25 Recipes to Use Up Heavy Cream

Don’t let that precious leftover heavy cream go to waste! Here are sweet and savory recipes using heavy cream, in everything from soups to pudding.

By
Claudia Cash
Claudia Cash
Claudia is the Community Manager for Simply Recipes and has contributed numerous articles focused on cooking on a budget, quick and easy meals, and kid-friendly foods.
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and
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.
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Updated May 16, 2022
Ways to use heavy cream in recipes. The image to the left is an overhead shot of banana cream pie. The middle photo is two glasses of lemon pudding topped with berries. The image to the right is creamy tortilla soup.

Heavy cream (also called heavy whipping cream or whipping cream) is something most of us buy for a special occasion or a particular recipe. And, often, there's some leftover.

If every time you open the fridge there's leftover heavy cream begging you to use it up, we're here to help you figure out how. Heavy cream has so many uses in both sweet and savory dishes that there’s no reason it should sit unused in the fridge.

  • Chicken Breasts with Mustard Cream Sauce

    Chicken Breasts with Mustard Cream Sauce
    Sally Vargas

    This simple dish can be on the table in under 30 minutes from start to finish. It’s light and slightly salty (thank you, capers!) and can be served over rice or with a fresh side salad.

    Uses 1 cup heavy cream.

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  • Rotisserie Chicken Alfredo

    easy chicken alfredo with linguine
    Nick Evans

    Cut down on cooking time by using a rotisserie chicken and making the alfredo sauce ahead of time. This dish is a giant win for everyone in the family!

    Uses 2 cups heavy cream.

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  • Cheesy Crustless Quiche with Broccoli and Ham

    Crustless Quiche with Ham - close up of ham and broccoli quiche in a white dish
    Sally Vargas

    The custard in this quiche is so rich and filling, you won’t even notice there isn’t a crust. The trick to this creamy filling is the heavy cream and generous amount of egg yolks!

    Uses 1 1/2 cups heavy cream.

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  • Fettuccine with Creamy Tomato Italian Sausage Sauce

    Fettuccine with Creamy Tomato Italian Sausage Sauce
    Elise Bauer

    This rich and creamy pasta dish will have everyone licking their plates clean. It’s the absolute definition of comfort food at its finest.

    Uses 1 cup heavy cream.

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    Continue to 5 of 25 below.

  • Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

    Substitute for Cream of Chicken Soup
    Sally Vargas

    You can actually serve this for dinner on its own, or you can use it as a 1-for-1 replacement for canned condensed soup! While there are few ingredients in the recipe, you’ll want to prep everything ahead of time to ensure things come together smoothly!

    Uses 1/4 cup heavy cream.

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  • Creamy Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Spinach

    Bowl of easy homemade creamy tortellini soup with sausage, carrots, and spinach
    Alison Bickel

    You will be hooked after one bite of this creamy soup and wonder how you’ve lived without it. It’s practically effortless to throw together and the sounds of everyone slurping it up will be proof that you’ll need to make it time and time again!

    Uses 1/2 cup heavy cream.

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  • How to Make Whipped Cream

    A person tipping the metal bowl of a stand mixer to show the whipped cream inside.
    Alison Bickle

    There is nothing better than fresh whipped cream, and it’s the perfect way to use up any heavy cream you have left over. There are so many desserts you can serve it with, but you can also freeze it if you have leftovers!

    Uses 1 cup heavy cream.

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  • Easy Lemon Pudding

    Easy Lemon Pudding in three cups topped with berries
    Sally Vargas

    This pudding is truly a delight! It’s tangy and fresh and only needs 4 ingredients. You simply warm up all the ingredients and then let it set. It’s as easy as that!

    Uses 2 cups heavy cream.

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    Continue to 9 of 25 below.

  • Peanut Butter Pie

    Chocolate penaut butter pie topped with whipped cream and peanut butter cups.
    Cindy Rahe

    If your sweet tooth needs a little love, this is the pie for you. It’s silky, mousse-like, and has intense peanut butter flavor. If you happen to have leftover sauce, spoon it over ice cream!

    Uses 1 cup heavy cream.

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  • Chocolate Pavlova with Whipped Cream and Raspberries

    Chocolate Pavlova
    Sally Vargas

    Pavlova is an absolutely show-stopping dessert, and it’s surprisingly easy to make! The clouds of whipped cream and tart raspberries are the perfect complement to the meringue.

    Uses 1 1/2 cups heavy cream.

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  • How to Make Crème Brûlée

    How to Make Creme Brulee
    Alison Conklin

    No need to be intimidated by this scrumptious dessert! With easy to understand step-by-step instructions, you’ll be hearing that crack of the hard sugar surface in no time!

    Uses 2 cups heavy cream.

