Earlier this week I had the privilege of hosting a party for some wonderful bloggers who live in my area. I had always wanted to meet the creators of some of the blogs that I loved reading so I decided to throw a party and invite them! We had such a fun time! I can’t wait to do it again. :-) As part of their “parting gift” at the end of the evening, each of the guests got a pint of Honey Butter Ambrosia and a mini loaf of my Mom’s English Muffin Bread. We had invited close to 70 bloggers, so my daughter Britta, daughter-in-law Kaitlyn and I made LOTS of honey butter & LOTS of english muffin bread!
We might have made a slight miscalculation of how much CREAM we needed for the honey butter however, because we ended up with A LOT leftover. Like a couple of QUARTS leftover. I just couldn’t bear the thought of it going to waste and I knew there was no way I would use up that much cream before it went bad….so….I decided to try something I’d never tried before. FREEZE it.
I don’t know why I’ve never tried freezing cream before, because it makes perfect sense! I even talk about freezing MILK in my post about “31 Things You Can Freeze To Save Time And Money.” But for some reason CREAM never occurred to me. Which is crazy because I never seem to use up all the cream I buy for a recipe before it goes bad. Then the spoiled cream goes right down the drain. What a waste!
I didn’t want to freeze the cream in one big chunk in the carton, because I knew that most of the time I would only need it in smaller quantities. So I utilized one of my silicone molds. I would guesstimate that each mold holds about 1/2 cup.
After I filled the molds I put them in the freezer until they were frozen solid.
I then stacked them in plastic storage bags so they took up less freezer space.
I wasn’t sure how it would hold up after being frozen and then thawed to use again, but I have used it several times now in different things and I haven’t been able to tell any difference!
When you are ready to use the cream, take it out and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
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Make sure you shake it well before using because the butterfat will separate. Use it as is in all your recipes that call for cream or whip it for a dessert topping. If you think it is a bit grainy, just add some powdered sugar and it should take care of the problem.
In case you’re wondering, like I was, you can ALSO freeze cream that is already WHIPPED.
I haven’t personally tried it yet, but from what I’ve read, all you do is whip the cream until it forms peaks, then spoon or pipe dollops onto a plastic-lined baking sheet and freeze. When the dollops are frozen, peel them off the plastic, place in a freezer container or bag and return to the freezer. They’ll keep for a couple of weeks.
When it’s time to serve a dessert that you want to decorate with a cream topping, place dollops on top and let stand about 10 minutes at room temperature. The cream will thaw but will still hold its shape.
Now that we are all armed with this money and time-saving tip, from this day forward there should not be a DROP of cream going down the drain. :-)
What kinds of things do YOU freeze?
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Like so many others, I was under the mistaken impression that I couldn’t freeze heavy cream, and I’ve sadly thrown out my fair share that has gone bad in my fridge. Thank you for this, Jillee!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How long will it last in the freezer?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It will last up to 3 months, Christina.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you so much for this tip. I can’t tell you how much leftover cream I’ve dumped down the drain and it breaks my heart every time. And, like you, I’m not sure why I’ve never thought of this because I used to freeze milk all the time when my kids were little. Now it’s hard to keep it in the house because my teenage boys guzzle it so fast. Thank you again! I’m so grateful for all of your tips!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Very informative – Thanks
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I realize this is ankle post, but I wanted to share that I get the heavy whipping creamwhen the put it on clearance. Last we I was able to get 8ozs for $ 0.39, of course I bought 10 and froze them!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s wonderful news, I waste so much heavy whipping cream it’s sad…I purchase it use just a little & put in fridge to use and it goes bad & I pitch…and this stuff is expensive…..tell us how you freeze it ? I’d rather hear this from a blogger who has done it and it works rather than google it !!! Then maybe it works & maybe it doesn’t…. Thanks for letting us know this ….
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee. What a lovely site, lovely person with great ideas. I want to make the Honey Butter Ambrosia also and will look it up, certainly will make thoughtful gifts. I love bees and use bee pollen in my smoothies for extra “B” boost so! good for you. I have written a book with Bee information and personal experiences with these beautiful creatures in my garden if anyone would like to know. “A Journey into the Soulful Garden” by LM. Taylor. A fun nature book.
I like to freeze a healthy mixture for my lovely 20 year old tabby cat to add to her wet food. It is a yummy vitamin/mineral supplement. I use small cube tray and fill from the blender. Take out one cube and let it defrost then add.
