Heavy cream can sometimes be a challenging ingredient to work with.
While some recipes allow you to just toss it in and mix it up, other recipes use it to thicken things up.
This high fat cream is used in a variety of different recipes from things like ice cream, sour cream, soups, and various sauces to even homemade butter.
When the heavy cream doesn’t thicken up like you need it to it can be incredibly frustrating.
In most cases, heavy cream will thicken easily but there are times it might disappoint you.
Thankfully, there are some things you can do to help thicken your heavy cream if you find yourself struggling.
What are the best ways to thicken heavy cream?
The best ways to thicken heavy cream include storing it in a cold place or boiling it.
You can also thicken it by adding gelatin, flour, or cornstarch.
In this guide, we will detail the 5 best ways to thicken heavy cream.
We have some helpful tips, including best practices as well as some things you can add to heavy cream for thickening purposes without changing the flavor of the cream.
Using these handy methods, you’ll be enjoying a cream thick enough to your liking in no time instead of wanting to toss the whole thing out in frustration.
Stick with us to learn the best ways to thicken heavy cream and more.
Heavy cream is typically found in the dairy section at your local grocery store.
You can find heavy cream, whipping cream, half and half, double cream, and evaporated milk and they are all somewhat similar and yet all still unique in their own way.
If a recipe calls for heavy cream, you probably need regular heavy cream or perhaps heavy whipping cream but you might also be able to use a substitute and then add a thickening agent to it as well.
It’s the fat content that gives heavy cream the ability to thicken up or be used to thicken things you might be making.
Because of the high fat content, heavy cream whips really well and it tends to hold its shape well also.
It is the best dairy product for thickness or whipping purposes compared to others.
In addition, heavy cream is also known for a long shelf life and it can also be frozen and used later.
Here are some common uses for heavy cream.
These are just some examples but there are many other things that heavy cream might be used for as well, including fillings and casseroles, and more.
5 Best Ways to Thicken Heavy Cream Explained
Now, you know the basics about heavy cream and you know the types of things it is often used for.
Let’s talk about the best ways to thicken it up if for some reason it isn’t thickening.
Some of these tips might include adding a thickening agent of some sort while others might include best practices for handling instead.
We’ve got plenty of options and you may want to consider checking them out even before you try to thicken your cream.
Before you start tossing in something to thicken the heavy cream, know your recipe and understand how it might affect it.
You may choose something specific to thicken your cream based specifically on the recipe you are using and the other ingredients in there as well.
One of the best practices that you can use is to make sure your heavy cream is nice and cold.
The best way to be able to thicken the cream as needed is to be sure you chill your cream and that you don’t pull it out until you need it.
When the cream becomes warm, it does something to the fat content so it causes it to bot thicken or stabilize in the same way.
In the end, you work and whip and kill your arm trying to thicken it up and yet it still disappoints you.
If you want that thickening to happen and a nice, fluffy texture your cream needs to be nice and cold.
One of the simplest steps you can take is to store your heavy cream in the fridge and don’t let it just sit out for long periods before you use it.
Cold cream thickens up much better overall.
This is one of the most common mistakes with heavy cream handling and a lot of people don’t realize it plays a major role.
You can boil heavy cream and then whip it into shape.
However, you will need to be very careful if you decide to follow this process as it is not just as simple as just putting it on the stove and boiling.
Boiling heavy cream leaves you at risk for accidentally burning the heavy cream and potentially altering the flavor just a bit too.
While the flavor may be altered slightly, it will help you get that thickening going and any flavor change will be subtle.
If you pay close attention and monitor the heavy cream closely, you are probably not going to burn it but you will need to be cautious and mindful as it could burn fairly easily.
Boiling heavy cream is considered time-consuming and can sometimes be heavily involved as well.
When you start heating the heavy cream, it is essential that you continually whisk it from beginning to end.
It is your constant whisking that will help reduce the likelihood of burning the cream and also ensure that your flavor is not affected by the process as well.
While this is a work intensive process that can be time-consuming, it’s also pretty simple as far as the steps involved.
You heat it up slowly to a boiling temperature and you whisk it constantly to get it to the texture and thickness that you need.
You will need to be mindful to heat the cream slowly in order to prevent issues with curdling.
