative to heavy cream. It is also richer in both calcium and protein than heavy cream, giving you more of the health benefits with less of the fat.
This substitute is also great because it allows you to be flexible in the type of milk you want to use. If you want a richer flavor, go for a higher fat milk. If you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, simply swap out the dairy milk for a non-dairy alternative.
Disadvantages
Naturally, with the lower calorie count and fat content, you will be compromising a bit on flavor here. As the mixture is essentially comprised of thickened milk, it will have a milky rather than rich and creamy flavor.
This isn’t much of a disadvantage if a thick consistency is your top priority. However, if you’re looking for something to use in dessert recipes, we’d recommend using a slightly richer option.
This substitute will also not whip as well as heavy cream will, meaning that you’d be better off going for other options on our list if you want a fluffy, whipped topping or filling for baked goods.
Nutritional breakdown
Milk and cornstarch “cream” | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 60 kcal | 3 % |
Total fat | 3 g | 3 % |
Saturated fat | 0.6 g | 2 % |
Cholesterol | 5 mg | 1 % |
Salt | 42 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 3.3 g | 6 % |
Calcium | 115 mg | 12 % |
Vitamin A | - | 0 % |
Vitamin D | - | 0 % |
Vitamin E | - | 0 % |
3. Milk and olive oil 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: Sauces, soups, casseroles and some dessert recipes
Overview
Like the previous two options on our list, a 2:1 ratio of milk to olive oil will give you a quick, convenient and convincing substitute for heavy cream. But again, whipping is not an option here. There’s more advice online on how to make your own, so give it a try.
Advantages
A milk-oil combo can be considered the quicker, easier version of the milk-butter combo we previously mentioned. Like the milk-butter mix, this substitute provides a thick, slightly creamy and convincing alternative to heavy cream. But unlike the milk-butter combo, there’s no need to spend prep time heating or cooling butter to get it ready for mixing. You can simply pour in 1 cup of olive oil for every 2 cups of milk, give them a mix, and you’re done.
As a common household ingredient, olive oil is easier to get your hands on than vegan heavy cream or butter alternatives, which makes it a great dairy-free option if you don’t have much to work with. Dairy milk can easily be subbed out for dairy-free alternatives such as soy or almond milk and work just as well.
Health-wise, the milk content provides a healthy dose of calcium and a small amount of protein to boot. However, as you’ll see below, you’d be better off going for a different substitute if you’re ditching the heavy cream for health reasons.
Disadvantages
Sadly, the convenience and effectiveness of this substitute comes at the cost of some health benefits. Olive oil may be healthier than some of its counterparts, but it’s still comprised of 100% fat and is highly calorific. As a result, you’re looking at a minimum of 30g of fat per 100g of this substitute and around 320 calories.
This may sound familiar, as it’s not far off the 37-40g of fat and 345 calories in traditional heavy cream. So while this substitute is slightly healthier than heavy cream, we’d definitely recommend looking into other alternatives if you’re looking for greater health benefits.
This is also not a great option if you’re looking to make any form of whipped cream, as it won’t whip in the same way that heavy cream does.
Nutritional breakdown
Milk and olive oil “cream” | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 320 kcal | 16 % |
Total fat | 30 g | 42 % |
Saturated fat | 5 g | 25 % |
Cholesterol | - | 0 % |
Salt | 30 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 2.5 g | 5 % |
Calcium | 70 mg | 8 % |
Vitamin A | - | 0 % |
Vitamin D | - | 0 % |
Vitamin E | - | 0 % |
4. Non-dairy heavy cream 🌱
Best for: Vegan desserts, soups, dressings, ice cream and whipped cream
Overview
If you’re more concerned about getting a convincing vegan replacement for heavy cream than finding healthier alternatives, this is a great option. Non-dairy heavy cream is slightly healthier than traditional varieties and almost just as convincing.
Advantages
One of the best things about this option is that you can buy it as a can of whipped cream, meaning no messing around trying to make your own. This also makes it one of the best options if you want a heavy cream substitute to use as a topping for desserts or whipped, creamy filling.
If not, you’re still in luck, because non-dairy heavy cream comes in numerous varieties that are fit for a multitude of cooking purposes. With so many varieties to choose from, you’re bound to discover one that will work perfectly for whatever you intend it for.
