They’re both creamy dairy products, both rich and tangy, yet they go by two different names, and often, two very different price tags. So what the heck is the difference between sour cream and crème fraîche? Turns out, it’s the very same thing that can make cheeses so different from one another: fat content (and crème fraîche has more of it). To read the full explanation, follow the link below to The Kitchn.
Sour cream has a fat content of about 20% and may include ingredients like gelatin, rennin, and vegetable enzymes to stabilize it and make it thicker.
Crème fraîche has a fat content of about 30% and does not contain any added thickeners. Crème fraîche is thicker, has a richer flavor, and is less tangy than sour cream.
Rebecca Haley-Park
Rebecca Haley-Park is culture's former editor and resident stinky cheese cheerleader. A native New Englander, she holds a BFA in creative writing from University of Maine at Farmington.
