How to make sour cream (2024)

Make your own simply and quickly using only two ingredients.

What is sour cream made of?

Traditionally, sour cream was made by naturally fermenting cream to preserve it. Most commercial sour creams are no longer created with the same fermentation method.

What can sour cream be used for?

Sour cream is popular in European cooking, and has since spread to the world. It’s popular in dips, on top of baked potatoes, on soups, in casseroles and in baked goods. It is produced by adding lactic acid-producing bacteria to cream. Sour cream has a distinctive taste that adds a unique flavour dimension to foods – think a hearty beef stroganoff. When used in baking, cakes are richer yet lighter. It can also be used to tenderize meats such as chicken.

Are cream and sour cream the same?

Cream that is past it’s best before date and which has developed a sour taste can often be used in the same way as sour cream. The ‘best before’ date is not the same as the ‘use by’ date. But for safety reasons, follow the mantra ‘when in doubt, throw it out’.

How to make quick sour cream

Ingredients
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar

Method

1. Pour the cream into a jar.
2. Stir in the lemon juice or vinegar and stir. Put the lid back on allow to set for at least ten minutes (preferably overnight) in the fridge. Use as per normal in recipes or eat as is. It will taste almost identical to store-bought sour cream.