As you may have guessed from the “dairy-free” part, this substitute is 100% dairy-free, making it suitable for vegans and lactose intolerant people alike.
Because there are so many options to choose from when it comes from dairy-free creams, the health benefits and drawbacks are just as diverse. However, dairy-free heavy creams will typically be healthier than their traditional counterpart, with fewer calories and less fat. Always check the label before you buy to ensure you don’t get any nasty surprises once you get back home.
Dairy-free heavy cream also tends to have a longer shelf-life than dairy-based heavy cream, which is always a nice bonus.
Disadvantages
Just as there will be plenty of low-fat dairy-free creams, there will also be more than a few with skyrocketing fat and calorie content. Although on average these substitutes will have significantly less fat and calories, most will still have more than many other options on our list. So if you’re really in it for the health benefits, you might want to consider a different substitute instead.
Similarly, it can be hard to know how well these substitutes will work in your recipe because there are just so many brands and types available. Check the label to see the recommended use of whichever variety you pick up.
Finally, while there are many different dairy-free creams available, they can be significantly harder to get a hold of than regular heavy cream. If you’re lucky enough to have plenty of stores nearby that sell them, try to do your research before you go out to see where your best options will be.
Nutritional breakdown
Non-dairy heavy cream | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 290 kcal | 14 % |
Total fat | 31 g | 45 % |
Saturated fat | 18 g | 95 % |
Cholesterol | - | - |
Salt | 0.1 g | 1 % |
Protein | 0.6 g | 1 % |
Calcium | 80 mg | 8 % |
Vitamin A | 41 µg | 6 % |
Vitamin D | - | 0 % |
Vitamin E | 1.33 mg | 9 % |
5. Silken tofu 🌱
Best for: Vegan/low-fat desserts
Overview
Tofu? As a heavy cream substitute? You heard it here first folks! Silken tofu, also known as soft tofu or Japanese-style tofu, is softer and silkier than its firmer counterpart, making it ideal for vegan or low-fat desserts.
Advantages
With just 2.7g of fat per 100g, silken tofu is up to 15x less fatty than heavy cream. This makes it a wonderful alternative if you’re looking to lose weight or eat healthier. It also contains up to 4x the amount of protein as heavy cream, making it a great option if you’re going for a high-protein, low-fat diet.
To top it all off, silken tofu contains just 62 calories compared to the 196 calories in heavy cream. If you’re substituting for health reasons, you really can’t go wrong here.
Silken tofu is also 100% dairy free, as it is made from soybeans. This makes it a wonderful vegan and lactose-free alternative to dairy-based cream.
No need to worry about long prep times with this substitute. Silken tofu can be blended in just a few seconds to achieve that cream-like consistency you’re after.
But does it really work well as a heavy cream substitute? Actually, in many ways it does. Blended silken tofu closely resembles the thick, creamy texture of heavy cream and can be used in a variety of dessert recipes. And hey, if it’s good enough for Jamie Oliver’s puddings, it’s good enough for us.
Disadvantages
The main disadvantage of using blended silken tofu is that it does not whip in the same way heavy cream does. However, if you’re not planning on using it as a whipped topping or filling, you’ve got nothing to worry about here.
Inevitably, silken tofu is not as rich in flavor as heavy cream. But we’d argue that if you’re using it in combination with other ingredients rather than on its own, you’d barely notice a difference.
Finally, silken tofu can be considerably harder to get hold of than heavy cream. However, this is becoming less and less of an issue as countries all over the world continue to stock more and more vegan goods.
Nutritional breakdown
Silken tofu | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 62 kcal | 3 % |
Total fat | 2.7 g | 4 % |
Saturated fat | 0.4 g | 2 % |
Cholesterol | - | 0 % |
Salt | 36 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 7 g | 14 % |
Calcium | 66 mg | 7 % |
Vitamin A | - | 0 % |
Vitamin D | - | 0 % |
Vitamin E | - | 0 % |
6. Crème fraîche 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: Soups, sauces, dressings and some dessert dishes
Overview
Though it has a tangier taste than heavy cream, crème fraiche makes a great substitute if you’re looking for a similar base for sauces or a creamy touch for soups.
