Heavy Cream Substitute Calculator

How this works

Heavy cream is roughly 36–40% milk fat, which is what gives it richness in sauces and the stability to hold peaks when whipped. Milk mixed with melted butter approximates that fat percentage closely enough for cooking and baking, but it won't whip because the fat isn't emulsified the same way. Full-fat canned coconut cream, chilled overnight so the fat separates and firms up, is the one dairy-free option that can actually be whipped into stiff peaks.

Source: Ratios follow the standard milk-and-butter substitution published by the USDA's National Agricultural Library food-substitution reference and common test-kitchen guidance.