Half-and-Half vs. Heavy Cream: What's the Difference?

Despite how hard you might try, you can never turn half-and-half into whipped cream.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

The refrigerated dairy aisle seems to get more and more complex. But however 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.

These two quintessential products are stalwarts of the dairy case, necessities for coffee drinkers, pastry bakers, soup makers and more, with many swearing by one or the other. But what's the difference between heavy cream and half-and-half? Can half-and-half and heavy cream be used interchangeably? And what are the two halves that make half-and-half a whole?

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," says Elizabeth 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%.

What Is Half-and-Half?

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.

You can also find low-fat half-and-half, fat-free half-and-half (which, by USDA definition, isn't actually half-and-half since there's no real cream in it) and plant-based half-and-half. And for those who are lactose-intolerant but prefer the flavor of cow's milk, a2 Milk Company, which made a name for itself by removing the tummy-triggering A1 beta-casein protein from their milk, has half-and-half too.

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, like quiche, and in satisfying homey sides like creamed spinach. Or use it to give body to soup and pasta 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.

What Is Heavy Cream?

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 to whip it or not. It's the dairy product you want to use to make your own ice cream, enrich sauces or even add to cocktails, like this Hot Butterbeer drink!

Heavy cream can also add richness and flavor to hot dishes without risking curdling. There's no shortage of ways 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.

In any other application, you can turn half-and-half into heavy cream by whisking ¼ cup melted unsalted butter into ¾ cup half-and-half.

To turn heavy cream into half-and-half, you can mix equal parts of whole milk and heavy cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I replace heavy cream with half-and-half?

You can typically replace heavy cream with half-and-half, but you'll increase the calories and fat of the recipe you're making.

Does half-and-half taste the same as heavy cream?

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.

Can you use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for whipped cream?

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.

Bottom Line

Half-and-half is made by combining equal parts milk and heavy cream, while heavy cream is made from collecting the milk fat that separates and floats to the top of fresh milk before it's homogenized. Both are used to add creaminess to many recipes, from ice cream to soups. You can substitute one for the other in many applications, but despite how hard you might try, half-and-half can never be whipped into billowy peaks to make whipped cream.