Can You Substitute Buttermilk For Heavy Cream? - How To Swap Heavy Cream With Buttermilk In Recipes?

Can You Substitute Buttermilk For Heavy Cream?: The two staple ingredients in baking are heavy cream and buttermilk. Heavy cream is used as a whipping cream for icing cakes & other baked goods.

Buttermilk is used to react with the leavening agent and give the best texture and fluffiness to the baked good. Also, both work great in baking and cooking recipes when it accepts the substitution for one for the other.

So, let's see when & how can you use buttermilk instead of heavy cream along with the difference between buttermilk and heavy cream from this guide.

Can You Substitute Buttermilk For Heavy Cream

Can Buttermilk Be Substituted For Heavy Cream? | Can You Substitute Buttermilk For Heavy Cream?

Yes, buttermilk can be substituted for heavy cream when the recipe allows it. Didn't get my point? Fret not, because buttermilk is a lower-fat dairy product than whole milk but heavy cream is high-fat content so the recipe which is richer & creamier doesn't allow buttermilk to be substituted for heavy cream as it can ruin the whole recipe.

Buttermilk has a thicker consistency which means it is a great substitute for some baked goods. If you add half and half with buttermilk then replacing heavy cream in savory recipes like sauces, stews, and soups is perfectly possible.

Knowing that it can be replaceable for some recipes is cool but having an idea about the substitution ratio is also most important before substitution so get it from the next section.

How To Replace Heavy Cream With Buttermilk In A Recipe?

It is very easy to substitute buttermilk for heavy cream in some recipes with no difference in the final result. If the baking or cooking recipe calls for a cup of heavy cream then take a few tablespoons of buttermilk and add it to the recipe.

Else, you can even go for this substitution ratio - add 2/3 cup of buttermilk and 1/3 cup of oil for 1 cup of heavy cream. For a nice tangy kick to your recipe replacing buttermilk is the best option. Related Guides on Heavy Cream Substitute: 

Buttermilk vs Heavy Cream | What's The Difference?

Buttermilk is a fermented dairy product, made from pasteurized whole milk with added acid. After fermenting process, the created lactic acid separates the liquid from the solids and eliminates the lactose sugar.

Hence, it turns into a tangy flavor. Buttermilk contains low calories and low fat but heavy cream contains 36%-40% butter fat. The dishes with heavy cream are very tasty and rich.

Also, it can be treated as a whipping cream due to its high-fat content and whipped consistency. Buttermilk doesn't have the whipped texture so it can't be substituted for whipping heavy cream in recipes.

When it comes to the final result with buttermilk, baking recipes like cookies, cakes, pie crusts, and bread hold tenderness and moisture because it reacts with baking soda and gives a good rising effect.

For more substitutes like buttermilk for heavy cream do check what can you substitute for heavy cream guide via the available link.

How to Make Buttermilk With Heavy Cream and Vinegar?

The process on how to make buttermilk from heavy cream and vinegar is explained here in simple steps. Let's jump into it and understand how buttermilk can be made from heavy cream and used as a substitute in recipes.

  • Take a measuring glass container or small bowl to make the required amount of buttermilk as called by the recipe.
  • Now, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 cup of cream or milk.
  • Stir the mixture gently & thoroughly and leave it for 5 minutes. Later, take the substitute and add it to your recipe.

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When Can You Not Replace Buttermilk With Heavy Cream?

If you memorize the below important factors about replacing then you can easily understand when to use and when to not:

  • In the whipping recipes, buttermilk can't work well so replacing heavy cream with buttermilk is not possible.
  • You even cannot replace heavy cream with buttermilk when using baking powder in baking recipes. As buttermilk reacts great with baking soda and provides tender & rich textured baked goods.

FAQs on Can I Use Buttermilk Instead of Heavy Cream?

In A Nutshell

We hope the data on whether can you substitute buttermilk for heavy cream shed some light on you when you run out of heavy cream.

Need any other assistance on the same or else for the other food substitutes make sure to text us via the comment section or else check our website on a regular basis.