The bulletproof way to make crème fraîche at home

Because crème fraîche is very expensive at the store, it’s worth learning to make at home. Many crème fraîche recipes on the Internet can lead to moldy and disgusting results. That’s why you should follow this easy-to-master and bulletproof technique to successfully make crème fraîche in your kitchen.

Blueberries and cherries topped with crème fraîche next to a spoonPin

Crème fraîche is rich and tangy with a silky, custard-like texture. Crème fraîche is a beloved ingredient in French cooking because when you add crème fraîche to food it makes your dish taste buttery and luxurious.

What is crème fraîche?

Crème fraîche is a fermented cream that is like yogurt but much richer in taste. It became a popular fancy ingredient because of its rich flavor that adds a touch of tartness while being less sour than sour cream. Crème fraîche can be quite expensive at gourmet grocery stores, which is why it’s worth learning to make at home.

Crème fraîche has a high-fat content (it’s made from cream), about 30% fat, so it is unlikely to curdle when you heat it. This property makes crème fraîche an amazing cultured dairy product to add to hot foods like soups and pasta sauces. Read on to learn the many different uses for crème fraîche and how to make it at home.

What ingredients do you need to make crème fraîche at home?

Crème fraîche is incredibly simple. Just 2 ingredients. The magic happens during the incubation process (more on that later). You need:

  • Starter culture: Plain yogurt, cultured buttermilk, kefir, or another fermented dairy product. You can even try heirloom starter culture, though I hear it requires more time to incubate.
  • Cream: I use heavy whipping cream. Costco has a good deal on cream. You can buy it from any grocery store. 
Stirred crème fraîche that shows soft peaksPin
Crème fraîche is ready when it retains soft peaks when stirred as yogurt does.

What’s the Garlic Delight technique to make crème fraîche at home?

I made this crème fraîche recipe for the many readers who requested it. What’s different about Garlic Delight’s crème fraîche recipe?

I focus on technique. Why? I tried many recipes including from reputable recipe websites like Serious Eats and Epicurious. Guess what? They led to moldy, disgusting crème fraîche. Twice!

Alex and I developed this “bulletproof” technique. Yes, it’s more steps than the “one-step” crème fraîche recipe. But it’s also much more likely to succeed.

Let’s learn why the Garlic Delight crème fraîche technique works:

  1. Store the cream in a glass container: We use a glass container or jar for convenience so you can store the crème fraîche in the container and avoiding the extra step of transferring the crème fraîche from the inner pot to another container. This reduces the risk of contamination. (SIDE NOTE: I learned it’s called a pot-in-pot cooking technique. 😀 )
  2. Heat the cream: Heating the cream on the Yogurt > Boil mode on the Instant Pot brings the cream to a temperature just below boiling to kill unwanted microbes. This sets the stage for the incubation process, giving the beneficial bacteria a leg up over the mold, which is key to a cultured cream rather than a moldy cream.
  3. Use a water bath: The water bath is Alex’s idea to keep the cream at a constant temperature. It ensures good thermal contact between the Instant Pot and the cream because there is a glass container in the way. NOTE: If you are making a big batch of crème fraîche, you don’t need the water bath if you put the cream directly in the inner pot.
  4. Use a constant incubation temperature of 100°F to 116°F/43.5°C to 46.5°C: A constant temperature ensures the cream stays warm enough to give the starter cultures a friendly environment to grow and, more importantly, outpace the mold spores. It’s also not too hot that you accidentally kill the desirable bacteria.
  5. Set up a sealed environment: Again helps to reduce contamination during incubation.
Annotated image showing the water level in an Instant PotPin
Put enough water in the inner pot to make a water bath that is about the same level as the cream.

Why make crème fraîche at home with an instant pot?

There’s nothing special about the Instant Pot for crème fraîche except that it can incubate the cream at a precise temperature for many hours and seals shut. Read on to find other ways to make crème fraîche in case you don’t have an Instant Pot at home.

RELATED: Another popular French recipe ratatouille can be made in an Instant Pot.

What if I don’t have an instant pot?

Here are alternative gadgets you can use if you don’t have an Instant Pot at home to make crème fraîche:

  • Use a sous vide cooker: The sous vide can keep a constant temperature for many hours. You may need to store the cream in a sealed plastic bag instead of a glass container because the container or jar may allow water to leak in.
  • Use a yogurt maker: A yogurt maker is designed to incubate milk or cream at a constant temperature. You can follow your yogurt maker’s instructions and simply use cream instead of milk to make crème fraîche.
  • Use a saucepan and oven (I don’t recommend this method because it risks failure): Heat the cream in the saucepan to 180ºF to 200ºF/82.5ºC to 93ºC (just below boiling) to kill the unwanted microbes. After introducing the starter culture (yogurt), incubate the cream in a warmed oven set to the lowest temperature possible. Ideally, your oven can get as low as 100°F/43.5°C. If it cannot, you may need to leave your oven door ajar at the lowest temperature to incubate the cultured cream.