Once it does reach boiling temperatures, don’t stop whisking!
The cream thickens more as it remains at boiling with you whisking so just keep at it for as long as your whisking arm can stand or until you reach the thickness you are looking for.
3. Try Adding Gelatin
A common way to thicken heavy cream without adjusting the flavor is to use unflavored gelatin.
If you want the truly easiest way to thicken heavy cream without altering the flavor, this is the best option out there.
Be sure that you use unflavored gelatin for the best results.
The most challenging part of this process is figuring out just how much gelatin you do need.
Start by adding small amounts and you can always add more if it is still not thickening up as much as you need it to.
Most unflavored gelatins include instructions for adding them to heavy cream so it’s a good idea to refer to those instructions so that you don’t mess with your texture and you get consistent thickness results.
This could easily go bad if you don’t follow instructions or don’t get the right amount of gelatin added to the cream.
Some potential risks are a change in texture or thickness that is inconsistent and only thickens in certain areas of the cream instead of all over.
Obviously, if you run into either of those issues, it could be detrimental to your heavy cream and change it completely.
Most of the time when you add gelatin, you also need to add some water.
Finally, if you add gelatin to your heavy cream, mix it in slowly, and don’t mix it in all at once.
This gives you the opportunity to mix it as you add it and it mixes better with smoother and more consistent results as well.
Another common way to thicken heavy cream is to add flour.
You most likely already have flour on hand in your pantry so this can be a great go-to solution if you’re in the middle of working with your ingredients and need something right now!
Adding flour is another simple process and it is not likely to mess with your flavor either.
You can use all-purpose flour or some other flour variation, whatever works for you.
The results will be pretty similar regardless of what type of flour you decide to use.
In general, your results with the heavy cream will be the same and the flavor should be fine so use what you have available.
Just like with the gelatin, you will need to mix both flour and water to really be able to thicken and not mess with your texture.
Be sure to use cold water.
You will create almost a paste with your flour and cold water first and mix that together before you mix it into your heavy cream.
Once you have your flour and water mixture, you can slowly whisk it into your heavy cream.
It shouldn’t clump up since you mixed your flour and water before-hand.
Whisk it as you add it slowly so you get smooth and consistent texture during the process.
We recommend adding your flour and water mixture using about 1 teaspoon at a time and you can add more as you go if you need it to be thicker.
Add and then mix and if you need more thickness, repeat the process until you get to what you need.
While this shouldn’t affect your flavor, some people simmer the heavy cream after mixing to reduce any flour flavor.
It’s made with quality ingredients and doesn’t have any added preservatives in it.
Finally, another option you can try to thicken your heavy cream is to add cornstarch.
Adding cornstarch is done almost exactly in the same manner as flour.
Cornstarch might change your flavor of the heavy cream just slightly but it shouldn’t be a significant change.
Be sure to mix your cornstarch with cold water first and make a paste and mix it 1 teaspoon at a time to your heavy cream until you reach the desired thickness.
Again, if your flavor seems off, you can always simmer your heavy cream for a few minutes to help with that.
If you need a good cornstarch in your pantry, PURE Corn Starch is a great option.
We hope that you find this guide to the best ways to thicken heavy cream to be a valuable resource.
One of the most common mistakes with heavy cream is that it simply isn’t cold enough.
If you chill your heavy cream and use it when it is cold, you are far more likely to be able to thicken it without having to add thickening agents.
Apart from that, be sure you are whisking it enough and whisking it well, understand it will take time, and always use the proper ingredients in combination with the heavy cream.
While they are similar, heavy cream has quite a bit more fat content with 36-40% fat while whipping cream only has about 30% fat content.
Heavy cream thickens better and holds shape longer because of the fat content.
You can boil your heavy cream and whisk it constantly to get it to thicken.
See our details above for instructions on how to properly use this method.
Heavy cream thickening – there are at least 7 most common ways to thicken heavy cream.
One way is by boiling it; others add gelatin, flour, cornstarch, cream cheese, etc.
Why would you want to thicken heavy cream?
When it comes time for cooking UK recipes, they may ask specifically for double cream with higher than average fat contents (around 48%).
So not all British recipes will work out properly without some extra help.
First, you will need to find a way to thicken the heavy cream.
