Best Plant-Based Cream UK

Honest review & What’s Actually Worth Buying

This is a personal post based on my own experience. I’m not being paid to promote any brands and everything here reflects my honest findings. I hope it helps anyone navigating Dairy Free Cream.

For the purposes of this post, I’ll be using the term “plant-based cream”. Legally, these products can’t simply be called “cream” because cream is defined as a dairy product. However, they are widely understood to mean non-dairy alternatives used in place of cream.

My History With Cream

I’ve not always been dairy free but before becoming intolerant, I’ve was never a huge fan of cream.  Don’t get me wrong, I’d happily eat it on top of trifles and pavlovas but I’ve always found it rather bland. Growing up I usually chose custard or ice cream with desserts instead. Perhaps it was the slight sourness of cream that I didn’t enjoy.

Cream also rarely featured in meals when I was younger. I was brought up believing cream was too rich and unnecessary in cooking. While living in France I discovered crème fraiche so I often replaced the cream with it in my own cooking.

Finding Non-Dairy Cream Alternatives

Since becoming dairy free in 2016, I then needed to find substitutes for my recipes containing crème fraiche, sour cream and whipped cream. At the time, there was very little choice available and even today there still aren’t as many plant-based cream options on the market as there are plant-based milks.

That said, plant-based creams have improved immensely over the years especially the whippable versions.

My Go To Cream For Savoury Recipes

The plant-based cream I tend to use the most and the one I highly recommend as a substitute for cream in savoury recipes or recipes that call for sour cream is Alpro Single Soya Cream. It works brilliantly in both hot and cold dishes and blends beautifully with other ingredients.

I regularly use it in recipes such as my Truly Yummy Chicken Pesto Pasta and Truly Yummy Creamy Tomato Pasta. It helps loosen the sauce and create a creamier texture replacing the need for crème fraiche.

I also substitute it for sour cream, particularly in my Truly Yummy Potato Salad With Peas, where it lightens the mayonnaise dressing.

It equally works well if you’re looking for an alternative to pouring cream for over berries or crumble.

The Best Plant-Based Cream For Desserts

Although Alpro Single Soya is incredibly versatile, like regular single cream it can’t be whipped. This led me to search for a plant-based cream suitable for desserts such as pavlovas and Eton Mess.

Over the years I’ve tried several options, including Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat and even coconut cream, but recently I discovered The Coconut Collab Double Cream, which has become my favourite dairy free dessert cream.

It’s thick enough to enjoy spooned over berries and meringue without whipping but it works even better whipped and especially in my Truly Yummy Black Forest Pavlova and Truly Yummy Black Forest Eton Mess. Combined with icing sugar and cherry brandy liqueur, it’s genuinely delicious and has even made me enjoy cream.

My only criticism is that it currently only comes in 220ml pots. A larger size option would be fantastic.

Tips For Choosing Plant-Based Cream

• Choose the right cream for the recipe – For savoury dishes, pasta sauces, dressings and recipes that would normally use single cream, crème fraiche or sour cream, I find Alpro Single Soya Cream works brilliantly.
  
  
• Keep a versatile cream for desserts and extra richness – A thicker, whippable plant-based cream like The Coconut Collab Double Cream is perfect for desserts such as pavlovas, Eton Mess and cakes but it also works beautifully swirled into soups and hot dishes for the added richness like that of double cream.
  
  
• Don’t expect every plant-based cream to behave the same – Some creams work better in hot dishes, while others are ideal for desserts and whipping. It often takes a little experimenting to find your favourites.
  
  
• Check both the chilled and free-from aisles – Alpro Single Soya Cream can usually be found in most UK supermarkets but not always in the same place. Some stores stock it in the chilled section, while others keep it in the free-from aisle. I always store mine in the fridge and once opened it lasts for up to five days.
  
  
• Try them in recipes you already love – Using plant-based cream in familiar recipes is one of the easiest way to adjust to the taste and texture differences.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re new to dairy free living or simply looking for better substitutes, I hope my experience helps you find a cream alternative that works for you.

If you found this post helpful, you might also enjoy reading my other substitute posts both gluten free and dairy free, where I share more tips, recommendations and recipes to help make free from cooking simple and delicious.