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A surprisingly simple homemade sour cream recipe using just two ingredients. Perfect for topping tacos or baked potatoes, this recipe requires about 24-30 hours of hands-off time for culturing and chilling to achieve a thick, tangy result.
For 16 servings
Combine Ingredients
Culture at Room Temperature
Chill to Thicken
A surprisingly simple homemade sour cream recipe using just two ingredients. Perfect for topping tacos or baked potatoes, this recipe requires about 24-30 hours of hands-off time for culturing and chilling to achieve a thick, tangy result.
This american recipe takes 5 minutes to prepare and yields 16 servings. At 52.01 calories per serving with 0.32g of protein, it's a beginner-friendly recipe perfect for side.
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Serve and Store
After chilling, stir in fresh herbs like chives or dill, or a pinch of garlic powder for a flavored sour cream dip.
You can try this recipe with half-and-half or light cream, but the final product will be much thinner and may not set as well.
For a more traditional flavor profile, replace the lemon juice with 2 tablespoons of store-bought cultured buttermilk. This introduces live cultures for fermentation.
Heavy cream is rich in dairy fats, which are a concentrated source of energy and help in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K.
The culturing process encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria, similar to yogurt. These probiotics can help support a healthy gut microbiome and improve digestion.
As a dairy product, sour cream provides calcium, which is essential for maintaining strong bones and teeth, as well as proper muscle and nerve function.
One tablespoon of homemade sour cream made with heavy cream contains approximately 50-55 calories, primarily from fat.
In moderation, it can be part of a healthy diet. It provides healthy fats and, due to the culturing process, may contain beneficial probiotics for gut health. However, it is high in calories and saturated fat, so portion control is key.
There are a few common reasons: the room temperature might be too cold (it needs to be 70-75°F), you may have used ultra-pasteurized (UHT) cream which resists culturing, or it simply needs more time. Let it sit for another 12 hours at room temperature.
Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (over 36% milkfat) works best for a thick result. You can use light cream or half-and-half, but the final product will be significantly thinner, more like a crema.
When stored in a clean, airtight container in the refrigerator, homemade sour cream should last for about one week.
Yes, absolutely. Using 2 tablespoons of cultured buttermilk instead of lemon juice will introduce live bacteria for a more authentic fermentation process and a tangier, more complex flavor.
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