Half & Half Substitute

A half & half substitute can easily come in handy when you don't have any in the fridge and you need it for a recipe. These simple swaps are easy to find and work perfectly for all of your baking and cooking needs. You most likely already have what you need in your refrigerator.

Jump to:

• The Best Half & Half Substitutes
• What Is Half and Half
• 1. Whole Milk + Heavy Cream
• 2. Whole Milk + Light Cream
• 3. Low-Fat Milk + Heavy Cream 
• 4. Whole Milk + Butter
• 5. Evaporated Milk
• 6. Sour Cream
• 7. Plain Yogurt or Greek Yogurt
• 8. Vegan Half and Half 
• Choosing the Best Half and Half Substitute
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Reviews

The Best Half & Half Substitutes

So, you have a recipe that calls for half & half and you only have regular milk. Can you use that as a substitute? 

Yes, and no. Since half and half is a dairy product, it can be substituted with other dairy products. However, due to the specific fat content of half and half, it is not often an exact one-to-one exchange.

Although it is not as easy swapping a cup of milk for a cup of half-and-half, half-and-half substitutes are still quite easy to find and use. Check out the best ones below, for all your baking, cooking, and coffee needs.

What Is Half and Half

Half and half is exactly as its name sounds. It is a blend of half milk and half cream. More specifically, an equal blend of whole milk and light cream.

The result of this blend is a creamy milk product that is slightly thicker and creamier than whole milk, but not as thick and creamy as heavy cream.

Depending on the brand, half and half has about 10-12% milk fat. In contrast, whole milk has a percentage of only 3.5% milk fat while heavy cream is 36% milk fat.

1. Whole Milk + Heavy Cream

As you can see above, using milk on its own or cream on its own will either be too light or too heavy as a half-and-half substitute. However, combined, these two products create a wonderful substitute.

While manufactured half and half is equal parts cream and milk, you must keep in mind that the cream used in this process is light cream. Light cream is only about 18% milk fat in comparison to heavy cream which is 36%.

However, while light cream is used in manufacturing it is not commonly sold in grocery stores. Therefore, it is unlikely you will have light cream in your refrigerator, but you could easily have heavy cream (aka whipping cream).

Since a heavy cream is thicker than light cream you will not use equal parts when mixing it with milk. Instead, use ¼ heavy cream and ¾ whole milk.

• ¾ cup whole milk + ¼ cup heavy cream = 1 cup half and half

This blend can be used as a 1:1 exchange for half and half in any recipe.

2. Whole Milk + Light Cream

If you do have access to light cream, then you can use it the same way it would be used to make real half and half. Just mix ½ cup whole milk + ½ cup light cream to get 1 cup half and half.

If you are going to use this equal-part blend make sure you are indeed using light cream. If you use heavy cream in equal parts your substitute will be thicker than half and half and will shift the overall texture of your recipe.

3. Low-Fat Milk + Heavy Cream 

While it is more common to have heavy cream at home than light cream, on the other hand, it is more common to have low-fat milk in your fridge than whole milk. Therefore, you may want to use low-fat milk to blend with heavy cream.

If using low-fat milk, simply use more heavy cream to counterbalance the lack of fat in the milk. While 1% milk is best for the blend below, you can use the same measurements with skim milk or 2% milk.

• ⅔ cup heavy cream + ⅓ cup low-fat milk = 1 cup half and half

Use this blend in a 1:1 ratio for half and half in any recipe.

4. Whole Milk + Butter

Although it is common to have heavy cream in your home around the holidays to make whipped cream and other desserts, it is not always a year-long staple. However, most of us have butter in our kitchens all year long.

If you don’t have heavy cream, you can add fat to milk by adding butter. Simply melt the butter and then mix it with the milk.

For the best results, emulsify the butter and milk to evenly distribute the butter. This can be done with a hand mixer or by blending the butter and milk together before adding other ingredients.

• 1 cup whole milk + 1 tablespoon melted butter = 1 cup half and half.

