How to make a quick and easy half and half substitute with what you have in your fridge.
Half and half is a common enough ingredient in recipes but not something everyone keeps stocked all the time. If you come across a recipe that calls for it, but don’t have any in your fridge, not a problem.
There are a few half and half substitutions you can use in a pinch.
What is Half and Half?
Half and half is a light cream sold in the US with a milk fat content of 10.5–18%. For comparison, whole milk has 3.5% milk fat while whipping cream has a 30–36% milk fat content and heavy (whipping) cream has 36%+ milk fat.
It’s typically used in recipes where you want to add some creaminess without the heaviness and calories of heavy cream.
How to Make Half and Half Substitutes
There are a few different ways to make half and half at home, but here are three of the most practical and common solutions.
The Easy Substitute
1/2 cup heavy cream* + 1/2 cup milk (any percent)
The easiest way to substitute for half and half is just to mix equal parts milk and cream. It will have a slightly higher fat content than true half and half (15-19.75%) so will yield somewhat richer results, but sometimes that’s just extra delicious.
Best for: Coffee and baking and cooking recipes where you don’t mind extra richness and you’re not worried about exactly accurate fat content and nutritional information.
*I’m using whipping cream and heavy whipping cream interchangeably here. While there is a small difference in milk fat (between about 1% to 6%), either will work just fine to make a half and half replacement.
The Accurate Substitute
3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream OR 2/3 cup nonfat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream
This gives you a half and half substitute in the 10-11.5% range, making it a near-perfect replacement for actual half and half.
Best for: Coffee and recipes where you want that true creamy-but-not-to-rich half and half experience.
The No-cream Substitute
2 tablespoons melted butter + 1 scant cup of milk (preferably whole)
To make a half and half substitute without heavy cream, combine butter (salted or unsalted is fine) and scant 1 cup of milk. Add melted butter to a 1-cup measuring cup and fill it the rest of the way with milk. If using whole milk, this will put you at about 13% milk fat. It won’t taste quite like half and half but will yield richer and creamier results than just milk.
Best for: Pastas and cooking dishes where half and half is not the main ingredient. Should work fine in most baking recipes.
Recipes Using Half and Half
- Chicken and Broccoli Orzo
- Quick and Easy Fettuccine Alfredo for One
- Easy Chicken in Cream Sauce for Two
- Easy Creamy Chicken Pasta With Bell Peppers
Ingredients
Easy Half & Half Substitute
- ▢ 1/2 cup heavy cream
- ▢ 1/2 cup milk any percentage
Most Accurate Half & Half Substitute (With Whole Milk)
- ▢ 3/4 cup whole milk
- ▢ 1/4 cup heavy cream
Most Accurate Half & Half Substitute (With Non-fat Milk)
- ▢ 2/3 cup non-fat milk
- ▢ 1/3 cup heavy cream
Half & Half Substitute Without Heavy Cream
- ▢ 2 tablespoons melted butter
- ▢ 1 scant cup milk any percentage
Instructions
- Combine ingredients and use as you would half and half from a carton.
Notes
This small-batch Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is silky smooth, deeply chocolatey, and incredibly decadent. It’s pretty much the best thing you’ll ever spread onto a cupcake.
I have another small-batch frosting recipe for you today, and this one is one of my favorites. This Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is SO creamy and SO spectacularly good, good luck not just sitting there and eating it with a spoon (that’s what I like to do 😉).
And the best part is that it’s just as easy to make as a classic American chocolate buttercream but with the added smoothness and tang of cream cheese.
Recipe Yield
This recipe will make about 1 cup of frosting depending on how much air you whip into it. It will frost (about):
- 4 to 6 cupcakes with a piping bag
- 8 cookies
- 1 single-layer 6-inch or 7×5-inch cake or brownies (top and sides)
- 1 8-inch cake (thin layer over top only)
*If you want to use this frosting to frost a 6-inch 2-layer cake, double the recipe.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- Cream cheese: You’ll want to use full-fat cream cheese here for the best results. Philadelphia cream cheese is my go-to cream cheese for desserts.
- Butter: I call for salted butter here since it’s what most people have on hand, but if you have unsalted, you can use that and just add a generous pinch of salt.
