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This thin and slightly tangy Mexican crema adds the perfect touch of creamy richness to any Mexican dish. Drizzle it on tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, and anything spicy to tone down the heat!
I didn’t realize how easy it was to make homemade Mexican crema until I tried it, now it’s always stocked in my fridge! If you’re looking for the ultimate finishing touch to add to any Mexican dish, a drizzle of Mexican crema will do the trick. Most people are familiar with crema’s American cousin, sour cream. If you’ve never tried the real deal crema Mexicana, then get ready because you are in for a treat!
This Mexican crema recipe uses only 4 easy ingredients and is the ultimate hands-off recipe. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Use it on almost any recipe: This Mexican crema has a very smooth and mild taste that won’t overpower your dish, making it a great pairing for so many recipes. Need a sauce? Dish came out too spicy? Want some creaminess and flavor? Mexican crema is a great answer!
- It’s easy and no-fuss: Making your own crema is SO easy. Just mix the heavy cream and buttermilk and let it come together on its own. Once it’s slightly fermented the next day, mix in lime juice and salt and it’s ready!
What Is Mexican Crema?
Mexican crema is a Mexican-style sour cream. It’s the perfect mix of tanginess and creaminess with a slight sweetness. It’s often used as a finishing touch on top of popular Mexican dishes like red chilaquiles, chicken taquitos, and any of my enchilada recipes. In addition to adding great flavor, it also helps tone down the heat and spiciness of chiles used in Mexican cuisine.
You can find it in most grocery stores, but making your own is so easy and requires minimal ingredients.
Mexican Crema vs Sour Cream
While Mexican crema and sour cream are similar, they do have some key differences:
- Taste: Mexican crema has a slightly sweeter taste than sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. It still has a little tanginess but is not fermented as long as sour cream giving it a milder flavor.
- Texture: Mexican crema is much more pourable than sour cream and has a thinner consistency. It’s also much smoother and richer.
- Fat content: Sour cream has a lower fat content of about 20%, whereas Mexican crema has a fat content of about 30%.
What’s a Good Substitute for Mexican Crema?
A good substitute for Mexican crema is crème fraîche. You can use it as is or mix it together with a bit of lime juice to get it to a thinner consistency that resembles crema.
Ingredients in Mexican Crema
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream is the base of the Mexican crema, making it creamy and slightly sweet but with a thinner consistency. It’s great for pouring and drizzling over food.
- Buttermilk: This is what gives the crema a tanginess and adds some acidity to help the crema slightly ferment.
- Lime juice: This is added at the end for some flavor and to give it its signature taste. I recommend using fresh lime juice since it’s not as sour, but you can use store-bought bottled lime juice if that’s all you have.
- Fine salt: Salt brings all the flavors together. I recommend using fine salt since it dissolves easier and doesn’t leave big flakes like kosher or sea salt.
How to Make Mexican Crema
Mix the heavy cream and buttermilk together in a glass jar or bowl. Cover tightly with the lid or plastic wrap.
Rest the buttermilk and heavy cream mixture at room temperature for 12 hours or in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Add the lime juice and salt and whisk with a fork until well combined. Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to use.
Recipe Tips
- Resting time. I left out the heavy cream and buttermilk mixture on the counter at room temperature for 12 hours before mixing salt and lime juice. You can also allow the crema to rest in the fridge for 24 hours to allow it to thicken.
- Thickening texture. As the crema sits in the fridge after preparing, it can continue to thicken. To thin it out before serving, you can add a splash of lime juice or buttermilk and whisk with a fork until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Add some spice. Make a chili lime crema by adding 1 teaspoon of chili powder when mixing in the lime juice and salt.
- Add some heat. Make it spicy by adding 1 teaspoon of chipotle powder or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Serving Suggestions
Instead of asking what can I serve with Mexican crema, a better question is what can’t you serve with Mexican crema? It pairs well with so many delicious recipes and adds a creamy and tangy flavor. Here are some ideas:
- Drizzle a generous amount on top of rich recipes like fried quesadillas, authentic cheese enchiladas or chicken enchiladas.
- Serve on top of flautas or carne asada tacos.
- Add creaminess to black bean soup or chicken enchilada soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mexican crema is made of 4 ingredients: heavy cream, buttermilk, lime juice, and salt.
The best substitute for Mexican crema is crème fraîche. You can use it on its own or mix in a little lime juice to thin it out and give it a texture closer to crema.
Mexican crema is richer and less tangy than sour cream, with a thinner consistency, making it easier to drizzle. Sour cream is thicker and has a more pronounced tangy flavor.