Smoothie for Kitties. OG Chicken broth, pinch of kale, romaine, broccoli, pinch sea salt, nutritional yeast, parmesan cheese, raw or lightly cooked liver a few small pieces and blend. Sometimes I add plain pumpkin also.Thanks for sharing the freezing cream for kitty and me for my coffee. I love to use the organic kind. Thank you and look forward to other helpful advice.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Awesome ! I have always wondered about that…thanks.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I never waste whipping cream—I just beat it till it separates then drain the “buttermilk ” off and put my fresh butter in the fridge. You must add some sugar and a pinch of salt. It depends on how much
35% cream you are using You can taste it and add more . I just add a pinch of each for what I have left over. This can also be used to bake with.
enjoy—–CAT
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How do you think the previously frozen cream would affect homemade ice cream, if at all?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.TIA!
Hi Jillee, Love your site and your Mom’s bread. Got a couple of questions. We are trying to cut back on carbs, would love to make the small loaves. Did you use the multiple mini loaf pan or the individual tinfoil pans and approximately how long did you bake them? Thanks for any info you can give. Pat
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Pat! I used the mini tin foil pans and since they were much smaller they only needed to be cooked about 25 to 30 minutes. Hope this helps! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.No one has mentioned how yummy frozen whipped cream is!! Of course, if it is slightly pre-sweetened. ;)
Great post!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.WOW. I always wondered about this. Thanks so much for this post, one of my worst peeves is having to throw out the last half or quarter container of cream, it is expensive and I love this idea, can’t wait to give it a try. thanks for putting it to the test and sharing. Your blog has become one of my favorites.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.hello, also I would like to add my 2 cents. jillie love your website and all your posts. you can also freeze coffee creamer I usually buy a few at a time when they are on sale. The bottle says DO NOT FREEZE, but I do it all the time and it is still good. I just place it in the fridge to thaw overnight and it is good as new. Love your ideas and recipes and posts.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Am I the only one who doesn’t know how to make homemade sour cream?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ultra pasteurized cream lasts for a couple of months or more. Why not just make ice cream with it instead? That’s the frozen cream I’ll have.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have frozen whipped cream to use as toppings for coffee or hot chocolate. (hint: add some cocoa powder and sugar first! yum!)
Just a note from my experience: my dollops of whipped cream quickly got freezer-burned. So leave them uncovered in your freezer for just as long as it takes for them to get hard, then transfer to an air-tight container.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.*chuckles* What is this “left-over cream” you speak of? Left-over cream… is a concept I absolutely can not relate to whatsoever. ;-D
In this household, any cream sitting around unused for more than a half a day goes directly into making ice cream (well, making ice cream is the primary reason I get cream in the first place).
But hey, it *does* gets frozen so yeah, making ice cream is an AWESOME way to freeze any cream just sitting around innocently in the fridge, minding its own business. Tee hee! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi there! This article couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He always kept preaching about this. I most certainly will forward this information to him. Pretty sure he will have a great read. Many thanks for sharing!
http://www.linuxstorm.org/userinfo.php?uid=17445
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My sister and I put peppermint flavoring in our whipped cream, pipe it in circles the size of our mugs on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets, and then slide it into the deep freeze. once they are good and frozen we pop them into a ziploc in the freezer and they are ready to top the kids hot chocolate and our coffee. You can use whatever extracts and flavorings you want. Sprinkle of cinnamon, some vanilla, maybe orange oil, etc. Get creative with it. YUMMMM!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee,,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Did you know that you can freeze cough drops? You know how cough drops, after a time, gets soft and gooey. This prevents it. When I get a good sale on them, I buy them and put them in the freezer.
Sue
I remembered looking at the Ambrosia when it was first posted here. So went back to look at it again. Wondering why there’s sugar in it. Why not just use more honey in stead of sugar?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It’s probably for a combination of two reasons: one, sugar behaves differently than honey since it’s a solid at room temp (unlike honey), so it probably helps give some thickness and stability to the final butter. And two, sugar doesn’t have the strong flavor profile that honey does, so the combination would create a milder flavor. I bet this would be awesome with brown sugar instead of white sugar, too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for this article on freezing whipping cream. I use a lot during strawberry time :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.and cream doesn’t last long around here – I just don’t know where it goes to…
I freeze homemade soup this way. I make a potful, and since there’s only 2 of us, there’s lots to freeze. So easy to pop a block of soup into a soup mug and microwave!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee, I learned from my mother-out-law about freezing milk and cream years ago, but I’d never thought about freezing whipped cream until this post. Thanks!
I like to freeze fresh lemon juice and chicken broth; they’re both things that I often seem to need just a little of. I pour the desired amounts into ice cube trays or muffin tins and freeze them. Then I put the frozen pieces in freezer bags, remove as much air as possible, and return them to he freezer. It’s great to be able to grab a couple of “broth cubes” or “juice cubes” for a recipe.
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