- Vanilla extract: Even though this is a chocolate frosting, a little vanilla extract helps add depth to the chocolate flavor.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar adds sweetness AND structure to this frosting. If you’re someone who likes to cut the sugar in recipes, don’t try and cut too much sugar from this frosting or it will be too runny.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Even though we’re using just 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, it gives the frosting a deep and dreamy chocolate flavor.
- Milk: If you need a thinner, smoother frosting, you can add just a bit of milk after everything has been mixed.
How to Make the Best Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (Tips & Tricks)
- Start with softened (but not warm and greasy) cream cheese and butter. Starting with fats that are the correct temperature (about 65°-70°) is essential to this frosting recipe. Too cold and you’re going to end up with little lumps of cream cheese and butter in your frosting. Too warm and the frosting will be greasy. You want your cream cheese to be easily spreadable and you should be able to press an indentation into the butter with your finger while the butter around it holds its shape.
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together until there are no individual streaks or lumps of either remaining. If the cream cheese and butter aren’t mixing together nicely, they’re too cold. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes more and then try again. If you mix the rest of the ingredients in while the fats still have lumps, you’ll have lumps in your final frosting that you won’t be able to get rid of.
- Beat in vanilla and then your sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder. You can mix this frosting by hand, but it’s a lot of work. I recommend a handheld electric mixer. Be sure to start on low and work your way up to medium-high so you don’t end up with a cloud of sugar and cocoa powder when you start.
- Adjust for desired texture. Once your frosting is smooth and creamy and looks like frosting, you can adjust the texture depending on what you need. For a stiffer frosting, add a bit more powdered sugar. For a thinner more spreadable frosting, add just a bit of milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time.
A note on sifting: Both powdered sugar and cocoa powder tend to be lumpy ingredients. Sifting removes all those lumps and ensures that you end up with a completely silky smooth, lump-free frosting.
If you have a large flexible plastic cutting board ( like these ), using one can speed up your sifting time and create less mess. Sift your powdered sugar and cocoa powder over the larger cutting board surface and then pick up the cutting board and funnel the sugar/cocoa powder into your bowl.
When using this frosting to frost a 2-layer 6-inch cake, double the recipe.
Where to Use This Frosting
Chocolate cream cheese frosting is delicious on almost anything, but here are a few recipes to get you started:
- Small-batch Vanilla Cupcakes
- Small-batch Chocolate Cupcakes
- Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Small-batch Brownies
- Small Banana Layer Cake (double the frosting recipe)
Does cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Cream cheese frostings and desserts topped with them should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Can you freeze chocolate frosting?
Yes! American buttercreams like this freeze really well. Store your frosting in a freezer bag and it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. Allow to come to room temperature on the counter before using.
Can you make this frosting in advance and store it in the refrigerator?
Yes. You can store this frosting covered in the refrigerator for about 48 hours, but the frosting is extremely firm cold, so you’ll need to let it come to room temperature on the counter before using.
More Small-batch Frosting Recipes
- Van illa Frosting
- Chocolate Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cookie Dough Frosting
- Strawberry Frosting
- Oreo Frosting
To double or triple the frosting recipe, hover over the serving size or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
Equipment
- Handheld electric mixer
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 ounces cream cheese softened
- ▢ 4 tablespoons (57g) salted butter softened
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢ 1 1/4 cups ( 150g ) powdered sugar sifted
- ▢ 2 tablespoons ( 10g ) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- ▢ 2 teaspoons milk as needed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and butter. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat until well-combined and there are no individual streaks of cream cheese or butter remaining.
- Add vanilla and mix well.
- Add sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat, starting on low, working up to medium-high, until frosting is smooth and creamy.
- If necessary, add a little milk by the half teaspoon until frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Notes
The Best Dutch Apple Pie: Sweet and tart apples piled with crunchy, crumbly brown sugar cinnamon topping and baked into a flaky pie crust. It’s a total show-stopper AND incredibly easy to make.
Looking for something extra sweet to add to your holiday dessert table? I have just the pie for you: Dutch Apple Pie.
