Some people may not be familiar with clotted cream because it’s mainly a European thing. In fact, it’s incredibly hard to even find in the US which is why I had to play around and learn how to make clotted cream.
If you’ve never had it before, ignore the name which isn’t very pretty. Clots aren’t generally considered delicious.
Instead, think of this Homemade Clotted Cream Recipe as some magical mix between cream cheese, butter, and whipped cream. It ends up being a bit sweet, but also a bit tangy which makes it the perfect topping for pastries and baked goods.
The traditional way to make it is to let cream sit in a barely on oven for, like, forever. That’s all well and good but I really don’t like leaving my oven on overnight so I turned to my slow cooker. I figured it could get the job done.
Slow Cooker Clotted Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 c. pasteurized heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Add the cream to your slow cooker and set on the lowest heat. Check your manual. You don’t want the cream to get above 180 degrees F. Ideally it would cook between 165-180 degrees F. Cover and let cook for 8 hours.
- Remove from heat and transfer cream to the fridge to cool down for four hours. Be careful to not disturb the skin on top of the cream too much.
- Once the cream is really chilled down, use a spoon to scrape the clotted cream layer off the top of the cream. Transfer it to a bowl and stir it together. There will be some cream gunk at the bottom of your slow cooker that you can just discard.
- Transfer the clotted cream to an air-tight container and use it within a week on any sort of pastry!
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
How to Make Clotted Cream in The Slow Cooker
As you can see, this Clotted Cream Recipe is barely a recipe. Can something with one ingredient be a recipe?
The trick here though is to make sure that you find cream that is pasteurized, but not ultra-pasteurized. The ultra variety (which many organic brands are) will never clot correctly. You’ll end up with a strange cream soup situation that is definitely not worth your time.
As far as the slow cooker goes, you can use any one, but definitely read the manual to find out what temperatures your settings are. I made one batch of this with my “simmer” setting on and it ended up burned. I learned that the “Warm” setting was perfect for my model.
Ideally, you want the cream to never go above 180 degrees F. and generally stay between 165-180 degrees F. Depending on your model that might mean low, or just warm. Read up before you waste a quart of delicious cream.
Pour the cream in your slow cooker, cover it, and let it warm for about 8 hours. My slow cooker is large so the layer of cream was pretty shallow. If you have a tall slow cooker, you might need to cook it for 10-12 hours. It’s pretty flexible and as long as your temp range is right, it’s pretty hard to overcook it.
I set mine, went to bed, and woke up to this.
There will be a thick layer of film on top of your cream. Think of it like an enormous version of the skin that forms on puddings. Believe it or not, you want it.
But don’t go messing with it just yet. Instead, transfer it off the heat and move it to the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours to really set up. This will help the “clots” set up and congeal.
After chilling, the top layer will be pretty thick.
Use a spoon to carefully scoop off as much of this top layer as possible. Get the skin, clots, and any cream that comes along for the ride.
There might be a layer of semi-clear gunk at the bottom of your slow cooker from the separation. Try to avoid getting that stuff and discard it when you’re done. I didn’t find that it tasted very good…
Stir the clots and cream that you’ve collected together in a bowl. This isn’t completely necessary, but I like to mix it up a bit.
Then just scoop your final product into an air tight container and store it in the fridge!
I just used a mason jar.
Uses are many.
Slather this homemade clotted cream on any pastry or toast product. Personally, I love it on an english muffin with some jam. Doesn’t get much better than that!
I have no idea why this stuff hasn’t completely caught on in the US. It’s the perfect breakfast topping. It’ll keep in the fridge well for a week or so unless it starts smelling too funky!
Are you a clotted cream fan? Leave a comment with how you use the stuff!
Wendy Watson
Hi, being English and an abject lover of clotted cream I was really miffed when I discovered that I couldn’t even buy double cream, whipping cream or any sort of ‘proper’ cream in the country I now live in, namely Bulgaria. They do sell a really weird type of imitation stuff here but nothing we would eat willingly. I am off to England shortly to meet our newly arrived granddaughter and will be bringing some clotted cream back with me, yummy.
