How To Make Sour Cream Easily At Home

We've all been there: you're in the middle of a recipe and realize you don't have enough — or any — of the sour cream it calls for. Or maybe you just whipped up a batch of smoky Mexican molletes and want to top them with this thick and tart dairy product but forgot to pick some up. Regardless of how you got into this predicament, did you know that you can actually make your own sour cream with just three simple ingredients?

Similar to homemade buttermilk (which just needs milk and vinegar to work), sour cream requires heavy cream, milk, and an acid, like white vinegar or lemon juice. To make it, some of the most common measurements are 1 cup of heavy cream, ¼ cup milk, and 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice. It's important to use full-fat ingredients — no reduced-fat options today!

When ready, combine the acid with the heavy cream and stir. Add the milk to the heavy cream mixture and combine. Cover with a piece of cheesecloth and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. It will thicken up and work its magic during this time. Once it's good to go, you can use it for all of your favorite recipes like moist sour cream Bisquick coffee cake or to top yummy foods like baked potatoes and quesadillas. It'll last covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks (if you don't inhale it before then).

If you have extra sour cream, there are various ways you can make sure it doesn't go to waste. For one, you can transform your leftover sour cream into a creamy dip by adding a flavoring like taco seasoning for a Mexican twist, or soy sauce for an Asian-inspired condiment. You can also use it to make a tangy salad dressing or to add some richness to mashed potatoes.

Baking with this powerhouse is one use that isn't as well-known, but will blow you away. So, how does it work? Because it's creamy, it adds moisture to your baked goods without thinning out the batter, and because it's acidic, it helps break down gluten resulting in tender cakes. It can also add a unique, but subtle, tanginess to the final product that will have everyone asking what your secret ingredient is. Some delicious sour cream bakes include old-fashioned doughnuts, blueberry muffins, and pound cake.