This is one of my absolute favorite pies, and I highly recommend you give it a try sometime. It’s a perfect dessert-to-impress for guests and even better if you just want to really treat yourself (because then you don’t have to share). 😉
What is Dutch Apple Pie?
Dutch apple pie is classic apple pie, spiced apples baked in a flaky pie crust, but with a sweet and crunchy streusel over the top.
The difference between Apple Pie and Dutch Apple Pie is the streusel topping. Where you make apple pie with a double crust, crust on the top and bottom, you only need the bottom crust for a Dutch apple pie. Instead of crust on top, the topping on Dutch apple pie is a crumbly mix of butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon that bakes up crumbly and crunchy.
Ingredients
- Pie Crust: Use your favorite 9-inch pie crust recipe here. If you don’t have a go-to crust recipe, give my favorite Buttermilk Pie Crust a try. It’s foolproof and as one reader recently commented, “is a dream to work with.” (Also it just tastes really good and is SO flaky.)
- Baking staples: This pie is made with mostly baking staples, so if you have enough apples, you probably have all the rest of the ingredients for the pie on hand. You’ll need flour, granulated and brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, salt, and nutmeg.
- Apples: I use and recommend Granny Smith Apples for this pie. They hold up well to baking without becoming mushy, and their tartness offsets the sweetness of the crumble nicely. You can use whatever baking apple you prefer, but a purely sweet apple will make this (already very sweet pie) very, very sweet.
- Butter: You’ll need softened butter for the crumble topping. I like to use salted butter here, but if all you have is unsalted, that will work fine. Just add ⅛ teaspoon of salt to the topping.
A Note on Pie Dough: If you don’t feel like making the crust from scratch, a frozen store-bought crust absolutely works. You still totally get pie-making bragging rights if you use one, and don’t let anyone tell you differently!
How to Make Dutch Apple Pie Topping
- For the crumb topping, we’ll be using cool room temperature butter, flour, brown and granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
- Take all your crumble ingredients, dump them into a large bowl (the bowl in the photos above was actually a little too small for this), and use a fork or clean hands (I always use my hands) to mix until well-mixed and crumbly.
- Put your crumble in the fridge and it’s time to make the filling.
A note on butter temperature: During the cooler months of the year, just set your butter out on the counter to soften an hour or so before you’re ready to get started, but if you’re making this pie during the summer, keep an eye on your butter temperature and don’t let it get too soft.
Butter that’s too warm and melty will be difficult to work with. You should be able to squish an indentation in it with your finger, but the butter should hold it’s shape around it, and should not be at all greasy.
Dutch Apple Pie Filling
- Peel and thinly slice your apples. Then toss your apple slices with lemon juice, brown and granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg, and then layer them into your unbaked pie crust. You don’t need to perfectly stack each slice, but the flatter and more evenly the apples are layered, the less likely you are to have parts of your pie sink during baking.
- Depending on how shallow your 9-inch pie pan is, you may have slightly too many apples (the pie dish in these photos is quite deep so everything sits level). Mound them as high as you like as long as there’s room for the crumble.
- Finally, add the crumble. It will seem like a lot, but the crumble is the best part, so if it fits in the pie pan, use it.
Baking Your Pie
- To avoid drips in your oven, if using a metal pie pan, set your pie on a foil-covered baking sheet. For a glass, pyrex, or ceramic pan, set the sheet on the rack below.
- This pie starts at 425°F to help the bottom crust set quickly (no soggy bottoms here) and then drops to 350°F for the remaining cooking time.
- Keep an eye on your crumble during the initial high-heat cooking time, especially if it’s mounded high, and cover the top with a small piece of foil if any of the sugar begins to burn. Later in the baking process, you can cover the entire top of the pie with foil if the crust or topping is browning too quickly and looks like it might burn.
- The pie is done when it’s bubbly and you can insert a knife into the center and feel that the apples are softened all the way through.
- Cool for at least half an hour then serve with a big scoop of ice cream and enjoy!
Can I make Dutch Apple Pie in advance?
Yes! You can make this pie up to 48 hours ahead of time. Store loosely covered at room temperature. Reheat in the oven to help re-crisp everything.
Does this pie need to be refrigerated? (How to Store Dutch Apple Pie)
No (but also, maybe). If you plan on eating the pie within 2 days, you can store it at room temperature, loosely covered. If it’s going to take longer to eat, store covered in the refrigerator.