May I just point out, what you call English Muffins are actually scones, muffins are big buns to us.
Love your page and thank you for some really great recipes.
alex
I think English muffins are called plain muffins in England. They are those slightly chewy things which you split open and they are full of holes, sold next to the crumpets. Savory English scones are similar to our biscuits (which is not another word for cookies in the usa), but we also have scones here too, but those are mainly served sweet.
Tatia
I thought our English Muffins in the United States are more like crumpets in England. At least that’s what it looked like from a recipe book my husband brought me back from England about English teas. It’s funny how our words are English but our meanings are so different, like biscuits, chips, etc. But they’re all good!
Laura
Yup. Right you are. What we call “English muffins” are originally “crumpets” in the UK. I wonder how our forebears here forgot the name? Scones were more or less completely forgotten here, especially the variety served with sweet toppings as we never developed the afternoon tea, preferring to eat an early supper, farmer-style. BUT, if you compare the recipes for scones with our southern style “biscuits” which are served almost exclusively with savory dishes and sometimes gravy-topped, you’ll see that the doughs are almost identical. There’s one interesting exception to the U.S. savory biscuit tradition, and that’s the dessert called Strawberry Shortcake in which scone-like biscuits are topped with very syrupy stewed strawberries and whipped cream. Does that remind you of something? Oh yeah. In the UK, “biscuits” means what North Americans call “cookies”. By now, many cooks in the UK are used to looking up “biscuit” recipes under “cookies” on U.S. websites. So if you’re over there and use our cutesy sounding name, they’ll likely know what you mean.
Alfred L Eakin
With all due respect:
What “we” call “English muffins” are closest to crumpets. What “you” call scones, “we” call biscuits; and, of course “your” biscuits are “our” cookies. Don’t get me started on pudding and curry.
Naz
English Muffins are similar to Crumpets, yes, but Crumpets have a more dense and rubbery texture.
Scones are not the same as biscuits. You can split a biscuit in half fairly easily but scones have a more crumbly texture.
Alisha
Just coming across this and having spent 2 years outside of central London.
English muffin in North America (Canada) are called white muffins in the UK. The UK does have crumpets, and they are the same as NA. Biscuits from N/A are not the same as scones. Too fluffy, not sweet enough. We do have actual scones in Canada, that would be the same in the U.K., and then there is a tea biscuit here as well.
Pudding is anything desserts, then there is fairy cakes, and biscuits are not (cookies) of the chocolate chip/oatmeal kind but good for dunking in a cup of tea. Oh and the curries.
Now I’m on to trying to replicate Pimms Lemonade you can buy pre-mixed.
Jim
Going to try in instant pot using instructions for yogurt – any thoughts?
https://amindfullmom.com/instant-pot-yogurt/
Nick
I haven’t tried it but I think it would work okay. Report back if you try it!
Mary Beth
I’m dying to know if this works!
Bret Wright
No. It will not work on the yogurt setting. What you CAN do, though, is bring the cream to a boil on the yogurt setting (vented), then immediately switch it over to “keep warm” for about ten hours. After that, you carefully transfer the inner pot to the refrigerator for an additional 12 hours. After that, you skim it off, jar it, and enjoy!
PS. The whey (the liquid left behind) can be used to make scones. They taste really good.
This works. I do it quite often. You have to use NON-ultra-pasteurized heavy whipping cream, though. There are a couple of brands out there. I use Kalona Supernatural Heavy Whipping cream.
Daniella
Geest recipe. For me the cooker had to be on low, worked out geest.
Sandra
Thanks, will try it.
Sheryl
I love clotted cream…first had it on a British Airways flight with “proper” scones and strawberry jam. Yummm! I was wondering how long this will keep in the refrigerator… I can’t wait to make this! Thanks for experimenting and posting your results!
