Sour Cream Substitute

Have a recipe that calls for sour cream but don’t have any? Try one of these five Sour Cream Substitutes for all your cooking and baking needs!

Let’s talk about one of my favorite ingredients – SOUR CREAM! It is an essential ingredient in many baked goods and recipes, but sometimes you start to make a recipe and realize that you’re out of sour cream (gasp!). Here are FIVE OPTIONS for Sour Cream Substitutes.

Jump to:

• What is sour cream?
• Why is sour cream used in baking?
• Sour cream substitutes:
• Recipes using sour cream substitutes
• More ingredient substitutions
• Recipe

What is sour cream?

Sour cream is pasteurized cream that has been “soured” with lactic acid bacteria. This thickens the cream and gives it the characteristically sour/tangy flavor.

Note: Sour cream is not cream that is going bad. If you have regular cream that smells sour, or is thick and curdled, do not use it.

Why is sour cream used in baking?

The acid in sour cream tenderizes gluten, helping to create baked goods that are light and fluffy. Also, the fat content in sour cream contributes to moistness and richness in various baked goods. 

Sour cream substitutes:

I have five different options for Sour Cream Substitutes. These work in a pinch if you need sour cream for a recipe and don’t have any on hand, or if you have a recipe that calls for a small amount of sour cream and you don’t want to buy a whole container.

1. Plain yogurt (the BEST substitute) – This is by far the closest thing to sour cream. Plain yogurt with some fat in it (preferably whole or 2%) is ideal. You can use Greek yogurt or regular yogurt and you can use it as a one to one substitute in just about any recipe.
2. Crème fraîche – This is your second best option. You can use Crème fraîche as a one to one substitute. Note creme fraiche is less tangy than sour cream, if desired you can add a little lemon juice if you want a tangy flavor.
3. Buttermilk – Buttermilk will impart acidity and tang, but it is much thinner than sour cream. If you’re baking with it and using a fairly small amount you should be able to substitute one to one without any problems. 
4. Plain kefir – Kefir will impart acidity and tang, but it is much thinner than sour cream. If you’re baking with it and using a fairly small amount you should be able to substitute one to one without any problems.
5. Cream cheese or mascarpone cheese – Cream cheese and mascarpone cheese are a bit thicker than sour cream. Thin them by whisking in a splash of milk and a bit of lemon juice (for acidity). You should be able to get it fairly close to the same consistency of sour cream. 

Recipes using sour cream substitutes

When using an ingredient substitute it is important that the ingredient that you are subbing is not a huge part of the recipe. For example, if you’re making a Sour Cream Coffee Cake that calls for 1-½ cups of sour cream, you’ll want to use real sour cream, not a substitute.

For recipes that use a smaller amount of sour cream, or a recipe that is forgiving (like salad dressing or pancake batter), you can definitely use a substitute. Here are some recipes that these substitutes can be used in:

• Banana Bundt Cake (many readers have used sour cream substitutes in this recipe)
• Banana Crumb Cake
• Sugar Cookie Bars
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
• Cucumber Dressing

More ingredient substitutions

• Buttermilk Substitutes
• Brown Sugar Substitutes
• Half and Half Substitute

Recipe