Yes, Mexican crema contains milk from both heavy cream and buttermilk.
Homemade Mexican crema can be stored in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
More Mexican Sauces and Condiments
If you tried this Mexican Crema Recipe or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget to 🌟 rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing about your experience making it!
Mexican Crema
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Add the heavy cream and buttermilk to a small bowl or glass jar. Stir together to combine.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and let sit in a warm spot for 12 to 24 hours*.
- Add the lime juice and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Serve immediately or cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Resting time. I left out the heavy cream and buttermilk mixture on the counter at room temperature for 12 hours before mixing salt and lime juice. You can also allow the crema to rest in the fridge for 24 hours to allow it to thicken.
- Thickening texture. As the crema sits in the fridge after preparing, it can continue to thicken. To thin it out before serving, you can add a splash of lime juice or buttermilk and whisk with a fork until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Add some spice. Make a chili lime crema by adding 1 teaspoon of chili powder when mixing in the lime juice and salt.
- Add some heat. Make it spicy by adding 1 teaspoon of chipotle powder or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in January 2020 and has been updated with new photos and more helpful tips.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
Not sure if I did something wrong but it pretty much had the same consistency & flavor of just cream after a day of sitting. Nothing wrong with it but it is not what I thought it would be.
This works for me every time and makes a delicious. I use an unhomogenized, grass fed cream from Sky Top Organics and Kate’s Creamery buttermilk.
Can you substitute full fat, kefir instead of buttermilk?
Hi Lynn! Yes, you can!
How long can the crema last after mixing? Proper storage?
Hi Kathy! I would suggest storing it in an airtight container and then store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Hi Isabel. Can you make Crema using UHT Cream? I think it will work as I often just add a little lime juice to this cream and it thickens instantly when I need something a la Crema style in a hurry. I have made Crema before from your recipe but used fresh cream and substituted home made yoghurt for the buttermilk.
Hi Jennifer! Yes I think it’ll work! Let us know how it turns out!
Just made some today, will keep posted how it came out
I was hoping this was a good tasting recipe but I was very disappointed on how watery it turned out. Plus the flavor was off and did not tasted like the cremas I tried in Mexico even though I follow your recipe to a T.
Hello Cecy. Thank you for your feedback. We will take it into consideration when moving forward.
I made this and it was AMAZING! I will never use sour cream again! It thickened beautifully in 24 hours.
But now I’m trying to make more and it won’t thicken this time. It was watery and smelled sour after 24 hours. I’m trying again and still watery at 12 hours. We keep our house at 70. I’m stumped.
YUM! I will have to try this recipe! I used to make créme fraische years ago, and my recipe was nearly identical: everything but the lime juice. I had NO idea that Mexican crema was practically the same thing as créme fraische!!! Holy cannoli, the things I learn haunting your site!!! 😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋
Adding to my comment above. Créme fraiche is yoghurt’s dangerously sexy French cousin, ooh, la, la! 😜
My recipe is quite tangy: one part buttermilk to three parts heavy cream. I notice some people are a bit freaked out at leaving it out at room temp, but it’s a lot like making yoghurt. In fact, I may have to try this and my créme fraiche recipe in the Instant Pot yoghurt setting. When I made créme fraiche, I sterilised a Mason jar, lid and ring with boiling water first, (just soaked them for a few minutes) then put the mixture in and shook it up. Buttermilk contains “good germies”, similar to yoghurt, so that is what makes this a very safe practise. It innoculates the heavy cream and takes over — just like a tiny bit of acidophilus does with a gallon of milk. So I let it sit for 18 to 24 hours — but I think 24 hours makes it better. Bumps up the tang quite a bit.
I used to make créme fraiche by the quart, because I would sauté onions and mushrooms in butter, brown chicken pieces in that, throw in a bay leaf and some chicken broth, and a good glug of créme fraiche then turn it on low and let it stew uncovered til tender. Uncovered to reduce the liquid and make it saucy and lovely. Sooooooo good sopped up with a crusty piece of French bread.
When I buy a quart of storebought plain, whole milk yoghurt, I always leave it out on the counter to sit for 18 to 24 hours. This bumps up its beneficial properties by a mile. And I just love how much tangier it becomes. It tastes bland to me if I don’t take this step. Cheers! xo
I really didn’t like the taste from this. I set mine in the fridge overnight so I don’t know if that was the issue, but it stayed extremely watery and didn’t set properly. It also tasted off.
It’s supposed to be left on top of the fridge or anywhere warm for 12-24 hours for it to thicken, not in the fridge 🙂