Nick
Hey Sheryl, mine is still fine after 10 days.. I think two weeks is probably pushing it, but i’d be surprised if it lasts that long. :)
Reen
can u double the recipe? if so do I need add time or same time? I am making scones for my son’ s heritage festival and want to make sure I have enough!
Nick
Sure! Should work. You might need to add some time to it depending on the size of your slow cooker. GOod luck!
cath t
Sounds delicious. You have a handy, dandy dish that comes out of the slow cooker. I must have one of the original Crock Pots that does not have a removable dish. Can I scoop out the clotted cream and put it in the refrigerator? I can’t see sticking the whole Crock Pot in the fridge.
Nick
Sure Cath. I think that would work but let it cool to room temp in the crock pot first. If it’s warm, the cream will be too liquidy and you won’t get a good layer of clotted cream off it. Good luck!
Leslie @ My Kitchen Is Open
My husband has been asking me about clotted cream for awhile now. Why? I don’t know LOL but I told him I would find a recipe and make some for him. I stumbled across your site a couple of weeks ago and this post is gonna make him happy!
Nick
Great Leslie! Glad you found it and hope it works out for you and the husband. ;)
Debbie
After I bottle them do they have to be refrigerated ?
Nick
Hey Debbie, I think 10-14 days is a good range. Good luck!
Shannon
is that 10-14 days IN the fridge or NOT in the fridge?
Nick
Hey Shannon, it’s dairy so definitely store it in the fridge!
RK
Wonderful! Will remind me of the time I spent in England! How long will it keep in the fridge?
Nick
I’d say 10-14 days is probably the max. Mine was definitely still fine after 10 days. Good luck!
Katie
The directions say to leave it in the fridge for “at least 4 hours” – can I leave it in longer at that stage? For example.. cook for 8 hours, then put in the fridge and go to bed so that it’s ready in the morning? Or will that be too long without scooping off the top layer?
Nick
Hey Katie, that’s actually what I do when I make it. You can absolutely leave it in longer without any harm. At that point it’s done. It’s just annoying having a huge crockpot container in your fridge so I listed a minimum time to make sure the cream has enough time to chill. Longer is no problem!
Katie
Well, I tried it. I burned it. :(
The booklet that came with the crock pot did not have specific temps so I went with low. Mistake. I don’t have a candy thermometer so I used my meat thermometer. heh. It never got above 140 so I figured I was fine on Low. I checked at hour five and it had started to brown, so I turned it down to warm and hoped for the best. It did not work. O well.
Nick
That’s a bummer Katie. Sorry to hear it. I also burned my first batch if it’s any consolation. The second time I just put in on the absolute lowest setting my crockpot had and that did the trick.
Laura Beraha
I put the cream in the crock pot, set it on Warm, and 10 hours later I had browned it at the edges. I am going to try again as Joanne [05/29/2017 AT 8:23 AM] suggested: “Second attempt – we half filled the crock pot with water, then poured the cream into an oven proof dish (pyrex) that fitted the crock pot – in effect creating a double boiler. (The dish sat above the water and not in it.) Covered and set for 8 hours on low and the cream turned out perfectly.” My slow cooker has three sizes of pots which nest. I’ll shall put some water into the largest, set the smallest pot with the cream into the largest, set it on LOW [not warm] and see what happens 8 hours later. I’ll let you know. Right now my first attempt is cooling on the kitchen counter; when it reaches room temp. I’ll refrigerate it and taste it.
Jo
If you want a real English cream tea put the jam on first, then the cream dolloped on top (you can put butter on the scone first, but that’s personal choice).
Cherie Westover
I’m from Cornwall, but live in Indiana now. Absolutely love “cream teas”. I’m going to try this soon. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Ed Stout
Never! Cream always first for a proper Devon cream tea and traditionally strawberry jam… although I’m partial to raspberry jam myself.
