Is Double Cream the Same as Heavy Cream? A UK Guide to Creams
Not exactly, but close. US heavy cream must contain at least 36% milk fat. UK double cream is richer: Tesco and M&S both list 50.5g of fat per 100 on their labels. UK whipping cream, at around 39g of fat per 100ml, is the closest match, but double cream works in almost any recipe that asks for heavy cream.
At a glance
- 36%+milk fat in US heavy cream (FDA)
- 50.5gfat per 100 in supermarket double cream
- 38.7gfat per 100ml in Tesco whipping cream
- 1.7gcarbohydrate per 100g of double cream (CoFID)
On this page
American recipes, and a lot of keto ones, ask for "heavy cream". You won't find a carton with that name in a British supermarket, so which cream should you buy instead?
The short version is that double cream will do the job in almost every recipe. This guide explains why, how the UK and US creams line up by fat, when whipping cream is the better swap, and what to use if you have no cream at all. For how double cream fits a low-carb diet, see our guide to whether double cream is keto friendly.
How double cream and heavy cream compare
The difference between creams comes down to fat. The more fat a cream has, the thicker it is, the better it whips and the less likely it is to split when you heat it.
- US heavy cream is defined by law. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it must contain at least 36% milk fat. It's sometimes sold as "heavy whipping cream", and the rules allow added emulsifiers and stabilisers.
- UK double cream is richer. The supermarket packs we checked list 50.5g of fat per 100: Tesco British Double Cream per 100ml, and M&S British Double Cream per 100g. That's about 40% more fat than the US minimum.
- UK whipping cream sits closest to heavy cream. Tesco's and Sainsbury's own-brand whipping creams list 38.7g of fat per 100ml, and Morrisons lists 39.5g.
So double cream and heavy cream aren't the same product, but they do the same jobs: whipping, enriching sauces, making ganache and churning ice cream. Double cream simply gives a slightly richer result.
UK creams and their US equivalents
Here's how the main fresh creams in a British supermarket compare, using the UK government's food composition tables (CoFID 2021) for consistency.
| UK cream | Fat per 100g | Closest US cream |
|---|---|---|
| Single cream | 19.1g | Light cream |
| Whipping cream | 40.3g | Heavy cream |
| Double cream | 53.7g | Heavy cream (richer) |
| Clotted cream | 63.5g | No US equivalent |
Source: CoFID 2021, food codes 12-332 (single), 12-333 (whipping), 12-334 (double, including Jersey cream) and 12-592 (clotted). The CoFID double cream figure includes richer Jersey cream, so everyday packs are usually a little lower, at 50.5g per 100 on the Tesco and M&S labels.
Extra thick double cream has the same 50.5g of fat per 100ml on Tesco's label as its ordinary double cream, but Tesco sells it "for spooning and topping", while the ordinary one is "for whipping, pouring and cooking". If a US recipe needs cream whipped or poured, buy the ordinary kind.
American creams explained
US cream names are set by FDA standards, which makes them easy to match with ours once you know the fat levels:
| US cream | Milk fat | Nearest UK cream |
|---|---|---|
| Half-and-half | 10.5–18% | Half cream |
| Light cream | 18–30% | Single cream |
| Light whipping cream | 30–36% | Whipping cream |
| Heavy cream | 36% or more | Whipping or double cream |
Source: US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, sections 131.150 (heavy cream), 131.155 (light cream), 131.157 (light whipping cream) and 131.180 (half-and-half). Each range includes the lower figure but not the upper one.
Recipes measure cream in cups. A US cup is about 237ml, so a recipe asking for one cup of heavy cream needs most of a 300ml pot. Our cups to grams conversion guide covers the rest of the ingredients.
Which UK cream to use in US recipes
For most recipes, double cream is the easy choice. Here's how it works job by job:
- Whipped cream: double or whipping cream both whip well. Double cream thickens faster, so stop at soft peaks. For a sweetened topping, whisk in a little Powdered Monk Fruit and Erythritol Sweetener, which dissolves more easily than a granulated sweetener.
- Ganache and chocolate sauce: use double cream. Heat it until steaming, pour it over chopped chocolate or our Keto Dark Chocolate Buttons, leave for a minute, then stir until smooth.
- Sauces and soups: double cream copes well with heat and is less likely to split than single cream. Add it towards the end and simmer gently.
- Ice cream: double cream gives a rich, smooth result. Our homemade keto ice cream recipe is written for UK ingredients.
- Cake fillings and icing: whipped double cream fills a sponge beautifully, as in our keto Victoria sponge. For a firmer, pipeable topping, try our keto cream cheese icing.