WARNING: If you use a saucepan and oven to make crème fraîche, I can’t guarantee your crème fraîche will not get overheated or underheated which may cause your crème fraîche to fail. If you detect even a speck of red bloom, please throw it out. Don’t risk getting sick by eating moldy cream.

RELATED: If you insist on making crème fraîche with a saucepan on the stovetop, check out this Splendid Table recipe.

Can I use this technique for making regular yogurt?

Yes! This crème fraîche recipe is the same process for making yogurt. Except instead of cream, you use milk.

Once you master this crème fraîche technique, feel free to experiment with making yogurt using milk and different kinds of cultures. You can try goat milk, sheep milk, different heirloom starter cultures. If you want to try making soy milk and coconut milk yogurt, do a quick Google search for advice because the process differs slightly for these plant-based milks.

I found this Simply Recipes yogurt in an Instant Pot guide helpful.

How can I tell when the crème fraîche is ready? 

After you remove the crème fraîche from the Instant Pot, you should notice it jiggles like jelly. It is thick and, similar to gently whipped cream. It retains soft peaks when you stir it. It also pulls back from the sides of the container when you scoop the crème fraîche with a spoon.

A spoon pulling the edge of the crème fraîchePin
The crème fraîche is ready when you see it has become thick and jiggles like jelly/Jell-O when you gently shake it.

Homemade crème fraîche made in an Instant Pot

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Homemade crème fraîche is easy to master and much cheaper than store-bought crème fraîche. Enjoy the crème fraîche with fruit, in quiche, or as a substitute for yogurt and sour cream.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 9 hours
Cooling Time: 13 hours
Total Time: 22 hours 5 minutes
Course: Cooking Helper
Cuisine: French
Keyword: 10 ingredients or less, comfort, gluten-free, vegetarian
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 165kcal
Author: Anna Rider
Cost: $2

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • whisk
  • glass container

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (475 ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) yogurt, can substitute with cultured buttermilk, kefir, or other starter cultures like heirloom starters

Instructions

  • Gather the equipment and ingredients.
    All the ingredients assembled to make crème fraîchePin

Prepare the cream

  • Put the heavy whipping cream in a glass jar or container. Set up the rack in the Instant Pot's inner pot. I like to have the rack "handles" standing up against the sides of the inner pot. Put the cream in the inner pot on top of the rack.
    The Instant Pot with a rack and a glass container of milkPin
  • Add water into the inner pot. Be careful not to accidentally drip water into the cream. Fill the inner pot with enough water to reach the same level as the cream in the glass container to ensure good thermal contact.
    A kettle pouring water into an Instant PotPin
  • Lock the lid in place on the Instant Pot. It doesn't matter if you set the valve to seal or not. Set the Instant Pot to the Yogurt mode. Push Adjust to set it show Boil on the interface.
    Annotated image showing the buttons to press on the Instant Pot for boiling milkPin
  • Instant Pot will heat the cream until you see the interface show Yogt. Once you see Yogt, this means the cream is at a high enough temperature that we want to cool the inner pot and the cream to prepare for incubation.
    The Instant Pot interface showing YogtPin
  • Carefully remove the inner pot with oven mitts because the pot is very hot.
    Hands with oven mitts lifting the inner pot out of the Instant PotPin
  • Rest the lid on top of the inner pot to prevent dust and other contaminants from falling into the cream. Allow the temperature of the cream to decrease until it reaches between 100°F to 116°F/43.5°C to 46.5°C. This takes about an hour. If you are impatient, you can put the inner pot in an ice bath to cool it faster. In an ice bath, it will take about 5 minutes for the temperature of the cream to plunge to the target temperature range.
    The inner pot of the Instant Pot with the lid onPin

Add the culture starter

  • Measure the temperature of the water bath. Avoid measuring the cream directly so you don't introduce additional microbes into the cream. Once the temperature reaches the target 100°F to 116°F/43.5°C to 46.5°C, you are ready to introduce the starter cultures.
    Thermometer measuring the temperature of the water bathPin
  • Before adding the starter culture, you may want to remove the film on top of the cream which develops from heating it. You can discard the gooey film.
    A whisk with the film of warmed milk removedPin
  • Add your starter culture. In this recipe, add the spoonful of yogurt. You can use other cultured dairy products listed in the ingredients list.
    A spoon with yogurt next to a whiskPin
  • Stir in the starter culture (yogurt) with a whisk to make sure it is well combined.
    A whisk mixing yogurt into the warmed heavy whipping creamPin

