Name: How to Make Sour Cream
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 2895 min
Ingredients: 1 pint heavy whipping cream (room temperature); 1 packet sour cream starter

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Learn how to make sour cream at home using heavy whipping cream and a culture starter in this easy condiment recipe.

I learned how to make sour cream when we lived in Uruguay because we couldn’t buy it there. It’s so much easier than I ever imagined, especially when you use a quality sour cream starter.

The first time I made it, I was worried it wasn’t going to set up because it was really liquidy for a couple of days. But sure enough, it thickened up the next day. If you’re in a cooler climate like us, you may experience the same thing.

This homemade sour cream is packed with probiotics and has a nice, tart flavor. You can use this homemade sour cream just like you’d use any store bought version.

Close up of bowl of homemade sour cream on wood table

How to Make Sour Cream

Learn how to make sour cream using a starter culture in this easy recipe.

5 from 6 votes

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Culturing Time: 2 days

Total Time: 2 days 15 minutes

Servings:

Ingredients

1 pint heavy whipping cream room temperature
1 packet sour cream starter

Equipment

Instructions

Pour your room-temperature heavy whipping cream into a quart-sized mason jar.
Whisk in a packet of Culture Starter until it's dissolved, then put on the lid.
Put the jar somewhere warm, and let it sit for 1-2 days. In some areas or in cooler temperatures, it may take longer (it took 4 days during winter for me).
Once it thickens, and each day after, smell and taste the cream until it tastes like sour cream. When it's sour, you know the milk sugar has been eaten up.
Store the jar of homemade sour cream in the refrigerator. Use your cultured sour cream as you would any other sour cream, but it's best to eat it raw.
Whisk or shake before each use.