Yes! You can in fact freeze your sour cream. All you need to do is leave it out on the counter for about an hour before sealing it in a container and placing it in the freezer. This will allow some of the extra liquid content to evaporate, giving you less ice crystals when you thaw it out. This works for any type of dairy, including eggs and cheese.
When freezing dairy products, you want to make sure the milk is at room temperature; this will help avoid running into an issue with your milk separating when it freezes. Also, you want your dairy to be in its most solid state. If you freeze most anything, sour cream is no exception, as a traditional block of dairy will not slice as nicely once it’s frozen.
If you choose to freeze sour cream, make sure you only do it once. Once the sour cream has been frozen, you may freeze again. However, don’t freeze it after any type of processing or preparation (for example, sticking it in a plastic container or scooping and then freezing). These steps change the chemistry of the milk and condensate with water will form if you try to extend this. Just remember to use fresh milk and to not over process the product.
How to freeze freeze sour cream
1. Place your sour cream in a jar or other container.
2. Get it to room temperature, this will help extract more liquid, making it easier to freeze without ice crystals forming.
3. Cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator for an hour or so.
4. Once the sour cream has reached room temperature, seal it in a container and place it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
5. Thaw it out as you would a block of ice cream.
6. Enjoy your frozen sour cream.
7. Repeat if you need more sour cream!
How long can you freeze sour cream?
1. Once you freeze sour cream, it can be frozen for as long as you feel is necessary.
2. You can freeze sour cream again if you wish, but don’t expect the same results as you would from the first couple of times.
3. It is recommend to freeze your sour cream in glass or plastic containers (not plastic baggies; this is not a binder).
4. If your sour cream does thaw out, try not to let it sit out long in cold temperatures. Sour cream should be eaten within 2 days of freezing.
5. Make sure you do not boil sour cream after freezing. This can result in sour milk!
6. Sour cream is a great way to use up excess produce, as well as make your own homemade cheese.
7. Stir in any flavorings, herbs, or other ingredients while the sour cream is still fresh and not yet frozen.
8. Mixing in a small amount of olive oil can prevent the formation of ice crystals, which can lead to a smoother consistency and a less grainy mouth feel.
9. Sour cream freezes well for up to 6 months at an optimal temperature of -6 degrees celsius (20 degrees fahrenheit)
10. The higher the fat content, the better the results. You can freeze sour cream thicker than regular soft-serve ice cream, or you can mix it with yogurt and freeze it as a panna cotta (an Italian dessert where you place cold ingredients in a gelatin/yogurt/sour cream “boil” to form a semi-solid dessert).
11. Sour cream thickness is easily altered by adding more liquid or less fat. For example, you can freeze sour cream up to twice as thick by using a little more milk or water and storing your sour cream in the fridge overnight.
12. Washing sour cream: You can wash your sour cream thoroughly and even blend it with a blender to break up ice crystals while it softens. This will yield a milder result than traditional washed-down sour cream (which is washed down to remove blood), but it’s a handy way of thinning the product.
13. Before freezing, sour cream can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
14. After freezing, sour cream should be thawed in the refrigerator, gradually and completely.
15. The longer it’s been frozen when you take it out of the freezer, the longer it will take to thaw out!
16. Freezing your sour cream will actually allow you to make more unique dishes because of how thick and creamy homemade frozen sour cream is!
17. In addition to flavored frozen sour cream, you can also freeze it plain with just milk and sugar, which can be used in a variety of drinks and treats, including milkshakes and ice cream.
18. Do not add anything to your sour cream before freezing it; if you do, it will curdle when it freezes.
19. Taste your sour cream before freezing or freezing again; once frozen, any changes in taste will not be reversible!
20. Once frozen, eat sour cream as quickly as possible to prevent it from becoming hard and grainy and/or dropping too much water content.
21. Hermetic containers (like jars, tins, or plastic boxes) are preferred by some to freeze sour cream while other people prefer more freezer-friendly boxes (like Tupperware) because these containers leave less room for the extra air that freezes over time to naturally expand on the surface of the product.
How to thaw freezen sour cream?
1. When you take your sour cream out of the freezer, start adding it to smoothies and other foods that require a more liquid-y consistency. This will thaw it out quickly; just make sure not to freeze it too long.
2. To thaw sour cream, stir a little water into the container and allow certain parts of the product to thaw out over the next few days.
3. After 3 to 4 days, you should be ready to go.
4. Remove the thawed sour cream from the fridge and allow it to come up to room temperature before mixing in with cooking recipes, or adding to pastries/cakes, etc.
5. Once you are finished with your thawed sour cream, put it back into the freezer until you’re ready for another batch (approx. 2-3 weeks).
6. After you thaw sour cream, you can make it fresh again by adding a thin layer of olive oil and freezing it until the olive oil solidifies. Then, after removing the olive oil, freeze it again to thaw out later.
How to store frozen sour cream
1. When you are ready for your frozen sour cream, thaw completely in the refrigerator for about 4 hours or overnight and use a hand mixer or food processor (or even a fork) to beat up any chunks that formed.
2. Store your sour cream in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.
3. Sour cream doesn’t store well with excessive water; if you don’t use it or don’t add the water, it may last indefinitely in a freezer.
4. If your sour cream freezes solid, you can try freezing it again and letting it thaw out on the counter for an hour, stirring all the time.
5. If you run out of sour cream, keep in mind that you can add milk or water to yours to thicken it up.
6. Store your sour cream in the refrigerator for its freshest results (although if you freeze it, some of the fat will go into forming ice crystals and this may leave your sour cream grainy).
7. You can freeze homemade sour cream with olive oil or yogurt added to it; this will thicken the fat and make it drier and softer.
8. You can also freeze sour cream with salt added to it; this will make you end up with a salty version of your regular sour cream.
9. You can also make vegan sour cream by adding a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to your recipe.
10. Sour cream freezes well in glass or plastic containers, such as jars, tins, and plastic boxes; do not freeze in ceramic or metal containers as these containers can shatter when frozen.
Conclusion
With a little knowledge and planning, you can enjoy frozen sour cream after it’s been in your freezer for up to 6 months. The longer you keep it frozen, the more water it will lose, which will result in very thick and creamy frozen sour cream. You can even freeze your homemade sour cream with olive oil or yogurt added to it so that you end up with an even thicker and softer dessert.