Homemade Crème Fraîche Recipe
Heavy cream has enough fat to thicken into a rich, spoonable texture once cultured, and the live bacteria in buttermilk do all the work of souring and setting it, no cooking, no special starter culture, and no fancy equipment beyond a clean jar and a warm corner of the kitchen.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 1440 min
- Total
- 1450 min
- Servings
- 16
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream (not ultra-pasteurized, if possible)
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk, cultured (with live active cultures)
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 103
- Protein
- 1g
- Carbs
- 1g
- Fat
- 11g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1In a very clean glass jar or bowl, combine the heavy cream and buttermilk. Stir well with a clean spoon.
- 2Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or a coffee filter secured with a rubber band, don't seal it airtight, the cultures need a little airflow.
- 3Set the jar in a warm spot (70-75°F / 21-24°C) out of direct sunlight and let it sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours, until it has visibly thickened and smells pleasantly tangy.
- 4Stir the thickened cream. It should look like loose sour cream at this point, it will firm up more once chilled.
- 5Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using; this mellows the tang and thickens it further.
- 6Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
Tips & variations
- Ultra-pasteurized (UHT) heavy cream, common in grocery stores, has fewer surviving bacteria and can be slow to culture or fail to thicken at all. If the label says ultra-pasteurized, look for a pasteurized (not UHT) cream instead, often sold at natural food stores or farmers markets.
- No buttermilk on hand? A tablespoon of plain, live-culture sour cream or plain yogurt works as the starter instead.
- A warmer kitchen (closer to 75°F) will set the cream in closer to 12 hours; a cooler one can take the full 24, check it periodically after 10-12 hours.
- Once made, save a couple tablespoons of this batch as the starter for your next one, just like a sourdough starter, it keeps working.
Storage & reheating
Store crème fraîche in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days; the tang mellows slightly over the first few days, then intensifies as it ages. Don't freeze it, the texture separates and turns grainy once thawed. It doesn't need reheating, and unlike sour cream, it can be stirred into hot sauces or soups directly without curdling.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- If the top forms a slightly wobbly, yogurt-like layer after 12 hours but the rest is still liquid, stir it back together and give it a few more hours, it's not done yet.
- A wide-mouth jar cultures faster than a narrow one because more surface area is exposed to the ambient warmth.
FAQ
Why won't my cream thicken?
The most common cause is ultra-pasteurized cream, which has too few live bacteria left to culture properly, or a kitchen that's too cool. Check the cream carton for "UHT" or "ultra-pasteurized" and try a warmer spot, closer to 75°F, if it's stalling.
Can I use lemon juice or vinegar instead of buttermilk?
No, those will curdle and thicken the cream through acidification alone, which gives a texture closer to a quick homemade sour cream, not the smooth, cultured tang of true crème fraîche. Buttermilk (or yogurt/sour cream with live cultures) is what actually ferments it.
How is crème fraîche different from sour cream?
Crème fraîche is made from higher-fat cream (usually 30-40% fat versus around 18-20% for the cream used in sour cream) and is cultured more gently, giving it a milder tang and a higher fat content that lets it withstand simmering in hot dishes without breaking.
Can I double the batch?
Yes, the ratio of cream to buttermilk stays the same no matter the volume; just use a larger jar with enough headroom for airflow during culturing.
