Homemade crème fraîche is delectable with fresh fruit or as a topping for cakes or pies. It is also excellent as an ingredient or finishing touch for savory dishes like eggs, soups, and even tacos.
Once you’ve made your first jar of homemade crème fraîche you may find yourself in an existential crisis of sorts: How did you not know this was possible? How have you lived without it all these years? 
Crème fraîche, despite its name, is closer to sour cream than whipped cream. Personally, I think its more delicious than either one!
You may also find yourself sneaking into the kitchen for a spoonful and dolloping it on everything from tacos (it’s like sour cream, but better) to eggs to soup to apple crisp. I’ll be the first to admit that I keep a jar of crème fraîche in my fridge at all times.
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Homemade Crème Fraîche
- Total Time: 8 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Description
Homemade crème fraîche is a rich and tangy cultured cream that’s perfect for topping desserts or adding to savory dishes. It’s easy to make with just two ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) whipping cream
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) cultured buttermilk
Instructions
- In a glass container, mix together 1 cup of whipping cream and 1 tbsp of cultured buttermilk.
- Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and leave it out on your counter at room temperature until thickened. This process will take approximately 8 hours, but the time may vary depending on the room temperature.
- Once thickened to your desired consistency, refrigerate the crème fraîche until ready to use.
Notes
- Ensure the cream and buttermilk are at room temperature before mixing for best results.
- For the best flavor, use cream that is not ultra-pasteurized, though it can be challenging to find.
- If using ultra-pasteurized cream, it will still work well.
- Store the crème fraîche in the refrigerator and use within a week.
- It’s perfect for dolloping on tacos, soups, or desserts like apple pie.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Basics
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 820
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 80
- Fat: 88
- Carbohydrates: 7
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 330
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the mixture need to sit on the counter for 8 hours — why not just refrigerate it?
The 1 tbsp of cultured buttermilk contains live bacterial cultures that ferment the 1 cup of whipping cream at room temperature, causing it to thicken naturally. Refrigerating it immediately would slow or stop the fermentation before the cream has set — the counter rest is what makes it crème fraîche rather than just cream with buttermilk in it.
Does it matter if my cream is ultra-pasteurized?
The recipe notes address this: for the best flavor, use cream that is not ultra-pasteurized, though the notes acknowledge this can be hard to find. If you use ultra-pasteurized cream, it will still work — just with a slightly less pronounced cultured flavor.
How long does homemade crème fraîche keep in the refrigerator?
Once thickened and transferred to the fridge, homemade crème fraîche keeps for up to one week according to the recipe notes. The article suggests uses like dolloping on tacos, soups, eggs, and desserts such as apple crisp.