Incubation

  • Add the inner pot back into the Instant Pot. Turn on the Yogurt mode again. Push the Adjust mode to set a timer. Use the + and buttons to set the timer to 8:00 (8 hours).
    Annotated image showing the buttons to press on the Instant Pot for incubating crème fraîchePin
  • Once your crème fraîche is ready, carefully remove the Instant Pot lid. Try to avoid dripping the condensation that has collected on the lid into the crème fraîche.
    A glass container of heavy whipping cream on a rack in an Instant PotPin
  • Carefully remove the glass container with the crème fraîche. It should be an off-white or very pale yellow color. You can use the crème fraîche immediately. If you want a firmer texture, refrigerate the crème fraîche for about 12 hours or overnight before using it.
    Alex's hands removing the glass container of crème fraîche from the Instant PotPin
  • Enjoy your crème fraîche!
    Blueberries and cherries topped with crème fraîche next to a spoonPin

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 36mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg
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Can I make a larger batch of crème fraîche?

If you are doubling or tripling the ingredient quantities, you can put the cream directly in the Instant Pot inner pot if you don’t have a glass jar or container that is large enough.

I only recommend using the glass container because it saves a step of moving the crème fraîche from the inner pot and storing it in a container.

If you put your cream directly in the inner pot, you don’t need to create a water bath because your Instant Pot will heat the cream directly.

My crème fraîche failed. What went wrong?

I’ve found two probable reasons your crème fraîche failed:

  • Overheated the cream: If you heat the cream too much, it can kill the bacteria we want to grow to ferment the cream. How to fix: If you kill the bacteria, you will need to reintroduce the starter culture before incubating it again. Or toss out the cream and start again. Overheating the cream is likely to happen if you don’t have a temperature-controlled environment.
  • Mold overtook your starter culture: Making cultured dairy products like yogurt and crème fraîche is all about fighting off mold by cultivating beneficial bacteria to ferment the milk and cream. When I followed the “one-step” crème fraîche recipes, using cream from the fridge without heating it first, the mold took over before the bacteria had a chance to grow. That led to disgusting moldy cream. How to fix: You can’t. Hold your nose and throw it out. Then try my technique of using a temperature-controlled incubation or at least heat the cream before adding the yogurt to give your lactobacillus a fighting chance.
Spoiled crème fraîche with moldy on the topPin
Moldy cream smells as disgusting as it looks. Avoid this failure by following our process to make crème fraîche and save yourself some heartache!

How long does crème fraîche last?

Crème fraîche lasts up to 10 days to 2 weeks in the fridge. You can extend the life of crème fraîche by practicing good food hygiene, including the following:

  • Use clean spoons: Avoid dipping a dirty spoon into the crème fraîche container. No double-dipping.
  • Keep the crème fraîche covered: During the incubation process and when storing the crème fraîche in the fridge, keep the crème fraîche covered with a clean lid as much as possible to reduce contamination from dust and spores.
  • Don’t make more than you need: The recipe is designed for 2 cups of crème fraîche. If you need less, halve the recipe. If you need more, double the recipe.

How to use crème fraîche

  • Fruit: Top fresh (or defrosted) sliced stone fruits, berries, and poached pears with crème fraîche similar to how you serve yogurt with fruit.
  • Instead of whipped cream: Serve a spoonful of crème fraîche in place of whipped cream. You can enjoy crème fraîche on a slice of pumpkin pie, a scoop of ice cream, a slice of chocolate cake, and alongside a chocolate soufflé.
  • Charlotte aux poires: I have charlotte aux poires to thank for introducing me to crème fraîche. Here are 2 good recipes:
  • In place of mayonnaise: Add the crème fraîche to chicken salad, potato salad, and shrimp salad instead of mayonnaise.
  • Eggs: Add crème fraîche instead of cream in beaten eggs to make omelets and scrambled eggs.
  • Quiches: Crème fraîche is an integral ingredient in quiche lorraine.
  • Soups: Swirl a spoonful of crème fraîche in your soups, including pumpkin soup, butternut squash soup, mushroom soup, and any other soups that benefit from a touch of cream.
  • Pasta: Before serving pasta, you can add a dollop of crème fraîche on top of the pasta noodles and sauce, much like how you would grate Parmigiano-Reggiano on top.
  • Salmon: The tangy flavor of crème fraîche balances the richness of baked or poached salmon.

