Creme Fraiche Substitute

If you’re looking for a creme fraiche substitute, this recipe is for you! Rich and creamy, with a nutty, tangy flavor, cream fraiche will elevate the simplest recipes.

While crème frâiche is common in Europe, it’s not as readily available in the United States. If you can find it, it can be quite expensive as well. Not to worry, it’s easy to make at home. Its creamy texture and tangy flavor make it an ideal topping for a variety of dishes from savory dishes to sweet. 

What is crème frâiche?

Crème frâiche (creme fraiche in the United States) is a French cultured dairy product similar to sour cream, but less tangy and with a higher fat content. It’s made by introducing a bacterial culture to heavy cream and allowing it to ferment at room temperature until it thickens. It becomes creamy, with a silky, smooth texture and tangy, nutty flavor. It can be used as a dessert topping, in pasta sauces, or to enrich soups and sauces.

Creme fraiche vs. sour cream

With just 15 to 20% butter fat, sour cream is lighter and not as stable at higher temperatures, which means it is more likely to “break”. Crème frâiche has a high-fat content, which makes it more stable when added to hot sauces or stirred into hot soups. 

Other creme fraiche substitutes

The most common substitutes for creme fraiche are sour cream and Greek yogurt. Crème fraîche has a similar tang and texture to full-fat Greek yogurt, with a thinner consistency. Mexican crema has a similar consistency, but not quite the same tangy flavor of crème fraîche. Sour cream can be used in place of creme fraiche, but isn’t as stable at high temperatures.

How to make this crème fraîche recipe

Making your own creme fraiche at home couldn’t be easier! It requires just two ingredients and some time! (recipe from Cook’s Illustrated, 2021)

Ingredients

Use pasteurized heavy cream, but for best results, avoid ultra-pasteurized. I like Straus heavy cream which can be found at most health food stores like Whole Foods or Sprouts. You might also have a local dairy near you that has organic dairy products.

• heavy cream
• buttermilk

​Method

• In a glass jar or bowl, stir buttermilk into heavy cream. 

• Cover and place in a warm place between 75 and 80 degrees F. and allow to ferment, undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
• A cooler temperature will work, but will take longer. 
• The creme fraiche will have thick, but pourable texture and have a tangy flavour.

How to use crème frâiche

Crème frâiche is an excellent substitute for heavy cream. It is delicious with fresh fruit or as a topping on pound cake. To use as a dessert, whip the creme fraiche until soft peaks form. Add a teaspoon or two of sugar or brown sugar if desired. Stir in fresh fruit.

Creme fraiche is an elegant substitution for sour cream on a baked potato, or try it on top of these Vegetable Herb Potato Pancakes.

Stir in a soups to enrich them like this Wild Mushroom or Butternut Squash soup.

Whisk a Tablespoon or two into a vinaigrette for a creamy dressing. Use as a substitute for buttermlik in this Ranch Dressing.

Add it to pan sauces for a silky texture like Sauce Espangnole or Mushroom Sauce.

Looking for other cultured dairy products?

Try making homemade Clotted Cream.