It makes sour cream, sauces, ice cream, frosting, pastries, homemade butter, and cheese.
The best way to thicken heavy cream depends on what ingredients you have, how much time is available in your schedule, and which solution seems easiest for the task at hand.
This allows you (and hopefully others) an opportunity to work with different methods while finding your favorite way of getting things done quickly without sacrificing quality results.
Jump to:Methods that work for youWhisking cold creamBoiling heavy creamAdding gelatinAdding flourAdding cornstarchAdding guar gumAdding dairy productsOther methodsConclusionFAQComments
If you look for a way to thicken your heavy cream without imparting its and other flavors, there are 7 main options, but each has pros and cons.
Whicking cold cream;Boiling the cream until reduced to desired thickness; Adding gelatin;Adding flour;Adding cornstarch;Adding guar gum;Adding dairy products;Other methods.
ALSO READ45 Best Brownie Quotes And SayingsOne way is to boil the heavy cream until it becomes thicker, but this may change its flavor slightly or even make it taste burnt if not careful enough.
Gelatin takes some time and trouble to ensure that everything goes according to what you want.
Using corn starch or flour until the desired thickness will dictate how long you boil or how much you incorporate.
So, the best method is the one that works for you.
Let’s check out all the ways how to make thickened cream.
One of the best ways to thicken heavy cream is to keep it in the refrigerator until you start whisking it.
Using room temperature cream will change its texture while whisking.
To ensure that you get the best consistency of the cream, chill the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk attachment before starting.
Follow both best tips by using cold cream and chilled utensils together for optimal results.
Boiling heavy cream
This method is a classic way to thicken heavy cream.
The process involves constantly whisking to prevent burning while also ensuring minimal change in flavor – and no one can resist that.
So, you should start heating your cream slowly until it reaches boiling temperature.
Let it boil, but it is essential to keep the heat under control.
The cream could start curdling if high heat is used, ruining the cream’s consistency.
Whisking the cream constantly with a wooden spoon will start to thicken it.
Once you are delighted with its thickness, turn down the heat to stop cooking.
Check the consistency of the sauce every 5 to 10 minutes to see if it has reached the desired thickness.
However, this slightly occurs because of thickening due to boiling.
Adding gelatin
Adding gelatin to thicken the heavy cream is one of those easy things that you can do without even thinking about it.
All you will need for this process are appropriate ingredients (powdered gelatin or gelatin sheets), time, plus an understanding of how much gelatin should be used to make your desired effect happen properly.
It is essential that you use unflavored gelatin, so the thickness does not impact your dish’s flavor profile.
Using gelatin powder, you will need to use little water (it should be cold) to soak it.
It can be tricky figuring out just how much gelatine you will need for your desired result.
of heavy cream will give appropriate levels of thickness.
In both cases, you should warm up the cream then add the gelatine.
Make sure to beat the cream while adding gelatine for the cream to thicken correctly.
Adding flour
Adding flour to your heavy cream is pretty easy.
The only tricky thing is that you will have to decide on adding the type of flour.
You should mix equal parts of flour with cold water in a small bowl.
Heat the cream, and while whisking, add the flour mixture to the cream, a teaspoon at a time.
For great results, let the cream simmer for about 2 minutes so that you can avoid raw flour taste in the cream, but keep checking the desired thickness.
How much flour should you use?
In general, it is required about 1 ⅓ tablespoon or 20 ml of the mixture made of water and flour to thicken one liter of cream.
BUT you can play with the amounts of flour to thicken your cream depending on the thickness you want to obtain.
Adding cornstarch
Heavy cream can be thickened by adding gluten-free alternatives – starches – in much the same manner as flour.
To get started, make sure you have cold water mixed with equal parts cornstarch for the paste-like substance that forms from cornstarch.
Then heat your cream, add the cornstarch mixture, constantly whisking.
Let it simmer for a few minutes until the desired thickness of the cream.
In general, you will need about 2 tablespoons or 30 ml of the water and cornstarch mixture for about 1 cup or 230 to 250 ml of cream to be thickened.
You can also use guar gum as an alternative thickening agent for those who don’t want cornstarch or any other starch added to the cream.
