How to Make your Own Cream and Buttermilk at Home

Learning how to make your own cream and buttermilk at home comes with a ton of benefits. Did you know that most people haven’t even seen true cream and buttermilk? The brands you find in the supermarket are all factory-produced, which is thickened using additives and powders. This actually removes the probiotics and enzymes, which are what make dairy products healthy. By choosing the convenient option, you’re losing a lot of quality.

When making your own cream and buttermilk, you get to choose the ingredients. When you buy these products over the counter, you don’t really know what additives they’re using. Just look at the labels and you’ll see that acid and milk are not the only ingredients. There are additives that give dairy products enough shelf life to survive their journey from the farm to your store. However, they’re not exactly healthy.

Homemade cream and buttermilk also have a richer flavor compared to store-bought versions. Those additives really dampen their flavor. Removing them elevates the taste, which directly impacts your recipes.

How to Choose the Best Milk for Cream

•   Whole milk is the most suitable choice for making cream due to its higher fat content. The fat is what gives cream its luxurious texture and rich flavor. Choose whole milk with a fat content over 3%.
•   Use fresh whole milk to ensure the best quality cream. Milk that is close to its expiration date will not produce the best cream.
•   Ultra-pasteurized milk, which has been heated to a higher temperature to extend shelf life, is not the best choice for making cream.
•   If available and within your budget, consider using locally sourced whole milk. It’s fresher and usually contains more fat, resulting in a higher-quality product.

How to Choose the Best Milk for Buttermilk

While we certainly advocate experimenting with different types of milk, certain options are naturally better. Whole milk is the most popular choice since its higher fat content reacts better to acids.

Can You Use Low-Fat Milk for Buttermilk?

It’s not the idea choice since the texture of buttermilk is created from fat’s reaction to acid. This can be offset by altering the recipe where you use the buttermilk. Just be mindful of the type of fat you add to the recipe and avoid unhealthy fats.

Can You Use Non-Dairy Alternatives to Make Buttermilk?

Yes. It’s possible to use almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk. However, the fat in these alternatives doesn’t react the same as whole milk when it’s introduced to acid. You’ll have to experiment with acid-to-milk ratios.

How to Make Buttermilk at Home

1. Measure the amount of acid you need. The ratio is 1 TBSP. of acid for every cup of milk. The best choices are lemon juice or vinegar.
2. Mix the acid with the milk. You’ll notice a reaction as the two compounds react to one another. After a few minutes, the milk will thicken.
3. Gently mix the milk and acid together. Avoid vigorous stirring; a few gentle turns are sufficient.
4. Let the milk sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes. The milk will thicken and curdle.
5. Give the mixture another gentle stir to ensure the acid is evenly distributed.
6. Refrigerate the buttermilk in an airtight container. Remember to shake or stir the buttermilk before using it again.

How to Make Cream at Home

This recipe will assume you are using 1 gallon of milk. Adjust it if you’re planning to make a different amount.

1. Melt 1/3 cup of butter on the stove.
2. Add 2/3 cups of milk into a bowl or mixer.
3. Add 1 tbsp. of melted butter to the 2/3 cups of milk in the bowl. This is called “tempered milk.”
4. Pour the rest of the milk (not tempered) into the butter that’s on the stove and cook it at low.
5. Add the tempered milk and crank up the heat. Stir regularly. Follow this step until steam rises from the milk. Don’t let it boil.
6. Mix heated milk using a blender or food processor. You are waiting for a thick cream to form. This can take several minutes.
7. Let the cream cool. Add it to a sealed container and then store the cream in the refrigerator.

If all this seems like too much work for you, don’t worry!  Another option is to buy a mechanical cream separator which essentially does all the work for you.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to make your own cream and buttermilk at home requires practice. While the process itself is simple, it takes practice to perfect it. Once you do, your recipes will soar to new heights.