Mixers

Cream

Cream is the fat skimmed from milk, sold in Britain by the minimum fat the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 set: single at least 18%, whipping 35% and double 48%. The grade sets what it does in a drink. Our shaken drinks such as the Alexander and Chocolate Martini mostly use single for a light, silky texture, and the Irish Coffee floats lightly whipped double or whipping cream.

Quick Facts

ABV0%

Legal categoryFood

OriginMade wherever milk is; UK grades are set by the Food Labelling Regulations 1996

Flavour Strengthlight medium

SeasonYear-round

Our keeping timeRefrigerated at 5°C or colder. Opened: within the days the pot gives, and never past its use-by date.

Storage

Refrigerated and sealed, away from strong smells. Shake before pouring.

Allergens

Contains: milk.

The ingredient

About Cream

Flavour Profile

Primary Flavours

DairyMild sweetnessNeutral richness

Tasting Notes

Clean, creamy mouthfeel with subtle dairy sweetness. Acts as a softening agent rather than a dominant flavour.

British cream is graded by fat

UK labelling law reserves the names of cream for minimum fat levels, so the word on the pot tells you what it will do. Double cream whips stiff and floats; whipping cream whips and pours; single cream will not hold a whip but shakes into a light, smooth drink. Ignore the colour of the lid and read the name.

UK cream grades and what they do in a drink (minimum fat from the Food Labelling Regulations 1996)

Half cream

Milk fat, legal minimum: 12%
Whips: No
In our recipes: None

Single cream

Milk fat, legal minimum: 18%
Whips: No
In our recipes: Alexander, Chocolate Martini, Grasshopper, White Russian

Whipping cream

Milk fat, legal minimum: 35%
Whips: Yes
In our recipes: Irish Coffee, as an option

Double cream

Milk fat, legal minimum: 48%
Whips: Yes
In our recipes: Brandy Alexander, Golden Cadillac, Ramos Gin Fizz, Irish Coffee

Clotted cream

Milk fat, legal minimum: 55%
Whips: Already thick
In our recipes: None

Name	Milk fat, legal minimum	Whips	In our recipes
Half cream	12%	No	None
Single cream	18%	No	Alexander, Chocolate Martini, Grasshopper, White Russian
Whipping cream	35%	Yes	Irish Coffee, as an option
Double cream	48%	Yes	Brandy Alexander, Golden Cadillac, Ramos Gin Fizz, Irish Coffee
Clotted cream	55%	Already thick	None

Our recipes choose the grade on purpose

Single cream gives the White Russian, Chocolate Martini and Grasshopper a silky drink you can finish. The Brandy Alexander and Ramos Gin Fizz take double for weight and a foam that holds. The Irish Coffee floats 50ml of double or whipping cream, beaten just until it thickens yet still pours.

Acid, heat and strength split it

Cream curdles when acid clumps its proteins, so the classic cream drinks pair it with liqueurs and spirit, not citrus. Heat and high strength add to the risk. Shake cream drinks cold, hard and briefly, serve them straight away, and keep cream out of anything with lemon or lime unless the recipe is built for it.

Keeping an opened pot

Cream carries a use-by date, and once it is opened we keep it no longer than the pot gives. Store it sealed and cold, away from anything strong-smelling, and shake it before pouring because the fat rises. Every grade of cream is a milk product for allergy purposes.

Using it

Using Cream

Usage

Shake 15 to 30ml hard with ice for 10 to 12 seconds in an Alexander-style drink, or whip double or whipping cream to pouring-custard thickness and float it over the back of a warm spoon. Keep citrus out of a cream drink unless the recipe shakes it hard.

Pro Tip

A cream drink that tastes flat usually needs more bitterness or spirit, not less cream. A drop more of the liqueur or a grating of nutmeg often fixes it.

Top Tips

Use the grade the recipe names. Single and double cream make different drinks, not stronger and weaker versions of one.
Whip Irish Coffee cream only until it just pours. Stiff cream sits on top as a lid.
Shake cream drinks hard and serve them at once; they separate as they stand.
Shake the carton before pouring. Fat rises on standing.

Possible Substitutions

Whole Milk: much lighter, less texture

Production Method

Milk fat separated from milk, usually by centrifuge, and standardised to the fat content the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 require for its name: at least 18% for single cream, 35% for whipping and 48% for double.

Go further

More to explore

Common Questions

What is the difference between double cream and single cream?

Fat, set by the Food Labelling Regulations 1996: single cream has at least 18% milk fat and double at least 48%. Double whips and floats; single does not hold a whip but shakes into a lighter, silkier drink. Whipping cream, at 35%, sits between and whips well.

Single or double cream for cocktails?

Whichever the recipe names, because they give different drinks. Our Alexander, Chocolate Martini, Grasshopper and White Russian use single; the Brandy Alexander, Golden Cadillac and Ramos Gin Fizz use double; the Irish Coffee floats double or whipping cream whipped until it just pours.

Is cream stable with alcohol?

Stable enough for a drink that is made and drunk at once. Acid is the bigger risk: citrus curdles cream, which is why the Alexander family leaves it out. Strength and heat both make splitting more likely, so shake cream drinks cold and hard and serve them straight away.

How do you float cream on an Irish Coffee?

Sweeten the coffee first, then whip double or whipping cream only until it thickens to cold pouring custard. Pour it slowly over the back of a warm spoon held at the surface. Sugar makes the coffee denser, which helps the cream sit on top.

Why does cream curdle in some drinks?

Acid makes its milk proteins clump. Lemon or lime with cream is the usual cause, and alcohol and heat add to it. Drinks that pair them, such as the Ramos Gin Fizz, rely on egg white and a very long, hard shake to hold everything together.

What is heavy cream in the UK?

American heavy cream must be at least 36% milk fat under 21 CFR 131.150, the US standard, so whipping cream is the closest British match and double cream, at 48% or more, is richer. For a recipe written for heavy cream, whipping cream gives the nearest result; double makes it noticeably heavier.

Can I use a dairy-free cream?

Oat cream works in a White Russian and floats reasonably well, and takes the dairy out of the drink. It shakes thinner than dairy cream and will not whip for an Irish Coffee float. Check the carton for other allergens such as gluten in some oat products.

How long does cream keep once opened?

Usually for a few days, as printed on the pot, and never past its use-by date. Seal it, chill it at 5°C or colder and keep it clear of strong smells, which it picks up easily. Smell it before a drink; sour cream will split in the shaker.

Sources.

Correct as of 17 October 2026.

legislation.gov.uk, “The Food Labelling Regulations 1996, Schedule 8, Part III: cream”.
Cornell Law School LII, “21 CFR § 131.150 Heavy cream”.

Make something

Made with Cream

Featured In These Cocktails

White Russian Brandy Alexander Chocolate Martini Irish Coffee Grasshopper Ramos Gin Fizz

Show all 11 cocktails

Alexander Chocolate Orange Mocktail Eggnog Golden Cadillac Silk Stocking

Often Used With

Updated 17 October 2026

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