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“Heavy cream is one of those things that is always in my fridge,” writes cookbook author Stacey Ballis. “It’s the perfect way to smooth out a sauce, add a creamy texture to a dessert, and is essential for creamy soups, unbeatable mashed potatoes, decadent cocktails, and so many other delicious recipes.”
While heavy cream has a longer fridge life than other kinds of dairy milk — all that delicious fat is a preservative, after all — once opened, you’re still working against the clock to use it before it goes bad. The most opulent, and busy, among us (read: me) may opt for particularly rich, creamy cups of tea or coffee until the carton goes dry. But for those more ambitious (or who take their caffeinated beverages black), we collected some of our favorite recipes for this precise purpose.
Please note that, since a common carton size for heavy cream is a pint, these recipes require only 1 cup of heavy cream or less — half of a pint. If you still find yourself slightly short, you can make up the difference with a heavy cream substitute such as crème fraîche or whole milk with a bit of melted butter.
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Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara
Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell
The most traditional versions of carbonara do not include cream, but Atlanta-based restaurateur and cookbook author Anne Quatrano ups the richness here. She tosses just-cooked spaghetti in rendered pancetta fat and a creamy, eggy sauce that’s loosened with pasta cooking water. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Green Curry Lobster Stew with Sweet Potato and Mushrooms
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
The chefs behind Portland, Maine’s beloved Eventide Oyster Co. know that, at the end of the day, Maine cooking is a lot about lobsters. “Lobster stew is one of the pillars of Maine cooking,” say Mike Wiley and Andrew Taylor. This version, inspired by the flavors of tom kha, enrich it with both heavy cream and coconut milk (and fish sauces besides). This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars
Baker and cookbook author Sarah Kieffer confesses that pumpkin pie isn’t usually her first choice. “In all honesty I will always take a slice of anything else over it, especially if cheesecake is an option. But pumpkin pie swirled into cheesecake? I will never say no.” These bars deliver on that dream, combining tangy swirls of cream cheese marbled with spiced pumpkin pie filling. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Luscious Tandoori Lamb Chops
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg Dupree / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling
Chef Suvir Saran shares a recipe inspired by the Mughal cuisine found in the Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque) area of Delhi. In particular, he translates the heaps of spices and long creamy marinades found in the century-old restaurant Karim’s to American homes, where lamb chops can be grilled rather than cooked in a searing tandoor. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
Honey Mustard Beer Cheese Fondue
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Keoshia McGhee
A real melting pot, this American take on the Swiss delicacy combines a bottle of Pilsner with honey mustard and lots of cheese. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
Fluffy Pancakes with Masa Harina, Strawberries, and Cream
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
2023 F&W Best New Chef Emmanuel Chavez finds good reason to add corn throughout the menu of his Houston-based restauraunt Tatemó. (After all, he nixtamalizes 80 pounds of masa a week there.) For his pancakes, he combines equal parts masa harina and all-purpose wheat flour. This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of heavy cream, which becomes the whipped cloud Chavez further piles with macerated strawberries.
Hungarian Mushroom Soup
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
This hearty soup gets its flavor from roughly 13 cups of dried and fresh mushrooms, plus Hungarian sweet paprika, dill, and other aromatics. Don’t forget the dairy! This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
Tiramisu Sundae
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
A mascarpone-infused whipped cream helps replicate the flavor profile of tiramisu in sundae format. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
King Ranch Casserole
Alex Lau / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox
This Tex-Mex casserole combines tortillas, shredded rotisserie chicken, melty cheese, tomatoes with green chile, avocados, cilantro, sour cream, as well as crunchy salsa macha verde. This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of heavy cream and can be prepared in part ahead of time.
Oatmeal Cream Pies
Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Chicago pastry chef Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader combines molasses, oats, and bits of toffee in chewy cookies that sandwich a light, creamy, vanilla-scented filling. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
Creamy Tuscan Lobster Pasta
Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelesa Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Luscious cream, fragrant garlic, nutty Parmesan, butter, and sun-dried tomatoes make up this silky and rich pasta sauce. Four shell-on lobster-tails take the dish over the top in the best way. This recipe calls for 1 cup of heavy cream.
Baby Peas with Bacon and Crispy Leeks
Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Charlie Worthington / Prop Styling by Natalie Ghazali
Fried leeks and flecks of bacon top this dish of creamy peas. A cornstarch slurry added toward the end of cooking helps thicken the liquid, yielding a glossy and rich sauce. This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of heavy cream.
Georgia Peach Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream
Cara Cormack
Leftover heavy cream shines as a garnish: this dessert’s Bourbon Whipped Cream. Made with Kentucky bourbon, sugar, and vanilla extract, it matches the flavor profile of the peach pie like nothing else. You can always swap it out for vanilla ice cream, but that’s not quite as fun. (Alternatively, you can swap out the pie for something else on which to put the whipped cream.) This recipe calls for 1 cup of heavy cream.
