Recipes Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Sauces Chef John's Crème Fraîche 4.9 (244) 198 Reviews 22 Photos Crème fraîche is so easy to make at home with just heavy cream and cultured buttermilk. Sure, it takes a couple of days to make, but the effort is minimal, and the payoff is marvelous! It has a higher fat content than sour cream which makes it less likely to curdle when you cook with it. By John Mitzewich John Mitzewich John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on April 24, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 22 22 22 22 Prep Time: 5 mins Additional Time: 2 days Total Time: 2 days 5 mins Servings: 32 Yield: 1 pint Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Make this homemade crème fraîche with just two ingredients you likely already have on hand. You’ll never settle for the store-bought stuff again! What Is Crème Fraîche? Crème fraiche is a dairy product made of cream and bacteria culture. It can be used fresh (spooned over fruits and desserts) or added as a thickening agent to sauces, soups, and stews. How to Make Crème Fraîche Combine cream and buttermilk in a glass jar, cover tightly with cheesecloth, and let sit at room temperature until thickened. Stir the mixture, screw on the lid, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before using. That’s it! You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe with detailed instructions below. Crème Fraîche Substitute What if you don’t have any crème fraîche on hand and don’t have time to make it? Sour cream makes a great crème fraîche substitute. Since sour cream curdles when added to simmering or boiling dishes, though, add it to hot dishes only after taking your pot off the heat. You can also substitute Mexican crema and Greek yogurt. How to Use Crème Fraîche Put your newfound crème fraîche-making abilities to good use with this one of these mouthwatering recipes: Chocolate Crème Fraîche Ice Cream Chicken a la Crema Chef John's Creme Caramel Potato Leek Soup (Vichyssoise) Red Velvet Pancakes How to Store Crème Fraîche Store your homemade crème fraîche in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise “Perfectly easy and so delicious,” raves EvieS. “I’ll never buy crème fraîche again! I used ultra-pasteurized cream because I couldn’t find pasteurized cream and it set up beautifully.” “I decided I desperately wanted to make Chef John's tartiflette, but couldn't find creme fraiche anywhere in the grocery store,” says Dave T. “What to do? Of course he had the recipe I needed!” “Great project and it turned out great,” according to Tracy Beggs. “Perfect thing to make if you want to experiment with your food and explore the science of active cultures.” Editorial contributions by Corey Williams Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 32 servings 2 cups heavy cream 3 tablespoons cultured buttermilk Directions Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Combine cream and buttermilk in a glass jar. Cover tightly with cheesecloth (or any breathable material) and let sit at room temperature (70 to 75 degrees F (21 to 24 degrees C)) until thickened, about 24 hours. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Stir mixture, then screw on the lid. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Refrigerate for 24 hours before using. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Recipe Tips Be sure to use the best, freshest cream you can find. Look for pasteurized, not ultra-pasteurized, heavy whipping cream.Make sure to use cultured buttermilk. Otherwise, you will wait a whole day to see nothing happen. I Made It Print 409 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 52 Calories 6g Fat 1g Carbs 0g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 32 Calories 52 % Daily Value * Total Fat 6g 7% Saturated Fat 3g 17% Cholesterol 20mg 7% Sodium 7mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 1g 0% Total Sugars 0g Protein 0g 1% Vitamin C 0mg 0% Calcium 11mg 1% Potassium 13mg 0% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.