11 products that can replace sour cream in baking

Sour cream is a universal product. You can prepare a variety of sauces and creams from it, and also eat it as an independent product. And of course, in confectionery, sour cream is often found in various recipes. Crispy puff pastry, delicious jellied pie, soft buns, airy casserole, delicate shortbread cookies - it’s hard to imagine preparing these and many other desserts without the use of sour cream.

But sometimes, for various reasons, you have to look for replacements for certain ingredients. Therefore, let's figure out when and what you can replace sour cream in baking, and how to do it correctly.

Reasons to replace sour cream

There are various reasons why people choose to substitute sour cream, such as:

• Allergy to milk. A milk allergy is a clear reason for the need to replace sour cream, since it is traditionally made from cow's milk.
• Lactose intolerance. Unlike a true milk allergy, symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating, gas, and diarrhea after eating lactose.
• Dairy Free Diet – For one reason or another, if you are avoiding dairy, sour cream is definitely on the “no” list.
• Vegetarian Diet – Since animal products are not part of the vegan diet, this is another reason why you need to substitute the sour cream.
• Paleo Diet - If you follow a strict Paleo diet, you cannot consume dairy products.
• Low Fat Diet – If you are on a low fat diet, it is important to know that sour cream contains a significant amount of fat per serving. Most of the calories in sour cream come from its fat content. Some people choose the low-fat version, while others want to skip the whole thing.

The function of sour cream in baking

Sour cream is a fermented milk product of animal origin, which is obtained from cream and sourdough. This product is considered dietary (10-30%) and includes proteins, fats and vitamins. Suitable for people intolerant to whole milk.

Before choosing a replacement for sour cream, I suggest studying its properties and functions in baking. This will make it easier to understand in which recipes substitution is possible and in which it is undesirable.

So, the main functions of sour cream in baking:

• Softening the crust

Milk proteins and sugar tend to absorb water, so in baked goods with the addition of sour cream, the evaporation of water from the crust slows down. Therefore, if you want to make baked goods with a soft crust, use the recipe with sour cream.

• Browning the crust

The proteins that make up sour cream provide the characteristic ruddy color of products when baked. Therefore, if sour cream is present in the recipe, it is better to slightly reduce the baking temperature in order to slow down the process of darkening of the crust and ensure uniform cooking of the entire product.

• Binding flour and eggs in dough

Of course, flour and eggs can combine perfectly without adding sour cream, as in a classic sponge cake recipe, for example. But sour cream makes this process much easier. Therefore, baked goods with the addition of sour cream are denser and more stable.

• Softening the dough

Sour cream is a dough softener. Such components help make baked goods tender and not dry. In addition to sour cream, butter, full-fat milk, cream, egg yolks and cream cheese also act as dough softeners.

Moreover, if sour cream/butter is added to the dry ingredients by stirring, then shortbread dough is obtained; if by rolling, the dough turns out flaky.

• Loosening the dough and making it fluffy

Being a fermented milk product, sour cream does an excellent job of loosening dough. Kefir, yogurt, fermented baked milk, buttermilk, yogurt, and soft cottage cheese have similar properties.

• Elasticity of the finished product

Due to the fact that sour cream helps make the dough dense and stable, the finished products are characterized by elasticity and crumble less.

• Slowing down the staling process

The fat, protein and lactose contained in sour cream help prevent starch from hardening in baked goods. This allows you to keep the crumb fresh for quite a long time. That is why baked goods prepared with sour cream are stored longer and better.

• Adding a creamy taste

And of course, like most dairy products, sour cream gives the finished products a delicate, creamy taste. The fattier the sour cream, the brighter the taste of your baked goods.

Yogurt

You can use yogurt instead of sour cream in a 1:1 ratio. Greek yogurt content is rich in protein and has a thicker consistency similar to sour cream.

If you want to avoid cow's milk, you can opt for goat's milk yogurt. Yogurt makes a great substitute for sour cream if you use it as a filling. Try it as a sour cream substitute for tacos, chili, or baked potatoes.

It can also be interchanged in dressings and used as a sour cream substitute for cheesecake and other desserts.

For baking, one cup of yogurt combined with one teaspoon of baking soda can successfully replace one cup of sour cream.