Freezing Pie
Freezing a Whole Unbaked Pie: Double wrap your pie tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and if possible a large freezer bag. Store for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter for a couple of hours and then bake according to recipe instructions. (For step by step photos of this process, I really love this article from King Arthur Baking )
Pie dish note: Don’t freeze pies in Pyrex or glass pie dishes because the temperature change of putting cold dishes into a hot oven can cause them to shatter.
Freezing Baked Pie Slices: To freeze baked pie slices, place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or cutting board (that will fit in your freezer). Freeze for 20 to 30 minutes until frozen solid. Wrap slices individually in plastic wrap and then store all together in a freezer bag. Defrost on the counter before reheating in the microwave or oven.
Reheating Dutch Apple Pie
Whole Pie: To reheat a whole pie, bake for 15 to 30 minutes at 325°F. Slice: 10 minutes in the oven at 325°F or about 30 seconds in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- If you’re a fan of Marie Callender’s French Apple Pie, and looking to recreate it, this is not an exact replica, but it’s pretty close to it. It’s not as tooth-curlingly sweet (not a knock, I love their French Apple Pie) and doesn’t mysteriously turn liquid when you reheat it (tell me this has also happened to you!), but it hits all the same sweet spots.
- This pie will drop slightly as it settles and cools. Expect it and don’t be alarmed. This is normal!
- If you would like to substitute apple pie spice for the spices in this recipe, use 1 very lightly heaping teaspoon of apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg.
More Apple Desserts
- Dutch Apple Galette
- Apple Hand Pies
- Apple Pie Bars
- Small Apple Cinnamon Cake
- Apple Crumb Muffins
Ingredients
Crust
- ▢ 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust *
Dutch Apple Pie Topping
- ▢ 1 cup ( 120g ) all-purpose flour
- ▢ ½ cup ( 100g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ ½ cup ( 100g ) lightly packed brown sugar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ▢ ½ cup ( 112g ) salted butter *softened
Pie Filling
- ▢ 7 cups peeled and finely sliced Granny Smith apples about 2½ pounds whole apples
- ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ▢ ¼ cup ( 50g ) granulated sugar
- ▢ ¼ cup ( 50g ) lightly packed brown sugar
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 23g ) all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ Pinch of ground nutmeg
Instructions
Dutch Apple Pie Topping
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a large bowl, combine all topping ingredients and use a fork or clean hands to mix ingredients until well-mixed and crumbles form. Place in the refrigerator.
Filling
- In a large bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, both sugars, flour, cinnamon, salt, and pinch of nutmeg. Toss until well-mixed.
- Layer apples in the prepared pie crust. Slices don’t need to lie completely flat, but the more evenly they’re layered, without any air pockets, the nicer your layers will look when cooked and the less likely your pie is to sink in places.
- If using a shallow pie pan, you may have slightly too many apples. Fill crust until gently mounded.
- Top apples with crumble topping, fitting as much of the crumble into the pan as possible.
- Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. If using a metal pie pan, set your pie on the baking sheet and place on the center rack in the oven. If using a glass, ceramic, or pyrex dish, place your pie on the center rack and the sheet on the bottom rack.
Bake
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on your crumble and tent the top with a small piece of foil if the sugar begins to burn. Turn heat down to 350 °F and bake for 45-55 minutes. Cover the top of the pie with foil if at any time it begins to brown too quickly. The pie is done when you can insert a knife into the center and feel that the apples are cooked through.
- Cool for 30 minutes and enjoy or cool completely and store covered at room temperature. To reheat, bake at 325°F until heated through (20-30 min).
Video
Notes
Recipe Adapted From Spend With Pennies
Half and Half Substitute
Ingredients
Easy Half & Half Substitute
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk any percentage
Most Accurate Half & Half Substitute (With Whole Milk)
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Most Accurate Half & Half Substitute (With Non-fat Milk)
- 2/3 cup non-fat milk
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
Half & Half Substitute Without Heavy Cream
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 scant cup milk any percentage
Instructions
- Combine ingredients and use as you would half and half from a carton.
