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Best Half-and-Half Substitutes

Half-and-half is literally half whole milk, half light cream (10 to 18% fat). That makes it the easiest dairy product to fake · you're just rebuilding a fat percentage, and there are three pantry routes to get there.

The substitutes, with ratios

Whole milk + heavy cream (½ cup milk + ½ cup cream = 1 cup)

Best for: Everything · coffee, soups, sauces, baking

Slightly richer than store-bought. For an exact match use ¾ cup milk + ¼ cup cream.

Whole milk + melted butter (1 cup milk + 1 tbsp melted butter)

Best for: Cooking and baking

Whisk while pouring in the butter so it emulsifies instead of floating.

Evaporated milk (1:1)

Best for: Shelf-stable backup · soups, casseroles, coffee

Slightly caramelized flavor from the canning process.

Oat milk + coconut cream (¾ cup unsweetened oat milk + ¼ cup coconut cream)

Best for: Dairy-free coffee, chowders, and cream sauces

Or use a store-bought oat creamer 1:1.

Watch out

None of these whip · whipping needs 30%+ fat, so for topping desserts you want the heavy cream guide instead. In hot, acidic dishes like tomato soup, the milk + butter version curdles more easily than real half-and-half: temper it in off the heat.

Adapt a recipe free with RecipeFix → · Dairy-Free Recipe Converter

Frequently asked questions

Can I use milk instead of half-and-half?

Yes · add fat back. Stir 1 tablespoon of melted butter into 1 cup of whole milk. Straight milk works in most recipes too, just noticeably less rich and more prone to curdling in acidic soups.

What's the best dairy-free half-and-half?

Mix ¾ cup unsweetened oat milk with ¼ cup coconut cream, or buy an oat creamer. Oat milk's body is the closest plant match, and the coconut cream brings the fat percentage up to half-and-half territory.

Related guides: Heavy Cream · Milk · Sour Cream · All guides