How to Thicken Heavy Cream: 7 Easy Methods That Actually Work

Wondering how to thicken heavy cream? There are at least seven tried-and-true methods that bakers and home cooks use. Some involve simple techniques, such as boiling or whisking, while others use common ingredients like gelatin, flour, cornstarch, or even cream cheese.

Why thicken heavy cream

Let's say you live in the UK and travel to the United States.

When it comes time to cook UK recipes, they may specifically call for a double cream with a higher-than-average fat content (around 48%).

Then you will get a problem because the thickest cream in North America has around 35% fat content.

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.

How to thicken heavy cream?

The best way to thicken heavy cream depends on the ingredients you have, the amount of time 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.

If you are looking for a way to thicken your heavy cream without imparting its flavors, there are seven main options, each with its pros and cons.

1. Whisking cold cream
2. Boiling the cream
3. Adding gelatin
4. Adding flour
5. Adding cornstarch
6. Adding guar gum
7. Adding dairy products

1. Whisking cold cream

One of the best ways to thicken heavy cream is to keep it in the refrigerator until you start whisking it.

Please don't pull it out to the counter until you are ready to work with it. Using room temperature cream will change its texture while whisking.

To get the best consistency of the whipped 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.

2. Boiling heavy cream

This method is a classic way to thicken heavy cream. However, it takes some time and effort, but it's worth doing.

This method evaporates some liquid out of the cream, making it thicker. 

The process involves constantly whisking to prevent burning while also ensuring minimal change in flavor, and no one can resist that.

So, start heating your cream slowly until it reaches a boil. 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 help it start to thicken. The more you cook your cream, the thicker your final product.

Remember that you should whisk it constantly, from beginning to end. 

You can adjust the heat to let the cream simmer gently. 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. Don't cook the cream longer than necessary at high temperatures.

What happens when the cream changes flavor? It means you may have burned it.

However, this occurs slightly due to thickening caused by boiling. Be aware that your recipe may require some adjustments. You may need to cook the cream for a shorter or longer time.

3. 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. Please, read the instructions on the package.

It can be tricky figuring out just how much gelatin you will need for your desired result.

But the general rule of thumb when using powdered gelatin or sheets (¼ packet or one gelatine sheet) per 2 cups or 16 oz. of heavy cream will give appropriate levels of thickness.

In both cases, warm the cream first and then add the gelatin. Make sure to beat the cream while adding gelatine for the cream to thicken correctly.

4. Adding flour

Adding flour to your heavy cream is pretty easy. The only tricky thing is that you will need to decide whether to add the type of flour.

Whether you choose all-purpose flour or other flour variations (such as wheat or tapioca flour), they will not affect the flavor and taste of the cream.

You should mix equal parts of flour with cold water in a small bowl. Stir the mixture with a hand whisk until homogeneous.

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 to avoid the raw flour taste, but keep checking for the desired thickness.

How much flour should you use? In general, it is required about 1 ⅓ tablespoons 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.

5. 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.

Blend the mixture with a hand whisk to avoid clumping up while mixing thoroughly.

Then, heat your cream and 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.

Potato starch, another kind of starch, is an excellent thickener and can replace cornstarch to thicken the cream.

There is no significant difference when using flour or starch: just experiment until satisfied.

6. Adding guar gum

You can also use guar gum as an alternative thickening agent for those who prefer not to add cornstarch or any other starch to the cream.

It is about eight times stronger than its cornstarch alternative, so you need to add a bit.

7. Adding dairy products

There are also a few other methods you will be willing to try. One of them suggests using cream cheese.

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.

Other methods

Another easy 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 the desired consistency.

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 involve 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.

Conclusion

Heavy cream is a staple in many recipes. You can find it used as an ingredient for ice cream, sour milk, cream sauce, and soup, to name just a few.

The choice of method you use will depend on the type of recipe that requires thickening.

So, take care when choosing, because there's no going back once it's been added, along with other ingredients.

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