Can you freeze cream?

Freezing breaks the emulsion that keeps fat droplets suspended in cream. Thawed single or light cream looks curdled and grainy, and while it is perfectly safe, it will not pour over dessert convincingly. Heavy cream survives better because of its higher fat content, and disappears entirely into a sauce or soup where it is heated and stirred. Whipping frozen-and-thawed cream generally fails, but already-whipped cream freezes well because the fat network is set.

How to do it properly

1. Freeze heavy cream in an ice cube tray, then bag the cubes
2. Thaw in the fridge and shake or whisk hard
3. Use in cooked sauces, soups and mashes where separation does not show
4. To freeze for topping, whip it first and freeze rosettes on a tray

What goes wrong

• The emulsion breaks and cannot be fully restored
• Thawed cream will not whip to a stable peak
• Low-fat creams separate worst

Other options

• Freeze whipped cream instead of liquid cream if the end use is a topping
• Use crème fraîche or full-fat coconut milk in sauces, which tolerate freezing better

Other "can you freeze" questions

• Can you freeze cheese? It depends — Yes, and it stays safe indefinitely — but hard cheese comes out crumbly and soft cheese comes out wet.
• Can you freeze milk? Yes — Yes — leave headspace for expansion and shake it hard after thawing.
• Can you freeze eggs? It depends — Not in the shell. Beat them first, or freeze whites on their own.
• Can you freeze bread? Yes — Yes — freezing is the best way to store bread, far better than the fridge.
• Can you freeze bananas? Yes — Yes — peel and slice them first, because the peel turns black and welds itself on.
• Can you freeze cooked rice? Yes — Yes, and freezing quickly is the safest way to keep leftover rice.
• Can you freeze raw chicken twice? It depends — Only if it thawed in the fridge and never got above 4 °C (40 °F).
• Can you freeze breast milk? Yes — Yes — freeze it flat in bags, and use within six months for best quality.
• Can you freeze avocado? It depends — Yes, but only as a purée — frozen slices go grey and watery.
• Can you freeze soup? It depends — Yes for most soups; cream, milk and potato-based ones separate or go grainy.
• Can you freeze butter? Yes — Yes — butter freezes better than almost anything else in the fridge.
• Can you freeze cooked pasta? Yes — Yes — undercook it slightly and toss it in oil first, or it thaws into a solid block.