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Homemade sour cream is so much easier than most people realize. With just two simple ingredients, you can make rich, tangy sour cream at home—and once you start, it becomes a natural part of your weekly kitchen routine.

I love when I can make something at home instead of buying one more container from the store. Sour cream is probably the easiest, most hands-off dairy product to make in the comfort of your own home.

If you already make your own homemade yogurt, this will be very easy.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

it only uses two ingredients you likely have on hand
it’s an easy homemade dairy product to fit into everyday
sour cream is so versatile!
free from additives, thickeners, unnatural preservatives and other artificial things

Recipe Tips

Plan ahead: This homemade sour cream can take a day or two to properly thicken, depending on the temperature of your house. Make sure you get a batch going before you run out so you always have some on hand.

Fatty milk = thick sour cream: The fattier your cream, the thicker your sour cream is going to be. I’ve made it with whipping cream and it comes out very thick and creamy.

Save yogurt: This recipe uses either homemade yogurt or real store-bought yogurt (only milk and bacterial cultures). When you have fresh yogurt on hand, store about 1/4-1/2 cup aside in a clean jar to keep it from being contaminated. Use the fresh yogurt from this jar to culture your sour cream and other dairy products.

Ingredients

Active Culture: You can use plain store-bought or homemade sour cream, plain yogurt or buttermilk. Just make sure there are no sweeteners, thickeners, unnatural preservatives, etc.
Cream: From 10%-36%, depending on what you’re going for. Fattier the cream, the thicker the final product. I like using 18% table cream.

Materials

Jar with a lid: We’ll start with a half pint jar. If you like this sour cream, feel free to double the recipe for a full pint of homemade sour cream!

Step-by-Step Instructions

In your jar, add the yogurt and cream.

Screw the lid on tight and shake it for 1-2 minutes until yogurt has incorporated into the milk.

Let sit in a warm area with the lid on for 24-36 hours.

Once visibly thickened, place in the fridge for 8+ hours.

Out of the fridge it should be much thicker than before. Stir until smooth and creamy and enjoy!

Recipe FAQ

Once your sour cream has visibly thickened, place in the fridge.

Depending on the fattiness of your milk, the texture will turn out different. 10% cream will be runnier than 36% heavy cream. Lower fat, homemade sour cream does not contain any thickening agents so expect it to be slightly thinner than store-bought.

This is the most common issue. Possible reasons:

Your culture wasn’t active (fake yogurt, dead cultures).
Your cream was ultra-pasteurized and didn’t react as well.
Your kitchen was too cold.
It was disturbed while culturing.

Give it more time, or start fresh with fresh yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream.

For an extra thick sour cream:

Use 36% heavy cream instead of whipping cream.
Chill it overnight before using.
Let it culture the full 36 hours.

Separation can occur during the fermentation stage. This is the whey and a soft, yogurt-ey curd. Simply stir it in together and place in the fridge for the next stage.

How To Store

Store homemade sour cream in a clean, airtight glass jar and keep it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks when handled properly.

For best results:

Always use a clean spoon when scooping to avoid introducing bacteria.
Keep the lid tightly sealed to maintain freshness and prevent absorbing fridge smells.
If you notice any separation, give it a gentle stir.

Homemade sour cream tends to get thicker and tangier as it chills, so the flavour often improves after the first day in the fridge.