Easy Homemade Sour Cream

Sour cream is one of those things that goes well in dips, baking and a variety of other recipes. This easy homemade sour cream is awesome and is a great substitute.

Believe it or now there are some countries that don’t have easy access to sour cream as we do here in the United States. But there is a way to make a great sour cream at home.

This recipe for homemade sour cream is really easy to make. It will taste a bit different than the kind you buy at the store and it won’t be quite as thick, but it is still pretty amazing! Especially if you don’t have access to it. If I can do it, you can do it, let’s get started!

Step 1: Gather the tools and ingredients

This easy homemade sour cream recipe uses only three ingredients. Chances are you might already have these ingredients in your home. You will need the following:

Sour Cream Ingredients

• Heavy whipping cream – This provides the base for the sour cream
• Milk – preferably whole milk but other milk like 2% and 1% will work
• White Vinegar – You may also use lemon juice as well. This is what causes the scientific reaction with your cream and milk which produces the sour flavor and thickens it up.
• Buttermilk – Optional, for another way to make it.

Tools

For the tools you will need the following:

• Mason jar – or you can use any other kind of jar or container with a lid.
• Clean cloth – a tea cloth or dishcloth works well
• Rubber band – the rubber band will be used to hold the cloth in place on top of our container. You can use any kind of substitute for the rubber band if you like.

Step 2: Add ingredients to a jar

First let’s take a clean jar and add our whipped cream, milk, and vinegar (or lemon juice).

Step 3: Cover and shake

Next, let’s cover the jar with a lid and shake it up a bit to make sure it is all incorporated. Don’t shake it up too much! We don’t want it turning into butter. haha

Step 4: Leave cream alone so it can sour

Now take the lid off and cover the top with a thin towel or a paper towel (kitchen towel). Use a rubber band or some string to keep it in place.

Next just let the jar sit out at room temperature for about 24 hours until it thickens up and the chemical reaction has done its thing.

Step 5: Stir, Pour, and Use that Homemade Sour Cream

After it has rested for about 24 hours, you will notice that the top is thick, and at the bottom, it will look watery, which is normal for that separation to occur. Just take a spoon and stir it all together.

Then pour it into a bowl to be used, or keep it in the jar you used. Now your easy homemade sour cream is ready to go. Use this on baked potatoes, tacos, in baking, however, you would normally use sour cream. Enjoy!

*When covered it will last about a week in the fridge.

How to make sour cream with buttermilk

You may also make sour cream with buttermilk. Instead of using milk and lemon juice or vinegar, use 1/4 cup of buttermilk with your 1 cup of heavy cream.

Then just proceed with steps 3 through 5.

For more side dishes make sure to go here.

Video Tutorial

Watch this short video tutorial to see those steps in action. 🙂

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4.91 from 11 votes

Easy Homemade Sour Cream Recipe

Sour cream is one of those things that goes well in dips, baking and a variety of other recipes. Believe it or now there are some countries that don't have easy access to sour cream like we do here in the United States. This recipe for homemade sour cream is really easy to make. It will taste a bit different then the kind you buy at the store and it won't be quite as thick, but it is still pretty amazing! If I can do it, you can do it, let's get started!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Resting Time1 day d

Total Time1 day d 5 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy, ingredient, sour cream

Servings: 2 Cups

Calories: 45kcal

Equipment

• Jar (mason jar works great)
• Thin towel or paper towel
• Rubber band or twine
• spoon

Ingredients

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream (240 ml)
• 1/4 cup of milk, whole milk preferably, or use buttermilk (60 ml)
• 2 tsp. of white vinegar or lemon juice (don't use if using buttermilk) (10 ml)

Instructions

• First let's take a clean jar and add our whipped cream, milk, and vinegar (or lemon juice).
• Or if you are using buttermilk, just add the buttermilk and heavy whipping cream to the clean jar.
• Next let's cover the jar with a lid and shake it up a bit to make sure it is all incorporated. Don't shake it up too much! We don't want it turning into butter. haha
• Next we take the lid off and cover the top with a thin towel or a paper towel (kitchen towel). Use a rubber bad or some string to keep it in place. Now just let the jar sit out at room temperature for about 24 hours until it thickens up.
• After it has rested for about 24 hours, you will notice that the top is thick, and at the bottom it will look watery, that is normal for that separation to occur. Just take a spoon and stir it all together. Then pour it into a bowl to be used, or keep it in the jar you used. Use this on baked potatoes, in baking, however you would normally use sour cream. Enjoy!

  ***When covered it will last about a week in the fridge.

Notes

Tried this recipe?Mention @WPRecipeMaker or tag #wprecipemaker!

Nutrition

Calories: 45kcal

Do you like the recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. 🙂 If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.

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