Sour cream pie dough

Pies are always appropriate as a dessert or main course. You can take a piece of delicious pie with you to work, on the road, or to the country house. This hearty pastry is always welcomed by guests, no matter what filling – fish or strawberries. A good housewife is one who always has fluffy, rosy, and unusually tasty baked goods. This is exactly the kind of pie that can easily become the highlight of your table that can be baked with sour cream.

You need to take the following products:

• sour cream - half a glass;
• flour – 300 g;
• vegetable oil - three tbsp. spoons;
• salt.

You can knead the dough with sour cream for a pie very quickly, which is important when you are short on time.

1. First you need to mix the butter with sour cream, and in another container - flour and salt. Then slowly add flour to the sour cream mixture, kneading the dough little by little. You should not add too much flour at once, even if the dough seems greasy and sticky.
2. Cover the bowl with the dough with a cloth and let it rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
3. Then, lightly sprinkled with flour, you can remove it from the container and begin to roll out the base for the pie.

This dough makes excellent baked goods with any filling. You can use dried fruits, apples, berries, processed cheese, eggs with onions, and even finely chopped pieces of chicken with onions and spices.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk is traditionally made from the liquid leftover churned butter from fermented cream. Made in this traditional way, buttermilk is rich in probiotics but low in lactose.

Made conventionally, buttermilk is created by adding bacterial cultures (such as Lactococcus lactis or Lactobacillus bulgaricus) to regular milk.

How about using regular milk to replace sour cream? This won't help because cow's or goat's milk itself has no odor.

You can combine a cup of whole milk mixed with one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to substitute it in baking recipes. This is a common sour cream substitute for beef stroganoff recipes.

How to grease finished baked goods

Homemade baked goods need to be greased not only before cooking, but also after, this will make them more appetizing. The simplest and most affordable option is warm water. Sprinkle it over the finished cake and it will turn out softer. Sugar, lemon juice, spices are natural flavorings that add new shades to the aroma and taste of the product. You can simply mix all the ingredients or make a syrup and boil it for 5-7 minutes. Tip: Cover the baked goods with hot syrup, then it will be absorbed and the baked goods will shine. To make the crust golden and crispy, brush it with butter. It will add a pleasant taste and delicate aroma to the finished pie. It is not necessary to melt the product - cut a piece and run it over the hot baked goods. The butter will melt, saturate the cake, it will become more juicy. Milk will make the cake and buns softer; this coating is especially suitable for scones. Lubricate sweet pastries with honey glaze, sugar, fruit or berry syrup:

• donuts;
• cheesecakes;
• croissants;

Cottage cheese

Another substitute for sour cream for cooking and baking is cottage cheese.
Cottage cheese contains a large amount of protein. One cup of cottage cheese contains an impressive 28 grams of protein. It also provides many valuable nutrients, including calcium, phosphorus, selenium, riboflavin and calcium.

If you've eaten sour cream and cottage cheese, you already know that cottage cheese has a much thicker consistency thanks to its curds. To “soften” it, you can simply put the cottage cheese in a blender. To substitute one cup of sour cream, mix one cup of cottage cheese with a quarter cup of yogurt or buttermilk (to add tartness).

How to replace cheese without losing nutritional value

The most affordable alternative is tofu. This is a high protein soy product. It has a neutral taste, which you can change at your discretion using various additives. These can be spices, vegetable oils, fruits and berries.

Tofu can be fried, marinated, used as a filling for pancakes, or simply eaten with bread. This is a universal product that goes well with almost all herbal ingredients.

If you want to get more involved, you can make cheese from coconut milk or nuts. The finished cheese bears little resemblance to the usual milk cheese, but it is good in its own way and adds interesting variety, because it can be made from a wide variety of nuts.

This product is very nutritious, it contains a lot of protein and healthy vegetable fats, vitamins B and E.

Nut cheeses are contraindicated for diseases of the pancreas, liver, gall bladder, and sluggish digestion. Use with caution for people prone to allergies.

Mayonnaise

If you're looking for a sour cream substitute, mayonnaise is another option that can usually be used in a 1:1 ratio.
Mayonnaise instead of sour cream works best in sauces and dressings. It's not as spicy as most mayonnaises including eggs.