ALSO READ55 Perfect Hot Chocolate QuotesIt is about eight times stronger than its cornstarch alternative, so you need to add a bit.
Adding dairy products
Simply beat heavy cream until soft and fluffy peaks, then add a tightly packed teaspoon of this dairy product (cream cheese) to one cup of cream and beat until the desired consistency.
For something different in flavor, you might want to try Italian Mascarpone, French Faisselle, creme fraiche, or commercial sour cream – they work similarly to cream cheese.
One more tip for thickening heavy cream using powdered milk: it is enough to add 1 or 2 tablespoons of powdered milk to the cream to see it thicken.
Another easiest way to make your cream thicker is by adding instant pudding, which will give you the perfect consistency in just one package per pint or 473 ml of heavy cream.
The egg yolk is a great way to add thickness and rich flavors to your cream.
Mix cold heavy cream with an extra fresh, raw egg yolk, then cook over low heat until it reaches whatever consistency you want.
Alton Brown offers a coffee filter to remove some of the water from the heavy cream in his recipe.
It seems that his method would preserve the flavor of the cream better than other recipes that involved cooking.
The more traditional approach is to bake heavy cream until it thickens.
However, the process can take up to 1 day, and you will end up with Devonshire (or Devon) cream, which contains 55-60% fat content in your finished product.
Heavy cream is a staple in many recipes.
You can find it used as an ingredient for ice cream, sour milk, cream sauce, soup, to name just a few.
The choice of which method you use will depend on what kind of recipe requires thickening.
Heavy cream known as heavy whipping cream is the thick, rich part of milk that rises to the top.
It has one of the highest fat contents compared to other dairy products.
Heavy cream contains about 36-40% milk fat and is typically used in baking or cooking for its rich flavor.
Is heavy cream the same as whipping cream?
Is heavy cream the same as whipping cream?
Is heavy cream the same as whipping cream?
While heavy cream has 36 to 40% fat content, whipping cream only has about 30% fat content.
It means that heavy cream is thicker and better at holding shape.
How to thicken heavy cream There are several ways to thicken heavy cream, such as whisking it, reducing it, adding gelatin, flour, cornstarch, guar gum, mixing with cream cheese, etc.
How to thicken heavy cream on stove?
Reducing heavy cream on the stove is one of the ways to thicken the cream.
While constantly whisking, you should carefully bring it to a boil, then adjust the heat so that you can maintain an active simmer for a few minutes.
Can you reduce heavy cream?
Will heavy cream thicken when heated?
Will heavy cream thicken when heated?
The heavy cream will thicken as you heat it, which is called boiling or reducing.
The longer you heat the cream, the more excess liquid evaporates, the thicker the final product will eventually become.
Why is my heavy cream not thickening?
Why is my heavy cream not thickening?
Among common mistakes, the most common reason for not thickening your heavy cream is not chilling your cream and whisking utensils.
Using them cold ensures the best texture.
How long does it take for heavy cream to thicken up?
Whisking the cold heavy cream until firm peaks takes about 8 minutes.
It adds texture, volume, and a dense richness to whatever it is added to.
There are many types of creams used in cooking, with heavy cream being one of the most common and versatile out of the lot.
Sometimes, you may require cream that is even heavier and denser to add more texture and volume to your food.
Despite its many cooking applications, heavy cream may not suit your needs.
For that, you need to thicken it.
There are 3 simple ways you can thicken heavy cream to achieve a different texture to add to your food.
You can reduce it over heat, add gelatin to it, or add flour or cornstarch as thickening agents.
Which method you choose depends on how much time you have, the available ingredients, and what seems easier for you.
Read on to find out how to thicken cream, how to determine which method works best for you, and much more.
The 3 Best Ways to Thicken Cream
Below are what we feel are the three best ways to thicken cream.
Heating the cream evaporates its water content and reduces it to its desired thickness.
Although the concept is a rather simple one, this method is often considered the most time-consuming and requires the most attention on your part.
Carefully begin heating the cream, making sure it stays below the boiling point.Avoid letting it boil since high heat can ruin its texture.Keep it simmering on low heat, constantly stirring it with a whisk or wooden spoon to avoid curdling and burning.If the cream starts to boil, immediately reduce the heat or remove it from the stove.Make sure to test the thickness of the cream every 10 minutes to prevent it from overcooking.Once you reach the desired consistency, you may turn down the heat and let it cool.After it has cooled down a little, you can taste the cream to check for any drastic changes in taste and whether it is suitable for the dish you need it for.