Garlic Delight recipes that use crème fraîche

5-Minute Homemade Hot Chocolate
This hot chocolate recipe takes 5 minutes or less, 2 ingredients, and a microwave. It's a no-cook recipe that's perfect for hotel travelers, tiny-house dwellers, students in dorm rooms, and busy working people who don't want to deal with a stove.
Get the Recipe
Garlic Tomato Cream Pasta Sauce with Shrimp
The tangy flavors in this tomato-cream pasta dish are mouthwatering. This particular version is quite sharp, due to my restraint in not adding any sugar to temper the tomato’s sourness. If you prefer something milder, add a touch of sugar to mellow it out. 
Get the Recipe
Authentic & Mouthwatering Quiche Lorraine
Quiche lorraine is ideal for spring brunches, summer picnics, and wintery dinners. It can be served with a green salad to lightening up the egg and cream. Or serve it with a hearty bean soup during snowy winters for delish comfort food.
Get the Recipe

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How to substitute crème fraîche

If you don’t have crème fraîche on hand, you can substitute plain whole-milk yogurt (the Greek-style yogurt is a particularly good substitute), sour cream, or cultured buttermilk. Any substitute will change the flavor and texture so think about what flavor and thickness you need so you can reach for a comparable cultured dairy product.

READ NEXT: Check out this ratatouille recipe that uses an Instant Pot.

Anna looking down chopping vegetables
About Anna Rider

Hi! I'm Anna, a food writer who documents kitchen experiments on GarlicDelight.com with the help of my physicist and taste-testing husband, Alex. I have an insatiable appetite for noodles 🍜 and believe in "improv cooking".

15 thoughts on “The bulletproof way to make crème fraîche at home”

  1. 5 stars
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    Reply
  2. 5 stars
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    Reply
  3. 5 stars
    Hi Anna,

    I made this yesterday for the second time. The first time was several years ago–I don’t buy cream that often, and it’s gotten pricey! I used yogurt for my starter, and it has fermented nice and thick. My plan is to transfer a small portion into a jar (once I find one!), and then whip the rest into cultured butter. One of the best flavors I’ve ever tasted in my life was miso + cultured butter. Give it a try some time!

    Reply
    • Hi Priyam. Wow, great idea. Thank you for sharing. I’ll definitely try the miso + cultured butter next time I have both ingredients on hand. Hadn’t considered them together before.

      Reply
  4. Hello, I followed the recipe perfectly. 2 cups of heavy milk, 15g of yogurt, added the yogurt right at 110 degrees. Then went for the 8 hours in the instant pot and chilled for 12 hours. When I went to “taste” it had the consistency of soup. Not thick at all……just a white liquid. Any suggestions as to what would cause those? Thanks

    Reply
  5. Doesn’t it matter which kind of culture you use? The buttermilk starter I got from NW Ferments (lactococcus lactis & lactobacillus bulgaricus, which want to be at 68-78 degrees F. I believe are mesophilic. For sure lactobacillus bulgaricus is.

    Reply
  6. 5 stars
    Hi just wanted to thank you for this recipe. It was very similar to making yogurt in the instant pot so easy for me to follow as I’ve made several batches of yogurt in it before.

    This came out good, texture is smooth and thick. I used a ceramic soup mug and made 1 c instead of 2 c for the recipe I was using it for, the barefoot contessa’s chicken thighs in creamy mustard sauce. The creme fraiche was excellent in it. I prefer the method you used to avoid spoilage. I also poured boiling water over my ceramic mug before I put it in the IP, not as sterile as I’d be if I was canning food, but more than usual cooking.
    Thank you!

    Reply
  7. 5 stars
    I made this last week with Siggi’s Skyr as the starter. Came out very nicely. I am wondering why you bring the cream to YOGT BOIL first? If you need to cool it back down to 100 (or so degrees), then why not just bring it up to that temp? Why the boil? thanks~

    Reply
    • Hi Connie,
      Thank you for your question. It’s a good one.

      Since I titled my recipe “bulletproof” I felt that I needed to be very rigorous. When I didn’t carefully boil the milk and cream, I had moldy milk instead of delicious crème fraîche. At risk of grossing you out, I included a photo of the nastiness. The smell was horrible. As soon as I added the extra step of boiling, I never had the spoiled milk again. Boiling it killed off the germs.

      Since I know boiling works, I’ve stuck to that step ever since because it’s not so much extra work for me and it guarantees a good result.

      That said, I certainly understand that it’s more work. If you feel comfortable with bringing the temperature to 100 °F, you could try it and see if you get crème fraîche. I’ll leave it to you to decide the risk-benefit analysis. It could be worth trying once.

      Hope that helps,
      Anna

      Reply
  8. 5 stars
    Great, detailed article! I will definitely try this at home! I already make yogurt, so should not be too difficult. With all of your instructions I feel like I am ready!

    Reply
    • Hi Kathryn,
      Thank you for the nice words! Let me know how it turns out for you. I just made lavender crème fraîche yesterday and it was a refreshing twist.

      Reply

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