We’ve all been there. You’re knee-deep into a recipe for homemade biscuits, baked potatoes, or beef pierogis only to realize you forgot to pick up a necessary ingredient: sour cream. Don’t panic! Making sour cream from scratch only requires three ingredients: milk, distilled white vinegar, and heavy cream. Or, if you have buttermilk on hand, you can skip the milk and vinegar and use that instead. Once you taste homemade sour cream in coffee cake or French onion dip, we swear you’ll never go back.
How to Make It
Whisk the milk and vinegar together in a small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
Pour the heavy cream into a jar, then add the milk and vinegar mixture. Stir well to combine, then cover the jar (you can use a lid, or a cheesecloth kitchen towel secured with a rubber band).
Let the cream stand for at least 24 hours at room temperature, or up to 48 hours. This will give the lactic acid bacteria time to ferment, thicken, and sour the cream. The acidity of the mixture will prevent the dairy from spoilage. Chill prior to serving.