The thickness of the cream will be dependent on how long it is heated, which can be anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes.
You need to keep in mind that a slight change in taste is expected when you heat milk products, including cream.
This is completely normal and needs to be considered when using this method to thicken cream for a recipe.
Burnt cream (not to be confused with Creme Brulee) does have a distinct, bitter flavor, so if you do happen to burn your cream while reducing it, you’ll know it.
Adding Gelatin to the Cream
Adding gelatin to the cream is one of the easiest ways to thicken it without affecting its taste.
All you’ll need is the right amount of gelatin and a few quick instructions to follow.
The most important thing here is determining how much gelatin you will need to reach the desired consistency.
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to add gelatin to cream to make it thicker:
Once you determine the appropriate amount of gelatin required for thickening the cream, follow the instructions that come with it to prepare it for incorporation.Take a small bowl of cold water and sprinkle the gelatin powder evenly on top of the water (or with certain types of gelatin, submerge it if they come as gelatin sheets).
Let it sit for 5 minutes so that it can soak up the water and thicken.
This process is called blooming.Start by slowly pouring the gelatin mixture into the cream, making sure to not pour too much at once since it may result in a texture you do not want.Remember to constantly keep beating the cream to ensure the gelatin is properly incorporated so that it can thicken properly and evenly.
As a note of warning, if the gelatin and cream aren’t fully incorporated together, it may result in a poor texture and only certain areas of thickness.
Adding Flour or Cornstarch to the Cream
Adding flour or cornstarch to cream is perhaps the easiest method for thickening it.
The most complicated decision is choosing whether to use flour or cornstarch as a thickening agent.
Come to think of it, flour and cornstarch have the same effect on cream so you don’t have to worry about choosing the right one.
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to add flour (or cornstarch) to cream to make it thicker:
Start by making a flour (or cornstarch) slurry by mixing equal parts of flour (or cornstarch) and cold water.Make sure to mix it properly to avoid getting any clumps since it may affect the texture of the cream when mixed together.When the flour (or cornstarch) mixture is ready, add it to the cream gradually, about 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing it thoroughly to get a smooth and even texture throughout the cream.Keep on gradually adding the slurry into the cream until you have achieved your desired thickness.Once it is ready, you may want to do a little taste test to check for any raw flour flavor to the cream, which may be present in anything you add flour to.If it is there, you can get rid of it by simmering the thickened cream for 2-3 minutes and, before you know it, you will have the perfect thickened cream ready to be used for your recipe.
Now that we’ve gone over some of our favorite ways to thicken cream, let’s go over a few questions that you might’ve had while reading this article.
How do you choose the best method for thickening cream?
As discussed above, there are three different methods of adding thickness to your cream.
You may choose to reduce it by heating it, adding one of the most common thickening agents out there: gelatin, or using other standard thickening agents such as flour or cornstarch.
Heating cream carries the risk of burning it and, even if you manage to thicken it successfully, there will be a guaranteed slight change in flavor.
Using gelatin may be a little troublesome, especially if you haven’t worked with it before, and deciding on the right amount of flour (or cornstarch) may be a hit or miss until you get it right.
All three methods have their pros and cons, and there is no definitive answer to one best method for thickening cream.
It takes some trial and error, along with your personal preference, to find out what works best for you.
For this reason, you need to look at ways to safely store it for later use.
Similar to milk, you can keep heavy cream in the freezer for 1-2 months.
However, it may result in slight changes in taste and texture once thawed.
Once they are frozen, transfer the tray to a freezer bag and take out one or more cubes when you need to use them.
Make sure to label each bag and carton with the storage date so that you don’t use it beyond the recommended time.
Just give the defrosted cream a good stir to mix all the ingredients and it will be ready for use again.
Freezing and defrosting cream has slight effects on its texture and flavor.
If you try to re-freeze it, it will lose its texture, flavor, and consistency for good.
Therefore, to prevent this from happening, freeze the cream in small batches so that you can take out a single portion and defrost only as much as is needed.