Avoid store-bought mayonnaise that contains processed oils (which they often do) such as sunflower, safflower or canola oils. Look for ones that contain healthier oils, such as olive oil and organic, cage-free egg yolks.

Soy is the creamiest and “real”

Soy is the queen of food substitutes. The milk from it is more similar to cow's milk than any other. It can be used everywhere - for making cereals, sauces, baked goods, hot chocolate. Feel free to add to coffee and tea without fear of too sudden a change in taste sensations.

Soybeans are rich, first of all, in protein, which is easily absorbed by the body. In addition, it contains vitamin E, group B, as well as iron, magnesium and potassium in moderate quantities.

Soy contains phytoestrogens that stabilize the endocrine system. Soy milk serves as a good prevention of heart attack and stroke, strengthening the walls of blood vessels.

Soy is contraindicated for thyroid diseases, tumors, pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is also not recommended for children and adolescents due to the risk of puberty disorders. This product is suitable for adults only.

Coconut yogurt or coconut cream

As you can see, many sour cream substitutes are dairy-based, but there are certain options that are dairy-free. The first is coconut yogurt.

Yogurt made with coconut milk is a dairy-free option that can replace sour cream in some recipes.

As a popular sour cream substitute for keto dieters, coconut yogurt has a fat content and creamy texture similar to what it replaces. Look for unsweetened varieties, especially if you're using them in savory recipes.

Another dairy-free sour cream substitute is coconut cream. You can make coconut cream by placing full-fat canned coconut milk in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

Buy coagulated cream and mix it with a teaspoon of lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

What to replace kefir with in different recipes: 5 options

The basis for fluffy baked goods is liquid, acid and something protein. Kefir can be successfully replaced with yogurt (sometimes regular or sour milk), fermented baked milk, natural yogurt or an analogue with additives, as well as sour cream.

Tip Yogurt and curdled milk can reduce the elasticity of the dough, but this problem can be solved by adding more margarine or butter.

Curdled milk

Option one is sour milk. It is most often used to make pancakes; they turn out airy and melt in the mouth. Curdled milk is closest in composition to kefir; it differs only in the method of fermentation: to obtain it, milk is exposed to sunlight or kept in a dark place, and kefir is prepared by adding lactobacilli to pasteurized milk. Replacing kefir with yogurt does not require any special adjustments to the recipe, except that you will need a little more flour.

We recommend: What to do with milk that has turned sour - useful ideas and recipes

Advice: Miss Clean magazine recommends that if the milk has turned sour, but has not yet turned into curdled milk, it is better to wait one day. This way the pancakes won't taste too sour.

Ryazhenka

Replace kefir with fermented baked milk. This product is made from baked milk through fermentation. Your baked goods will have a unique taste and a pleasant milky tint. Ryazhenka is closest to kefir in consistency; housewives highly praise the results of culinary experiments with this product.

Since fermented baked milk is less acidic, it is additionally recommended to quench the soda with vinegar or lemon juice.

Tip If the amount of kefir is not enough for the recipe, dilute it with boiled water.

White and sweet yoghurts

Biscuits, pancakes and crumpets with yogurt are delicious. This product is also added to dough for muffins, buns, and cakes. Choose natural yogurt - it is white, unsweetened, without dyes or flavors.

Sometimes housewives want to diversify the taste of baked goods so much that they use colored flavored yoghurts with additives (fruits, berries). This option is also acceptable, but still try to choose the most natural products. It’s also worth reducing the amount of granulated sugar in the recipe.

Tip: Yogurt is thinner than kefir, so use a little more flour. But do not exceed its quantity so that the biscuit does not turn out to be stone. It's better to use less yogurt or mix it with kefir if you have leftovers in the refrigerator.

Sour cream

Kefir can also be replaced with sour cream. If it is too thick, then dilute it with a small amount of milk or yogurt. Homemade sour cream makes delicious sweet pies, pancakes, donuts, cheesecakes, etc.

InterestingKefir in recipes is replaced with beer, mineral water, cucumber pickle, whey and even jelly.

Changes in recipes for novice housewives often lead to unexpected results: the dough sticks, does not bake, or turns out tasteless. Don't worry and experiment: with experience you will find your favorite dairy products for dough. Do not forget that kefir, fermented baked milk and yogurt from different manufacturers give different results due to differences in composition.

