In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat’s the Difference?What Is Half-and-Half?How to Use itWhat Is Heavy Cream?How to Use itNutrition FactsAre They Interchangeable?FAQs
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What’s the Difference?
What Is Half-and-Half?
How to Use it
What Is Heavy Cream?
Nutrition Facts
Are They Interchangeable?
FAQs
Close
Photo: Getty Images
The refrigerated dairy aisle seems to get more and more complex. But despite the many choices we have, there are certain products that simply have no substitute. Ones with many imitators but no duplicators; items so simply, perfectly and precisely made that single-digit percentages change their entire essence.
In that category: heavy cream and half-and-half.
The liquids we’re diving into may be opaque, but we’re determined to make the differences clear.
What’s the Biggest Difference Between Heavy Cream and Half-and-Half?
To answer this, it comes down to chewing the fat … about the fat in these dairy products. “By definition, the difference between half-and-half and heavy cream is the amount of milk fat,” saysElizabeth Huggins, lead RDN at Hilton Head Health, a wellness resort in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
While both can come in several varieties, it’s the percentage of fat content that determines what the dairy product can be labeled as. According to the Department of Agriculture, milk fat can comprise a range of 10.5% to 18% of half-and-half (not 50%, as you might think from the “half” name). Heavy cream has a milk fat content of at least 36%.
Half-and-half is made of equal parts of whole milk and heavy cream. This proportion is what gives it its name. So it has a thicker, richer mouthfeel than milk, which is why it’s not typically sipped on its own like a beverage but rather used to accentuate other foods, including your daily coffee.
How to Use Half-and-Half
As a country that loves our brewed coffee with a splash, our morning joe may be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of ways to use half-and-half. However, adding creaminess to coffee isn’t even half of half-and-half’s utility.
As a2 Milk Company CEO Blake Waltrip points out, “Half-and-half is a $1 billion category,” which means folks are using it for far more than adding to their coffee. It can form the foundation of custardy or cream-based sweets such as panna cotta and crème brûlée. It’s also great as a background player for enriching egg dishes, likequiche, and in satisfying homey sides likecreamed spinach. Or use it to give body tosoupandpasta sauce.
However, in any situation where half-and-half is being added to something hot, watch out. “Higher temperatures will cause half-and-half to separate and curdle, so it’s best to use it with lower heat or to use it as a last ingredient prior to serving,” Huggins cautions. For the best results, gradually add a little hot liquid to your half-and-half to slowly bring up the temperature of the half-and-half before mixing it into your main dish.
As we mentioned before, the devil’s in the details. Or in this case, the fat content. “Heavy cream is made from collecting the milk fat that separates and floats to the top of fresh milk before it’s homogenized,” Huggins explains. For this type of cream, there is no maximum, but it does have to contain at least 36% milk fat.
How to Use Heavy Cream
Heavy cream is a no-brainer for most desserts, whether you choose towhipit or not. It’s the dairy product you want to use to make your own ice cream, enrich sauces or even add to cocktails.
Heavy cream can also add richness and flavor to hot dishes without risking curdling. There’s no shortage ofways to use heavy cream in your cooking, including soups, cream sauces, creamed veggies, casseroles, soups and more.
Nutrition Information for Half-and-Half vs. Heavy Cream
Per the USDA, a standard 1-ounce (2-tablespoon) serving contains:
Can I Use Half-and-Half and Heavy Cream Interchangeably?
Yes and no. Huggins says, “For some recipes, such as with macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and casseroles, you can use half-and-half and heavy cream interchangeably.” Other applications that allow for an equal substitution include custard and custard-based fillings, as a finishing drizzle for soups, or using it in uncooked sauces or those cooked over low heat. It’s worth noting that the flavor will not be as rich, but in many instances you may not notice.
However, one instance where half-and-half cannot be substituted for heavy cream is when making whipped cream. That’s because it doesn’t contain enough fat, and the homogenization process for half-and-half makes the globules of existing fat too small to bind together properly.
To turn heavy cream into half-and-half, you can mix equal parts of whole milk and heavy cream.
The Bottom Line
Frequently Asked QuestionsYou can typically replace heavy cream with half-and-half, but you’ll increase the calories and fat of the recipe you’re making.While the flavor of half-and-half and heavy cream is similar, half-and-half doesn’t have as rich of a mouthfeel as heavy cream does.Unfortunately, you can’t. Not only is there not enough fat in half-and-half to stabilize it for whipping, but the homogenization process makes the fat globules smaller, also preventing it from whipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can typically replace heavy cream with half-and-half, but you’ll increase the calories and fat of the recipe you’re making.
While the flavor of half-and-half and heavy cream is similar, half-and-half doesn’t have as rich of a mouthfeel as heavy cream does.
Unfortunately, you can’t. Not only is there not enough fat in half-and-half to stabilize it for whipping, but the homogenization process makes the fat globules smaller, also preventing it from whipping.
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The Difference Between Heavy Cream, Whipping Cream and Heavy Whipping Cream, Explained
Blue Cheese vs. Gorgonzola: What’s the Difference?
Baking Substitutions You Probably Already Have in Your Kitchen
Russets vs. Red vs. Yukon Gold Potatoes: What’s the Difference?
How to Cut a Peach
American vs. English Cucumbers: What’s the Difference?
4 secrets to the best homemade ice cream (without the heavy cream)
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White Pepper vs. Black Pepper: What’s the Difference?Stock vs. Broth: What’s the Difference?Iceberg Lettuce vs. Romaine Lettuce: What’s the Difference?Liquid Aminos vs. Soy Sauce: What’s the Difference?What Is Crème Fraîche?6 ingredients you don’t really need to buyTamari vs. Soy Sauce: What’s the Difference?6 Ways to Turn Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi Into a Mouthwatering Dinner
White Pepper vs. Black Pepper: What’s the Difference?
Stock vs. Broth: What’s the Difference?
Iceberg Lettuce vs. Romaine Lettuce: What’s the Difference?
Liquid Aminos vs. Soy Sauce: What’s the Difference?
What Is Crème Fraîche?
6 ingredients you don’t really need to buy
Tamari vs. Soy Sauce: What’s the Difference?
6 Ways to Turn Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi Into a Mouthwatering Dinner
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