Sour cream is one of those ingredients that makes just about anything taste better.
It’s right up there with butter in my opinion, especially when it’s fresh raw cream that has been cultured to boost probiotics and flavor!
Sour cream is an essential ingredient in so many recipes. This easy technique will transform your raw cream into a thick raw sour cream perfect for use in all of your favorites!
Some of our favorite ways to use sour cream include:
Salad Dressings
There are so many great salad dressings out there. This Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing from Grow Forage Cook Ferment is delicious.
Or try my Homemade Extra Creamy Ranch and the always popular Creamy Garlic Dill Dressing.
Potato Salad
Sour cream and mayonnaise, baby! That’s the ultimate combo for making the best potato salad.
Try this Russian Probiotic Potato Salad from Traditional Cooking School or mix up your own.
Toppings
Things like tortilla soup and latkes just wouldn’t be the same without the tangy creaminess of real sour cream!
Try my Nourishing Tortilla Soup for an incredibly satisfying soup experience!
Ashley from Adamant Kitchen has a lovely Zucchini Latkes recipe. Or try my Sourdough Potato Pancakes or even my low-carb version made from Spaghetti Squash!
Baked Goods
Sour cream lends itself exceptionally well to baked goods. It provides a pleasant flavor and keeps muffins, cakes, and biscuits nice and moist.
Try my friend Devon’s Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins or my own Sour Cream Strawberry Shortcakes!
Sour cream has so many possibilities!
Raw Sour Cream
This easy technique uses fresh raw cream and raw yogurt culture to make the most amazing sour cream you will ever taste!
Ingredients
- 1 quart fresh raw cream
- 2 tablespoons raw yogurt, or store bought plain yogurt
Instructions
- Place the raw cream in a clean quart-sized jar.
- Set the jar in a pan filled with warm water and heat the cream slowly over low heat.
- Once the cream is warmed to around 100°F, turn off the heat and whisk in the yogurt.
- Place a lid on the cream and let it stay in the warm water until it comes to room temperature.
- Remove the jar from the water bath and leave it on the counter overnight.
- The next morning refrigerate the cream until completely chilled.
- Some separation is normal, especially if your cream is not very thick. If you see separation do not stir the cream, instead scoop off the thickened sour cream into a clean jar, stopping at the line where separation occurs. What is left below will be a creamy yogurt perfect for eating plain or making smoothies.
Amy
Thursday 9th of November 2023
I am confused…. recipe says “Raw Sour Cream” but the ingredients sounds like it’s yogurt!?!?!
Butter For All
Tuesday 12th of December 2023
Hi Amy!
Good question. Sour cream is just cultured cream. Cultured milk is yogurt. So you're using yogurt culture to culture the cream. They are basically the same thing just different amounts of milk fat.
KJ
Saturday 20th of May 2023
This worked really well and it thickened up nicely! I always end up with cream that starts going sour, so this is a perfect solution. The past two times I've made it though, it has ended up a bit 'grainy' on the tongue and not completely smooth (although it looks very smooth). Is there something in the process that causes that? Thank you!
Butter For All
Wednesday 31st of May 2023
Hi KJ,
Are you using yogurt or your previous batch of sour cream to start the culture? Either way actually, the cream and milk will separate further during culturing and the milk part can start to make little curds. If you stir those curds in it might make a grainy texture. If you are stirring it, try leaving it undisturbed while culturing and then skim off the really thick cream. If this isn't the issue, maybe try a different brand of yogurt to start your culture or stop the culture a little sooner to avoid and curdling. Hope we can narrow it down!
Rachel
Tuesday 7th of February 2023
AMAZING! I followed the directions exactly using a store bought organic yogurt from Azure standard. The following day I separated out the cream and took the immersion blender to it. The results were lovely. Thick and creamy and wonderful. Not as strong flavored as store bought though- anyone know how to get more of that flavor?
Jenny
Sunday 2nd of July 2023
@Butter For All, by "Ferment a little longer" do you mean to just leave it on the counter for longer? So try an extra hour or two?
Butter For All
Thursday 9th of February 2023
Hi Rachel,
I'm so happy this works so well for you too! If you let to ferment a bit longer you can get more sour flavor.
Brit
Sunday 23rd of August 2020
Can this be made using raw kefir instead of yogurt? If so, how much kefir should be used or would 2 tablespoons still work? Thank you
Butter For All
Sunday 23rd of August 2020
Hi Brit!
I have never tried kefir for this process but I'd love to know as well. Maybe you could try a small batch and see if it ever sets up. I'd probably use double the kefir, it certainly won't hurt and hopefully give you an extra boost. Also after the initial fermentation at room temperature, leaving the cream undisturbed in the refrigerator for at least 24-48 hours can be helpful. If the cream sours, but never gets thick, it can be whipped to provide a little extra stiffness.
Please let me know what happens!
Courtney
Richard
Friday 15th of May 2020
Hi,
Excellent and enjoyable site. I'm curious to know the difference between sour cream, 100•, and yoghurt, 110• (no degree sign on my mobile!)? By that I mean what is happening to the milk?
Keep up the interesting work!
Richard
Butter For All
Monday 18th of May 2020
Hi Richard,
You are very observant! The only difference is that I like to treat the cream a little more gently so there is less separation, but in all honesty, going up to 110℉ is not going to make a problem. I think it's probably personal preference at this point. Thanks for the thoughtful comment and I hope you enjoy the recipes!
Courtney