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Cashew "Sour cream"

This is an excellent sour cream substitute that is vegetarian approved. Make your own dairy-free sour cream substitute by making a cashew sour cream recipe.

You will need the following ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup water

After soaking the cashews in 1-2cm of boiling water for 30 minutes, drain them and then blend with the rest of the blender ingredients. Blend into a smooth mixture, adding more water if necessary.

Sunflower seed sour cream

Vegans are very careful about their food choices. Leaving sour cream aside, they prefer an analogue made from sunflower seeds.

Necessary:

• mix 1 cup of peeled raw sunflower seeds with 300 ml of hot water in a deep bowl;
• add 2-3 tsp. olive or corn oil, salt and season to taste with lemon juice;
• beat all components with a blender until smooth, about 8-10 minutes;
• pour the product into another container and cool in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

The product can be stored for no longer than 3 days.

Risks and side effects of sour cream substitutes

If you use real sour cream, it is important to watch out for additives that may have unwanted side effects.

Common preservatives and additives found in processed varieties include carrageenan, guar gum, calcium sulfate, potassium sorbate, locust bean gum, modified food starch, and more.

If you're looking for a store-bought substitute, read ingredient labels carefully. Just because something is dairy-free doesn't mean it's healthy.

Watch out for artificial preservatives and other questionable ingredients. If you are allergic to the sour cream substitutes listed above or their ingredients, this is not a good option for you.

Casserole

How to replace sour cream in a casserole? It depends on what it is needed for:

• to make dough, replace with the same as in baking;
• to add sourness and fat to the casserole, for example, in a cottage cheese casserole, take any dairy product with the addition of butter (preferably cow's) or citric acid;
• To add a crust, replace with mayonnaise, beaten eggs, milk or grated cheese.

In baking, sour cream plays the role of a link between flour and eggs, and with the addition of soda, the product becomes more fluffy. This product makes excellent cake layers from which you can assemble a delicious cake. If you don’t have sour cream, feel free to put kefir or heavy cream in the dough instead. Have fun in the kitchen!

Claudia Carberry is a nutritionist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She received her master's degree in nutrition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2010.

Number of sources used in this article: . You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

Sour cream is a versatile and popular dairy product that is used in many recipes. Sour cream is often flavored in soups, salads and baked potatoes. Sauces and marinades are made with sour cream. No matter why you want to substitute sour cream in a recipe—looking for a healthier or lower-calorie option, or wanting to try something new and different—you have several alternative options, including some that are vegan-friendly. For example, you can use Greek or regular yogurt without additives or flavors, crème fraîche (fresh cream), kefir, or even make vegan cashew sour cream.

Conclusion about sour cream substitutes

Sour cream is a dairy product made by fermenting cream (this can be done naturally or processed). It is commonly used to make savory recipes, baked goods, sauces and dressings. It is also used as a general seasoning. For many reasons, people often look for substitutes because they simply don't have the recipe or are on a special diet. There are many things that can replace it that are also dairy based but contain more protein and contain the most nutrients such as yogurt and kefir.

You can use cashews or coconut milk to create a vegan sour cream that is also dairy-free.

How to replace milk

Cow's milk can easily be replaced with plant milk - you can easily make it yourself. It consists of finely ground cereals or nuts, diluted with water to the desired consistency. Essentially - a suspension.

Vegan milk is most often made from oats, rice, almonds, sesame, coconut, and soy.

This variety allows you to choose the ideal product to suit your taste, combine them with each other, add them to coffee, porridge, and make healthy cocktails based on them.

By the way, plant milk is a good replacement for kefir in baked goods and sauces.

What can you add to coffee instead of milk?

It is better to add coconut or soy milk to coffee. In taste and structure, they are closest to the animal, and coconut also adds a special piquancy due to its aroma.

You can try nut - almond or cedar. It will give the drink a pleasant nutty hue and make it denser.

Cereal options are not very suitable for coffee, especially oatmeal and buckwheat. The flavors of these products don't go well together, but you can try it and see if you like it. In any case, you need to experiment - the method of scientific poking is still relevant. In this table you can compare taste and micronutrient content.