Advantages
Crème fraîche is extremely easy to use as a substitute for heavy cream, because it requires no special preparation and it has a very similar consistency to traditional heavy cream (which is no surprise, as it’s made from heavy cream and a bacterial culture). It is also widely available in the majority of grocery stores, so it’s easy to run and pick it up, even if you’re pressed for time.
With a calorie count ranging between 100-400 calories, the health benefits and drawbacks of crème fraîche vary widely depending on what variety you pick up. However, on the whole, crème fraîche contains slightly fewer calories and less fat than heavy cream, making it a viable healthier alternative, especially if you go for the low-fat varieties.
Though it’s not the healthiest on our list, it does provide a nice balance between being reasonably healthy and convincingly replicating the texture and richness of heavy cream. 100g of crème fraîche will also provide around 70% of your daily recommended vitamin C intake, which is a very nice bonus.
Disadvantages
But alas, the flavor of crème fraîche just isn’t the same as that of heavy cream. This won’t be a problem if you don’t mind going for a tangier taste or you’re not adding a whole lot to your recipe, but it may throw things off a bit if you’re going for a richer, more neutral flavor.
On the other hand, this could actually be seen as an advantage if you were going to add a few drops of lemon or another tangy ingredient anyway. Using crème fraîche in place of heavy cream and sour ingredients kills two birds with one stone (or in this case, feeds two birds with one scone!).
Unfortunately, crème fraîche isn’t for everyone. Being made almost exclusively from dairy products, crème fraîche isn’t usually a possibility for vegans or lactose intolerant people. There are certainly some dairy-free alternatives out there, but they’re usually rarer than dairy-free heavy cream options.
Nutritional breakdown
Full-fat crème fraîche | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 302 kcal | 15 % |
Total fat | 31 g | 45 % |
Saturated fat | 22 g | 106 % |
Cholesterol | 135 mg | 44 % |
Salt | - | 0 % |
Protein | 3.6 g | 10 % |
Calcium | 70 mg | 8 % |
Vitamin A | 2,500 IU | 50 % |
Vitamin D | - | 0 % |
Vitamin E | - | 0 % |
Vitamin C | 40 mg | 70 % |
7. Full-fat coconut milk 🌱
Best for: Ice cream, whipped cream, dressings, sauces and soups
Overview
Looking for a rich, non-dairy heavy cream substitute to use in your favorite ice cream recipe? Then this could be the one for you. With a delicious rich flavor and an ability to whip up just like regular whipping cream, this makes a real treat for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. There’s more advice on how to create your own delicious coconut whipped cream or ice cream online.
Advantages
This is one of your best options if you’re looking for a non-dairy alternative to use in an ice cream recipe. While many of the other options on our list struggle to match the rich flavor and creamy consistency of heavy cream, coconut milk has no such trouble.
It can be added to your ice cream mixture in the place of heavy cream and churned in your ice cream maker just as heavy cream can. There are a plethora of vegan ice cream recipes online that use coconut milk in place of heavy cream, so search around and find your favorite to satisfy your sweet-tooth.
Unlike some other non-dairy alternatives, coconut milk is also widely available in many stores across the globe, making it convenient to pick up whenever you’re getting those coconut cravings.
Coconut milk is also great for its versatility and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. It creates a deliciously thick and creamy curry sauce just as well as it creates a rich, flavorful whipped cream or ice cream.
It also contains slightly more protein than heavy cream and a decent amount of calcium (16mg per 100g).
Disadvantages
However, don’t be fooled by its non-dairy status: this substitute may be vegan-friendly, but it’s actually one of the highest in calories on our list. With 230 calories per 100g, this substitute is only 30% less calorific than heavy cream itself (which contains 345 calories per 100g).
This isn’t necessarily a disadvantage, but obviously coconut milk will give a distinctly coconutty taste to your dishes that heavy cream won’t. While this isn’t much of an issue for most, you might want to go for a different option if you’re not a huge coconut fan.
But despite its health drawbacks, it remains a delicious option (and one of my personal favorites) if you want to treat yourself.
Nutritional breakdown
Full-fat coconut milk | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 230 kcal | 11 % |
Total fat | 24 g | 36 % |
Saturated fat | 21 g | 104 % |
Cholesterol | - | 0 % |
Salt | 15 mg | 0 % |
Protein | 2.3 g | 4 % |
Calcium | - | 1 % |
Vitamin A | - | 0 % |
Vitamin D | - | 0 % |
Vitamin E | - | 0 % |
8. Greek yogurt 🥛 / 🌱
Best for: Low-fat soups, sauces and dressings
Overview
If you’re using this list to find the healthiest substitute available, then look no further. Greek yogurt is both thick and creamy and the healthiest option on our list in almost all regards.
