Substitutions

What can I use instead of half-and-half?

Q: Can I use evaporated milk instead of half-and-half?

1 cup half-and-half = 1 cup evaporated milk. Its concentrated solids give a similar body and richness on the tongue despite a lower fat content. Slightly sweeter with a cooked-milk note.

Equal parts milk and cream, landing around 10-12% fat. Rich enough to soften coffee and light sauces, too lean to whip.

What it does in a recipe: Moderate fat and body without cream's heaviness. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.

Also called: Single cream (UK, approx.)

3substitutes

1close matches

Dairy & milkscategory

Quick answer

Whole milk + heavy cream

1 cup half-and-half = 1/2 cup whole milk + 1/2 cup heavy cream

All substitutes, best first

3 ways to replace half-and-half

Whole milk + heavy cream

Closest match

1 cup half-and-half = 1/2 cup whole milk + 1/2 cup heavy cream

This is literally what half-and-half is, so it is an exact reconstruction rather than an approximation.

CookingSaucesBakingDrinksVegetarianGluten-freeNut-freeEgg-freeSoy-free

Whole milk + melted butter

Reliable

1 cup half-and-half = 7/8 cup whole milk + 1 1/2 tbsp melted butter

Adding butter fat lifts whole milk from around 3.5% to roughly half-and-half's 11%.

Trade-offFine in cooking; the butterfat can separate visibly in hot coffee.

CookingBakingSaucesVegetarianGluten-freeNut-freeEgg-freeSoy-free

Evaporated milk

Reliable

1 cup half-and-half = 1 cup evaporated milk

Its concentrated solids give a similar body and richness on the tongue despite a lower fat content.

Trade-offSlightly sweeter with a cooked-milk note.

CookingDrinksSaucesVegetarianGluten-freeNut-freeEgg-freeSoy-free

At a glance

Half-and-half in summary

Category	Dairy & milks
Job in a recipe	Moderate fat and body without cream's heaviness
Suits	Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Egg-free, Soy-free
Swaps available for	Egg-free Gluten-free Nut-free Soy-free Vegetarian
Number of substitutes	3

More dairy & milks

Almond milk3 substitutes Buttermilk5 substitutes Cheddar3 substitutes Coconut milk (canned)3 substitutes Cottage cheese3 substitutes Cream cheese3 substitutes

Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter — confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.