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  • Banana Cream Pie

    Whole banana cream pie with whipped cream swirls on top and banana slices set against a pink background.
    Cindy Rahe

    This is the pie of your dreams and our trick to making it even better? Using a vanilla wafer crust and a custard vanilla filling flavored with vanilla bean paste. It’s rich, decadent, and positively swoon-worthy.

    Uses 1 cup heavy cream for the filling plus 1 1/2 cups heavy cream for the stabilized whipped cream topping.

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    Continue to 13 of 25 below.

  • Homemade Chocolate Truffles

    Overhead view of chocolate truffles covered in cocoa and chopped nuts.
    Eliezer Martinez

    Something this decadent can't be so simple to make, can it? Yes, it can. These candies use the best chocolate for the ganache. Flavor them to your preference.

    Uses 1/2 cup heavy cream.

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  • Scalloped Turnips

    Scalloped Turnips
    Elise Bauer

    Cream, butter, and onions bring out the savory best in turnips in this bubbly and browned casserole.

    Uses 1/2 cup heavy cream.

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  • Chocolate Ganache

    Side view of different ways to decorate cupcakes using the perfect chocolate ganache recipe

    This rich and luxurious frosting can be thick or thin depending on how much cream you use. It's a decadent topping for layered cakes, sheet cakes, cupcakes, or a glaze for ice cream, donuts, or eclairs.

    Uses 1 1/2 cups heavy cream.

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  • Chicken Marsala with Pancetta and Cream

    Overhead view of a plate of easy chicken marsala.
    Eliezer Martinez

    This chicken Marsala gets a flavor boost from pancetta. It's similar to bacon but it's salt-cured not smoked.

    Uses 6 tablespoons heavy cream.

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    Continue to 17 of 25 below.

  • Pumpkin Pie Bars With Candied Ginger Whipped Cream

    Pumpkin Pie Bars With Candied Ginger Whipped Cream
    Sarah Fritsche

    The pumpkin pie bars are the star here, but they get support from a candied ginger whipped cream that complements the pumpkin flavor perfectly. Use a piping bag to make the whipped cream look fancy or simply spoon dollops of it.

    Uses 1 cup heavy cream.

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  • Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake

    Overhead view of a chocolate cake roll and a plate with a slice on it.
    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera

    Who can pass up Swiss cake roll? Roll chocolate cake in whipped cream and cover with a thin layer of chocolate ganache. Have a big glass of milk nearby for this one. You're going to need it.

    Uses 1 1/2 cups heavy cream.

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  • Ambrosia Salad

    Two small bowls of marshmallow salad with cherries on top are at the front of the image. Two spoons are crossed to the right of the first bowl. A striped dish towel is in the background.
    Nick Evans

    The dressing for this classic fruit salad (with marshmallows and slivered almonds) uses heavy cream. It's sweet and retro and everyone loves it.

    Uses 1 cup heavy cream.

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  • Walnut Mocha Torte

    Walnut Mocha Torte
    Elise Bauer

    This German-style torte has a light, mocha flavored whipping cream frosting. It's almost flourless (there is a 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs in it), and its texture comes from ground walnuts and whipped eggs.

    Uses 1 cup heavy cream.

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    Continue to 21 of 25 below.

  • Caramel Nut Tart

    Caramel Nut Tart
    Elise Bauer

    You can use almost any mixture of nuts to make this tart, as long as they are fresh. A spiced cinnamon and nutmeg crust makes this a delicious fall-flavored treat.

    Uses 2/3 cup heavy cream.

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  • Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp and Parmesan Lemon Cream Sauce

    Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp Parmesan Lemon Cream Sauce
    Elise Bauer

    This quick lemony-sauced pasta dish is a delicious, convenient weeknight meal. Keep frozen shrimp in the freezer to whip this up in an instant.

    Uses 3/4 cup heavy cream.

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  • Peach Cobbler

    Peach Cobbler
    Elise Bauer

    When peaches are in season, making cobbler is a must. A topping spiced with nutmeg covers the fresh peaches, giving it a warm, fall-is-on-its-way vibe.

    Uses 2/3 cup heavy cream.

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  • Caramel Sauce

    Caramel Sauce
    Elise Bauer

    This is an easy caramel sauce made from just butter, sugar, and cream. Spoon it over ice cream, add it to coffee or hot chocolate, or dip apples into it.

    Uses 1/2 cup heavy cream.

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    Continue to 25 of 25 below.

  • Creamy Chestnut Mushroom Soup

    Chestnut mushroom soup in a white bowl with a white plate underneath.
    Sally Vargas

    This rich, luxurious, and slightly sweet soup hits the spot with cremini mushrooms and chestnuts. A touch of cream makes it silky.

    Uses 1/4 cup heavy cream.

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