Mushroom Flatbread with White Miso
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Topped with oven-roasted mushrooms and a miso-cream sauce, store-bought flatbread makes this party-friendly appetizer easy to pull off. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Tarte Tropézienne (Brioche Cake with Pastry Cream)
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Named (by Bridgitte Bardot no less) after its place of origin, this cake looks deceptively casual. In fact, the rich brioche, velvety vanilla pastry cream, and crunchy pearl sugar top reward those who plan — and make — ahead. Summon up your own cinematic Saint-Tropez summer with this crowd-pleaser. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
Salmon with New Potatoes, Spinach, and Cider Cream
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
Galway-based chef Jp McMahon boils down cider then adds a bit of cream to serve over golden-brown potatoes, vibrant spinach, and crisp-skinned salmon in this weeknight-friendly but weekend-looking meal. This recipe calls for 1 cup of heavy cream.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
Caramelized mushrooms and a splash of sherry make this rich, woodsy soup worth it. Cook down 9 cups of cremini and shiitake mushrooms before adding broth and herbs and blending; the cream is stirred in at the end. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Creamy Ramp Pasta with Asparagus
Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel
This spring pasta highlights the brief garlicky glory of ramp season, balancing a sharp nutty pesto out with rich cream and a generous spread of fresh ricotta on the serving plates. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Sour Cream–Vanilla Birthday Cake with Chocolate-Orange Frosting
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Pastry chef and writer Ruby Tandoh shares a rich, orange-scented cake whose complex flavors belie its one-bowl batter simplicity. The addition of sour cream to that batter lends extra moisture and tenderness, as well as a hint of tang. This recipe calls for 2/3 cup of heavy cream.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food styling by Sally McKay / Prop styling by Christina Daley
A splash of cream and a few tablespoons of white miso up the creamy and umami factors in this surprisingly quick-to-make chicken noodle soup. (It’s ready in just 25 minutes.) This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Salted Watermelon Ice Cream
Watermelon juice, salt, sugar, and lime zest taste like the best parts of a hot summer day, and those flavors are locked into a creamy base in this easy soft serve recipe. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Creamy Tomato Rigatoni
Julia Hartbeck
Sommelier Derrick C. Westbrook of Chicago’s 1340 Beer Wine Spirits dreamed up this pasta dish, which he says makes an ideal pairing for wine. “I still love creamy tomato sauce on short pasta, paired with juicy, fresh red wines like Zweigelt or unoaked Cabernet Franc that offer just a touch of funk and medium acidity.” This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Lemony Layered Cheesecake
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
This icebox cake from Justin Chapple is all about assembly — not baking. Combine mascarpone with heavy cream, then fold in bright lemon curd before arranging layers of graham crackers and the lemon cream in a loaf pan. Don’t forget to pile it high with blueberries. This recipe calls for 1 cup of heavy cream.
Spinach and Goat Cheese Quiche
Food & Wine / Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Chef Christophe Côte of Le Beef Lodge in the French Alps prepares this classic quiche with a whole pound of spinach, which cooks down rapidly. (Remember to squeeze the spinach dry before adding it to the pastry shell.) This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Cream of Onion Soup
Chris Simpson / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
Roasted garlic and onions are blended with chicken stock, heavy cream, and a generous portion of butter. Don’t forget the splash of wine on the baking sheet toward the end of roasting or the grated Parmesan cheese to finish. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Thanksgiving Leftovers Pie
Food & Wine / Photo by Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek
A near-effortless upgrade to Thanksgiving leftovers, this dish requires only that you arrange your existing ingredients in a baking dish. Layer mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey, vegetables, cream, and cranberry sauce, then seal with puff pastry and bake until golden brown. If you’ve eaten a Thanksgiving meal, you already know these make for a great combination. This recipe calls for 3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons of heavy cream.
Melted Ice Cream Cake
Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelesa Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
In her cookbook Malai: Frozen Desserts Inspired by South Asian Flavors, ice cream impresario Pooja Bavishi references when melted ice cream cake was popular on social media. This recipe is the result of her own fine tuning, with heavy cream added to the icing and whipped cream to top. This recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of heavy cream for the icing. Whipped cream can be made (or bought) as desired.
Fettuccine Alfredo with Asparagus
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
A one-pot dish designed for weeknights, this creamy pasta stars vibrant asparagus, which conveniently cooks in the same water as the pasta. This recipe calls for 1 cup of heavy cream.
Bourbon-Pecan-Apple Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
This bourbon-infused and cinnamon whipped cream–topped treat means no one has to choose between a slice of apple or pecan pie at Thanksgiving. James Beard Award–winning chef and cookbook author Alexander Smalls likes to use Fuji apples, which retain their texture while becoming pleasantly soft. This recipe calls for 1 cup of heavy cream.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip Potato Crust Quiche
Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Stylist by Josh Hoggle
This quiche brings spinach and artichoke dip to the brunch table. The tangy custard-like filling, chock full of baby spinach and jarred artichoke hearts, is encased in a crisp potato crust. Let it rest to allow the filling to fully set. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Homemade Butter
Shutterstock
Cookbook author Stacey Ballis makes the case for homemade butter: It’s easy! It’s fresh. And it’s endlessly adaptable, especially for compound butter. While you can make butter with a hand mixer or food processor, a stand mixer reigns supreme. This recipe calls for 2 cups of heavy cream and can be scaled up or down.
King Cake
Alex Lau / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
The monarch of Mardi Gras baking, king cakes are ubiquitous in New Orleans once Carnival season begins. But sans traditional Mardi Gras colors (here represented by gold, purple, and green sprinkles), you can get away with making this tender, cinnamon-y cake any time of year. Chef Melissa M. Martin take on the traditional sweet was inspired by version her mother made. This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
Molly McArdle
2025-09-29 12:27:00