Sour Cream Substitute Calculator

How this works

Sour cream is cultured cream, typically 18–20% fat, thickened and tangy from fermentation. Plain full-fat or Greek yogurt is cultured the same way and has a similar tang and thickness, making it the closest all-purpose match, especially in baking where sour cream adds moisture and structure. A milk-and-lemon-juice mixture mimics the tang and slight thickening through curdling, which works in dressings and cooked sauces. Mayonnaise (itself an emulsion of oil and egg) can stand in for sour cream in savory dips and dressings, though it lacks sour cream's tang and isn't suited to baking.

Source: Substitution guidance follows commonly published dairy-substitution charts from U.S. baking and cooking references.