Homemade Sour Cream

Making sour cream at home is simple, requires only cream and a starter, and gives you full control over flavor and ingredients. Using buttermilk produces a tangier, store-bought-style flavor, while yogurt results in a milder, less tangy taste. Stirring in a pinch of sea salt after culturing rounds out the flavor. Best of all, you can avoid the unwanted additives (like carrageenan and mono- & diglycerides) that often sneak into commercial cream.

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Prep Time 5

Culturing time 1

Total Time 1 5

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream choose pure cream without additives like carrageenan or mono- & diglycerides)
2 tbsp cultured buttermilk (more tangy, closer to store-bought flavor) or plain yogurt with live cultures (milder, less tangy)
1/8 tsp sea salt (added after culturing)

Instructions

In a clean glass jar, stir the cream and buttermilk (or yogurt) together until well combined.
Cover loosely with a lid or a clean cloth.
Let sit at room temperature (around 70°F) for 24 hours, or until thickened and tangy.
Stir in the sea salt.
Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for several hours before using.

Notes:

Flavor difference: Buttermilk gives a tangier taste, much like store-bought sour cream. Yogurt results in a gentler, less tangy flavor.
Keeps for about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Flavor develops more over time — tangier after a couple of days.
For the best results, use pure heavy cream — no carrageenan, mono- & diglycerides, or other stabilizers. These additives can affect the culturing process and texture.

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