30 Uses for Creme Fraiche

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If creme fraiche is an ingredient you would like to work with more often, or you have never used it and want to, then this post is for you! I’ll not only show you many uses for creme fraiche, but I’ll give you some recipe ideas to help you use this versatile ingredient, and a few that you may not have thought about!

How To Use Creme Fraiche

I personally love this ingredient! It has many uses in your kitchen, and if you have not tried working with it, I hope you give it a go after reading this post. Creme fraiche is similar in appearance to sour cream or Mexican Crema, but with a higher fat content and a smoother less acidic taste.

Homemade Creme Fraiche

This is so easy to make at home, you may never buy it again! If you want to try making your own, all you need are two simple ingredients and a jar with a tight fitting lid. I even have a post showing you how to make it at home! Check out my post on How to Make Creme Fraiche for all the details.

Where to Buy Creme Fraiche

If creme fraiche is an ingredient you don’t use much, you may be wondering where to find it. Until a few years ago, its availability was limited mostly to gourmet food shops and upscale markets. Now, you can find it in almost any grocery store. I have found that it is usually with the gourmet cheeses rather than in the dairy section.

Comparing Homemade Creme Fraiche To Store Bought

I have found that there is not a huge difference in quality using store bought over homemade creme fraiche, or vice versa. 

However, making your own saves a substantial amount of money over using store bought. The ingredients needed to make creme fraiche yourself are very inexpensive and something you likely already have in your kitchen right now.

Another argument in favor of making creme fraiche rather than buying it is that it is sold in very small quantities, so if you need a fair amount you will end up spending quite a bit of money. Making it means that you can have as much as you need. 

All of that being said, if you unexpectedly find yourself needing creme fraiche but you don’t have any and you don’t have time to make it, this is when store bought really comes in handy. Sometimes convenience wins out in the end and you have to go with the quicker option.

Creme Fraiche Uses

Whether you are looking for some ideas to help you use up creme fraiche if you have only a little left in a container, or some great ideas for using creme fraiche in recipes, I’ve got you covered! Creme fraiche is one of the best kept secrets in any kitchen, and it lends itself to so many applications. Here are a number of ideas to get you started!

Sour Cream Replacement

Did you know you can use creme fraiche as a sub for sour cream pretty much anywhere? Here are a few ideas:

• Substitute for sour cream in cake
• Substitute for sour cream in cheesecake (more on that farther down in the post.)
• Substitute for sour cream in Stroganoff
• Substitute for sour cream in a casserole
• Substitute for sour cream in banana bread
• Sour cream substitute for tacos

Yes, creme fraiche can be used as a sour cream substitute in baking! To use as a substitute for sour cream in a recipe, all you need to do is replace the sour cream for creme fraiche. You would use the same amount of creme fraiche as you would sour cream in the recipe, so there is no need to make any other major changes!

Stirred Into Sauces

It is great in sauces. All that lovely fat in the creme fraiche means no curdling when it boils! It will add a creaminess along with a slight tang. You could add it to the sauce for this delicious Rigatoni Primavera, or add a dollop to the sauce as it cooks for this Chicken With Artichoke Cream Sauce. 

With Salmon

Creme Fraiche and salmon are very good friends indeed. Whether it’s on a sandwich, spooned on top of grilled or baked salmon, or as part of a sauce, these two play nicely together. Stir in some herbs for a sandwich spread, or mix a little salt, pepper, and herbs for a savory topping.

Breakfast

If anything ever belonged on a brunch table, it is creme fraiche. It’s even great with eggs and Roasted Vegetable Breakfast Hash or Zucchini Mushroom Frittata. It is a nice pairing with waffles and pancakes, and this recipe for Vanilla Dutch Baby with Clementine Curd. Or, give these Peanut Butter, Banana, and Oat Muffins a little zing by cutting them in half and adding a spoonful right out of the oven.

Flatbread Topping

Creme fraiche is wonderful on a flatbread or a pizza, like this Vegetable Flatbread with Creme Fraiche. Fresh herbs are stirred right in and spread on top of the flatbread dough, topped with any veggies you like, and baked.

Appetizers and Dips

Creme Fraiche makes a great dip all on its own, with these Air Fryer Pita Chips as your dipper! It is also nice as a sour cream substitute in Artichoke and Fresh Spinach Dip.

Baked Goods and Desserts

Creme Fraiche can be swapped for ingredients like sour cream or buttermilk in cheesecake recipes. I have used it in place of the buttermilk in my recipe for Cheesecake With Blackberry Lavender Swirl and it turns out rather nice. 

Pie and creme fraiche are a lovely combination as well. Add a little granulated white sugar to the creme fraiche, give it a stir, and jazz up that pie! It’s great served with these Rhubarb and Apricot Hand Pies.

Chocolate loves creme fraiche, and what better way to bring them together than adding a scoop of sweetened creme fraiche on top of some Dark Chocolate Orange Cheesecake or Dark Chocolate Goat Cheese Brownies.

You can also serve it on ice cream, or make it part of your ice cream base in an ice cream machine.

Topping For Scones

Toppings such as creme fraiche are almost synonymous with something like freshly baked scones. It’s especially great on these White Chocolate Rosemary Scones with Pear Curd or Classic Pumpkin Scones.

Salad Dressings

Stirring a little creme fraiche into mayonnaise or buttermilk based salad dressings adds a nice touch. But when it’s a dressing tossed with creme fraiche’s best friend the potato in this potato salad? Look out. It’s so good!

With Soups

One of my favorite ways to use creme fraiche is in soups. It provides depth, creaminess, and a little acidity all at the same time. I love it with Cream of Asparagus Soup! As a variation, you could also stir it into Leek and Potato Soup or Easy Red Kuri Squash Soup in place of heavy cream.

I hope this post about the many uses for creme fraiche was helpful and informative.  If you tried any of the various ideas, I’d love to hear about it! Please leave a comment below, or take a picture and tag me @thecoppertable on Instagram. You can also pin to a board on Pinterest or share with your friends on social media! If you have not signed up for my newsletter, you can do that below. I have all sorts of exclusive content just for newsletter subscribers, and I’d love for you to join. Happy Cooking!