- Coffee: where an American recipe adds a splash of heavy cream, double or single cream both work, depending on how rich you like it. Our guide to keto coffee has more ideas.
Chill the cream, the bowl and the whisk first. Whisk until the cream just holds soft peaks, then stop. Double cream goes from soft peaks to grainy quickly, and if you keep going it separates into butter and buttermilk.
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Carbs in double, whipping and single cream
All fresh dairy creams are low in carbohydrate. These are the CoFID figures, with our own maths for a tablespoon:
| Cream | Carbs per 100g | Carbs per tbsp |
|---|---|---|
| Double cream | 1.7g | 0.3g |
| Whipping cream | 2.7g | 0.4g |
| Single cream | 2.2g | 0.3g |
Source: CoFID 2021, food codes 12-334, 12-333 and 12-332. Carbohydrate excludes fibre, as on UK labels; cream contains none. A tablespoon is 15ml, which we've treated as about 15g: for double cream, 1.7 × 15 ÷ 100 = 0.26g, rounded to 0.3g; for whipping cream, 2.7 × 15 ÷ 100 = 0.41g; for single cream, 2.2 × 15 ÷ 100 = 0.33g.
Supermarket labels are in the same range: Tesco and M&S double cream list 1.6g of carbohydrate per 100, and Tesco and Sainsbury's whipping cream 2.6g per 100ml. If you're wondering how cream fits into a low-carb way of eating, our guide to whether double cream is keto friendly covers it in more detail.
Substitutes for heavy cream
If you've no double or whipping cream in the fridge, these swaps can help, depending on the job:
- Whole milk and melted butter: a common kitchen swap for sauces and soups is roughly three parts whole milk to one part melted butter. It adds richness when cooking, but it won't whip.
- Crème fraîche: good in sauces and soups, with a gentle tang. Full-fat crème fraîche handles heat better than lower-fat versions.
- Mascarpone: thick and rich, so it works in desserts, fillings and icings. Loosen it with a little milk if the recipe needs pouring cream.
- Coconut cream: a dairy-free option. Chilled, the thick part can be whipped, though it tastes of coconut.
- Cream alternatives: products such as Elmlea are blends rather than dairy cream, so their fat and carbohydrate figures differ. Check the label before you swap one in.
Double cream, whipping cream, crème fraîche, mascarpone and butter all contain milk. If you're cooking for someone with a milk allergy, check every label.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use double cream instead of heavy cream?
Yes, in almost every recipe. UK double cream has more fat than US heavy cream, which must contain at least 36% milk fat, so it gives slightly richer sauces, ganache and ice cream. It also whips faster, so watch it closely. If you'd like a closer match, use whipping cream instead.
What is heavy cream called in the UK?
There's no cream sold as heavy cream in the UK. Whipping cream is the closest match for fat, at around 39g per 100ml on Tesco and Sainsbury's labels, against at least 36% for US heavy cream. Most British cooks simply use double cream, which is richer but does the same jobs.
Is whipping cream the same as heavy cream?
Very nearly. UK whipping cream has around 39g to 40g of fat per 100ml, and US heavy cream must have at least 36% milk fat, so they behave in much the same way. The US also sells light whipping cream, with 30% to 36% fat, which is a little lighter than ours.
Does double cream whip like heavy cream?
Yes, and it whips faster because it has more fat. Whisk chilled double cream until it holds soft peaks and stop there, because over-whipped cream turns grainy and eventually separates into butter. Extra thick double cream is sold for spooning, so use ordinary double cream when a recipe needs whipping.
How many carbs are in double cream?
About 1.7g of carbohydrate per 100g, according to the UK's CoFID food tables, or roughly 0.3g in a 15ml tablespoon. Supermarket labels are similar: Tesco and M&S both list 1.6g per 100. Our separate guide to whether double cream is keto friendly covers how it fits a low-carb diet.
Sources
- US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Part 131: heavy cream (131.150), light cream (131.155), light whipping cream (131.157) and half-and-half (131.180), via Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute.
- Public Health England. Composition of foods integrated dataset (CoFID) 2021: food codes 12-332, 12-333, 12-334 and 12-592. Per-tablespoon figures are our own calculations.
- Supermarket labels, checked 24 October 2026: Tesco British Double Cream, M&S British Double Cream, Tesco Extra Thick Double Cream, Tesco British Whipping Cream, Sainsbury's Whipping Cream and Morrisons British Whipping Cream.
- Groovy Keto product pages: Keto Dark Chocolate Buttons, Powdered Monk Fruit and Erythritol Sweetener and Keto Vanilla Cake Mix: pack sizes and usage.