Advantages
We simply can’t talk about Greek yogurt without talking about its amazing health benefits. First off, nonfat Greek yogurt is far, far lower in fat and calories than heavy cream, containing just 0.4g of fat and 60 calories per 100g. Now remember that heavy cream has up to 40g of fat and 350 calories per 100g and let that sink in. That’s right: heavy cream has 100x the amount of fat of nonfat Greek yogurt.
Even if it doesn’t taste quite the same, you’ve got to admit that that’s a pretty persuasive difference if you’re health conscious. What’s more, Greek yogurt also beats almost all the other options on our list in terms of protein and calcium content, with 10g of protein and 110mg of calcium per 100g. However, remember that these health benefits won’t be quite as pronounced if you go for a fattier variety (it will taste delicious though!).
If you pick up a variety with live cultures of bacteria, you also get the added health benefit of improving your gut health, which is great for losing weight and feeling your best. As you can see, this substitute is a real all-rounder when it comes to health, so we’d definitely recommend it to those of you looking to lose weight or improve your overall wellbeing.
The versatility of Greek yogurt makes it a great alternative to use in sauces, soups, marinades and dressings in place of heavy cream. It has a thick, creamy texture just like heavy cream and mainly only differs in the taste department.
Another great thing about Greek yogurt is that it’s so widely available almost everywhere in the world, making it easy to pick up without needing to do much research beforehand.
Disadvantages
The main disadvantage of using Greek yogurt, especially the nonfat varieties, is that it won’t have that same rich, creamy flavor of heavy cream. However, the tangier taste of Greek yogurt can be seen as an advantage if it’s to your liking.
You may need to add a little milk to Greek yogurt to give it a more convincingly cream-like texture, which adds a little prep time to the process. Even with the added milk, Greek yogurt doesn’t whip in the same way that heavy cream does, so we’d advise against using it in dessert recipes that call for whipped cream.
Like crème fraîche, it can be significantly more challenging to find non-dairy varieties of Greek yogurt. This may make it a little less convenient or much more challenging to pick up depending on where you live.
However, vegan Greek yogurt currently seems to be more widely available than vegan crème fraîche, so it’s well worth having a look online to see if there are any stores selling it near you.
Nutritional breakdown
Nonfat Greek yogurt | Amount (per 100 g) | % Recommended daily intake |
Calories | 59 kcal | 3 % |
Total fat | 0.4 g | 1 % |
Saturated fat | 0.1 g | 1 % |
Cholesterol | 5 mg | 2 % |
Salt | 36 mg | 1 % |
Protein | 10 g | 20 % |
Calcium | 110 mg | 9 % |
Vitamin A | - | 0 % |
Vitamin D | - | 0 % |
Vitamin E | - | 0 % |
The Bottom Line
Heavy cream is a fantastic and versatile ingredient, but it’s not so great if you’re vegan or on a diet – or just don’t have any in the stock.
But thankfully, there are plenty of heavy cream substitutes that come as close as it gets to the real thing. What’s more, most of the substitutes on our list contain fewer calories and less fat than full-fat heavy cream, making them great alternatives if you’re on a mission to shed a few pounds.
Before we leave you, let’s take a look at a summary of our top picks for vegans, health, convenience, and similarity to heavy cream.
Top vegan picks
All of our alternatives come in vegan varieties, but full-fat coconut milk or silken tofu is your best bet if you don’t want to scour the earth for specially made vegan alternatives. Non-dairy heavy cream is also a great option if it’s available in stores near you.
Top healthy picks
Nonfat Greek yogurt, milk and cornstarch “cream” and silken tofu are our top picks if health is your number 1 priority. Ranging from 59-62 calories, these alternatives are over 5x less calorific than heavy cream and contain much less total and saturated fat.
Top convenient picks
Milk and butter, milk and cornstarch and milk and olive oil “cream” are all great options if you’re rooting around your cupboard for a quick and convenient alternative to heavy cream. However, the other options can be just as convenient if you have them in stock.
