Heavy Cream Substitutes

Out of heavy cream? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.

Need to convert heavy cream between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the heavy cream converter.

What to use instead of heavy cream

  • Whipping Cream

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup heavy cream = 1 cup whipping cream (1:1 by volume)

    Closest swap. Whipping cream is 30 to 35% fat to heavy cream's 36%+. Whipped peaks soften faster, so eat sooner; everything else works the same.

    See whipping cream substitutes →

  • Milk + butter

    DIY mix

    1 cup heavy cream = 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup melted butter

    Cooks fine in sauces, soups, and ganaches. Will not whip: the fat needs to be cold and emulsified, which melted butter is not.

  • Coconut Cream

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup heavy cream = 1 cup coconut cream (1:1 by volume)

    Vegan-friendly swap. Whips well when chilled overnight. Adds a coconut note, so best in tropical or chocolate desserts.

    See coconut cream substitutes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for heavy cream?
There are 3 workable substitutes for heavy cream, depending on what you have on hand and which property of heavy cream matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually 1 cup heavy cream = 1 cup whipping cream (1:1 by volume). Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
Will substituting heavy cream change how my recipe turns out?
Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the heavy cream converter
How do I measure heavy cream accurately?
Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The heavy cream converter on this site converts between cups, grams, ounces, millilitres, fluid ounces, tablespoons, and teaspoons, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the heavy cream converter

Other ingredient and produce substitutes

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