Heavy Cream Substitute for Baking: 9 Easy Swaps + Chart

Out of heavy cream halfway through a recipe? You can usually replace it with ingredients already in your fridge. The trick is matching what the cream is doing in that recipe: adding fat and richness to a batter, thickening a sauce or custard, or whipping into soft peaks. This guide gives exact 1-cup ratios in US measures and grams, explains which swaps work for baking, sauces and whipping, and shows a full scone recipe made with the most reliable substitute.

Quick Answer: The Best Heavy Cream Substitute for Baking

For cakes, muffins, scones, biscuits and most baked goods, mix 2/3 cup (160 ml) whole milk with 1/3 cup (76 g) melted unsalted butter. That makes 1 cup (240 ml) of substitute and brings the fat close to whipping cream. Use it 1:1 in place of heavy cream. It will not whip, so for whipped toppings use chilled full-fat coconut cream instead (see the chart below).

Why Heavy Cream Matters in a Recipe

In the US, heavy cream contains at least 36% milk fat, while whole milk has about 3.25% and half-and-half roughly 10.5–18%. That fat is what makes cream-based scones tender, keeps custards silky and lets cream trap air when whipped. A good substitute needs to add back enough fat for the job. In batters and doughs a little less fat is fine; in whipped toppings it is not, because only a high-fat liquid can hold air.

Heavy Cream Substitute Chart (to Replace 1 Cup / 240 ml)

If you are also short on regular milk, our milk substitutes for baking chart lists 1:1 swaps you can combine with butter. To measure butter by the cup, tablespoon or gram, use the butter conversion chart.

How to Make the Milk and Butter Substitute

Yield: 1 cup (240 ml) · Prep time: 5 minutes · Cook time: 1 minute

• 2/3 cup (160 ml / 163 g) whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (5 1/3 tbsp / 76 g) unsalted butter

1. Melt the butter in the microwave in 20-second bursts or in a small pan over low heat.
2. Let it cool for 3–5 minutes so it is warm, not hot.
3. Pour the room-temperature milk into a bowl and slowly whisk in the butter. Whisk for 30 seconds, or blend for 10 seconds, so the butter is evenly dispersed.
4. Use right away, 1:1 in place of heavy cream. If the butter starts to firm up in flecks, warm the mixture for 10 seconds and whisk again.

Cold milk makes melted butter seize into small bits, so let the milk sit out for 15 minutes or warm it for 15–20 seconds before mixing.

Using the Substitute: Easy Cream Scones Without Heavy Cream

Classic cream scones rely on heavy cream for both their fat and liquid. In biscuits and scones, it works better to cut the butter in cold and add the milk separately, so you keep flaky layers.

Yield: 8 scones · Prep time: 15 minutes · Bake time: 13–16 minutes · Oven: 425°F (220°C)

Ingredients

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (12 g) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (3 g) fine salt
• 6 1/2 tbsp (92 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp (195 ml / 200 g) cold whole milk, plus 1 tbsp (15 ml) for brushing
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp (13 g) coarse sugar for topping (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add the cold butter cubes and rub them into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the largest pieces are the size of small peas, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir the vanilla into the cold milk. Pour it into the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. A few dry bits are fine.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 4–5 times so it holds together. Pat into a 7-inch (18 cm) round about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
6. Cut into 8 wedges and place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with the extra milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
7. Bake for 13–16 minutes, until the tops are light golden and the bottoms are deep golden. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before serving.

Which Substitute to Use for Each Recipe

• Cakes and cupcakes: milk + melted butter, or Greek yogurt + milk for a slightly denser, tangier crumb. If the recipe also lists buttermilk you don’t have, see our buttermilk substitute guide.
• Scones and biscuits: cold butter cut into the flour plus cold milk, as in the recipe above.
• Pumpkin pie and baked custards: evaporated milk 1:1. It is the traditional liquid in many pumpkin pies, including our holiday pumpkin pie.
• Ganache: full-fat coconut cream 1:1, or half-and-half with 1 tbsp (14 g) butter per 1/2 cup (120 ml). Expect a softer set with half-and-half.
• Whipped topping: chilled coconut cream only. Milk-and-butter mixtures and evaporated milk will not hold peaks.
• Creamy sauces and soups: half-and-half, blended cream cheese and milk, or milk thickened with cornstarch.

How to Whip Coconut Cream

1. Refrigerate two 13.5-oz (400 ml) cans of full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream for at least 12 hours, and chill a metal bowl for 15 minutes.
2. Open the cans without shaking and scoop out only the firm white cream (about 1 cup / 240 g total). Save the liquid for smoothies or curries.
3. Beat the cream on medium-high for 1–2 minutes until fluffy, then add 2 tbsp (16 g) powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla and beat 30 seconds more.
4. Use right away or refrigerate up to 2 days and re-whip briefly before serving.

Troubleshooting

• Butter forms flecks in the milk: the milk was too cold. Warm the mixture for 10–15 seconds and whisk again.
• Cake is a little drier than usual: the substitute has less fat than heavy cream. Add 1 extra tablespoon (14 g) of melted butter per cup next time, or check the cake 2–3 minutes early.
• Sauce curdled: yogurt and some cream cheese mixtures split when boiled. Stir them in off the heat at the end, or use half-and-half or cornstarch-thickened milk for simmered sauces.
• Coconut cream won’t whip: it was not cold enough, or the brand has stabilizers that keep it liquid. Chill longer, or try a different can labeled coconut cream.
• Scones spread flat: the butter warmed up. Chill the shaped wedges for 15 minutes before baking.

Storage

Mix the milk-and-butter substitute just before using; if you make it ahead, refrigerate it in a jar for up to 2 days, then warm gently and shake or whisk to recombine the butter. Opened evaporated milk keeps 3–5 days refrigerated in a covered container. Baked scones keep 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container or 3 months frozen; reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 5–8 minutes.

FAQ

Can I use milk instead of heavy cream in baking?

Plain milk works in a pinch for some batters, but the result is less rich and can be slightly drier. Adding melted butter (2/3 cup milk + 1/3 cup butter per cup of cream) gives a much closer match.

Is half-and-half a good substitute for heavy cream?

Yes for soups, quiche and many sauces, used 1:1. For baking, mix 3/4 cup (180 ml) half-and-half with 1/4 cup (57 g) melted butter to raise the fat. Half-and-half does not whip.

What can I use instead of heavy cream for whipped cream?

Chilled full-fat coconut cream is the most reliable non-dairy option because it has enough fat to hold air. Milk-based substitutes, evaporated milk and half-and-half won’t hold peaks.

Is whipping cream the same as heavy cream?

They are close. US whipping cream has 30–36% milk fat and heavy cream at least 36%. You can swap them 1:1 in baking and sauces; heavy cream whips to slightly firmer peaks.

What is a dairy-free substitute for heavy cream in baking?

Use full-fat coconut cream 1:1, or blend 1/2 cup (125 g) silken tofu with 1/2 cup (120 ml) soy milk for pie fillings and puddings. Coconut cream adds a light coconut flavor, while tofu is neutral.