While this substitution will work for baking or cooking, it may not be the best choice to replace your half-and-half in your morning coffee.

5. Evaporated Milk

Another ingredient you may have left over from baking during the holidays is evaporated milk. An essential in making pumpkin pie and many candies, this is a great alternative to half and half.

Moreover, unlike milk and cream that will spoil after a couple of weeks, evaporated milk can be kept in the pantry for several months. Therefore, making it a great choice to keep on hand all year long for a half-and-half and milk substitute.

Evaporated milk is just as it sounds, milk that has been evaporated. It is whole milk that has been heated until 60% of the water evaporates. The result is thicker milk that is also slightly sweeter.

Due to the mild sweetness, this substitute may slightly shift the final flavor of your dish. However, in most cases, it will not be a negative change.

Although it does not have a higher fat content than regular whole milk, since it has less water, the thicker consistency resembles the consistency of half and half. Therefore, it can be used in a simple 1:1 ratio.

6. Sour Cream

A substitute that you may be surprised to learn about is sour cream. While it does not have the same texture or flavor as half and half, due to its rich creamy texture it is still a wonderful substitute for half and half in many recipes.

It can be used in baking and cooking to add a creamy texture. However, unlike regular half-and-half which has a more neutral flavor, sour cream is quite tangy. Therefore, be mindful of how it will pair with your recipe.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with it though. The tangy flavor of sour cream can be a great addition to sweet treats like lemon cake to enhance the flavor. In addition, the extra tang can be a great addition to savory sauces. 

Sour cream can be used in a 1:1 ratio when substituted for half-and-half. However, be mindful that because it is thicker it may make the dough or batter a bit denser.

7. Plain Yogurt or Greek Yogurt

In addition to sour cream, yogurt is another great alternative to half-and-half. It can be used in the same way that sour cream is used and will add a similar tangy flavor.

While yogurt can work in baking and cooking, it is best used in baking. This is because when it is heated directly on the stove it can curdle. Therefore, if you do add it to a sauce or soup remove the dish from the direct heat first and then stir in the yogurt.

Both yogurt and Greek yogurt can be used in a 1:1 ratio for half and half.

Although, while plain yogurt has a thinner consistency much like sour cream, Greek yogurt is quite thick. Therefore, it may make your dough or batter too thick. In this case, thin the yogurt out with a bit of water before adding it, or add a bit of water to thin the batter out. 

8. Vegan Half and Half 

If you are looking for a half-and-half substitute that is vegan, the best option is to find a brand that makes a vegan half-and-half. There are several brands that provide a plant-based option that have a similar creamy and rich consistency to real half and half.

These vegan alternatives can be used in a 1:1 ratio for half and half. Keep in mind that since they are made from plant-based milk they will most likely have a slightly different flavor. Therefore, the taste may change the overall flavor of your recipe.

Choosing the Best Half and Half Substitute

When substituting for half and half, the substitutes that use milk or cream will give you the closest results to real half and half. This makes them the best choices.

However, just because they are the best, they may not be the most accessible. Therefore, in a pinch, any of the substitutes listed above will work.

Moreover, they will all provide you with a delicious baked good or savory dish that you can immediately enjoy. Which makes them the best choice at the moment.

I hope this list of half-and-half substitutes has helped you out! Let me know which one is your favorite in the comments below!

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Apple Cider Vinegar	Bay Leaf	Tapioca Starch
Sesame Oil	Rosemary (Fresh & Dried)	Cornmeal
Marsala Wine	Turmeric	Potato Starch
Dijon Mustard	Celery Salt	Coconut Sugar
Horseradish	Tarragon	Buttermilk
Red Wine Vinegar	Cardamom	Brown Sugar
Masa Harina	Paprika	Arrowroot Powder
Cream Cheese	Chili Powder	Cornflour
Creme Fraiche	Cilantro	Shortening
Worcestershire Sauce		Vanilla Extract
Shallots		Lemon Extract

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