Tinx
Well if you come from the Isles of Scilly it’s cream first then the jam then cream on top ;D well that´s how we used to do it when going to Juliet´s Garden in the 80´s otherwise she´d scoop the leftover cream back into the pot for the next customer !
Erin
Hi, So I actually used the ultra pasteurized cream because of course I didn’t read the directions first :) but it worked perfect! I made it for a book club meeting (we read an Agatha Christie mystery :)). Everyone raved about how good the cream was!
Nick
Oh awesome Erin! Thanks for reporting back! I kind of just assumed it wouldn’t work b/c I’ve had issues with Ultra-pasteurized stuff in other milk projects… good to hear though!
Aislinn
Thank you so much for this post! :) I’ve heard of clotted cream but have never had the opportunity to try it but it sounds easy enough to make and luckily there is a dairy right down the road that sells raw ( unpasteurized ) milk and cream. I think I am going to mosey on down there and get some cream. :D Can’t wait to try this.
John
H!
I have a few questions. If I decide to do 2 cups instead of 4 cups, that would reduce the time to just 4hours? After the given time period, should the cream be thick, somewhat solid, or still be liquid with film on top – that is if we poke a fork through it? Also, what do you mean by “tall” crock pot?
Thanks!
Nick
Hey John, I’m not entirely sure that 2 cups will work, but you would probably want to keep the cooking time close to four hours. On low heat, it just takes that long to start to evaporate the water out of the cream. The end result is a thick film on top but there may be some liquid on the bottom.
What I mean by “tall” slow cooker is one that isn’t as wide as the one I was using. If your slow cooker is short and wide there will be more surface area and it’ll get the job done faster. A tall, narrow slow cooker will take longer.
Hannelore
Quick question,… Do you put the lid on the crock pot for the over night cooking? Other recipes for clotted cream say to put the pan in a low oven uncovered. CanNOT wait to try as we recently return from an 8 day visit to London. My family definitely got used to afternoon cream teas! Many thanks and Happy New Year!
Nick
Heya! I put the lid on mine just because I was a bit weirded out by leaving a whole huge thing of uncovered cream on my counter all night. It worked fine covered!
Sue
I LOVE clotted cream and always try to make some for any of my teas but I am going to try your recipe. I always made it by mixing cream with buttermilk (clotted cream) and bringing it to 180 degrees then turning it off and letting it sit for a while and then put in a collander lined with cheese cloth and let it sit over night and then scrape it off the cheese cloth. This sounds much easier1
Sue
I should have added I put it in the fridge in the collander overnight. I make a wonderful cheese this ay I use as racotta. I take a gallon of whole milk, mix in a quart of fresh buttermilk bring to 180 degrees and then turn off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes or so, then lift off the cheese with a slotted spoon. AFter I have gotten out all ci can I then like a collander with cheese cloth and pour the whey in the collander in a bowl to get out all the curds and save they whey which is so good in soups. I then let it drain ahalf hour or so and mix in with the other curds. If it seems a little dry mix in some sour cream. This is great as the filling for cheese blintzes served with strawberries, strawberry jam and sour cream.
kathleen
i use the same recipe to make Ricotta with the addition of a pint of heavy cream yummy
Ashley
Mine came out more like whipped cream than clotted cream. So sad. I left it on warm in my slow cooker for about 10 hours, then put it in the fridge for about 12 hours before I did anything to it. There was a “skin” on it, but still a lot of cream in the crock pot. I used a barely pasteurized cream, so I know that wasn’t the issue. I’m wondering if the temp was the issue. (Maybe my warm setting wasn’t “warm” enough!) I’ll use the oven the next time so that I can make sure it’s at 180 degrees.
Jackie
Thank you so much. My grandma used to make it when I was younger but I never learned. When I got older n asked she said it was too much work. My daughter’s step mother (weird but we are friends) made clotted cream for my daughter’s bridal shower tea party. She told me the oven way. I forgot to tell my husband and he threw it away thinking it was a spill. I’ll try this way thank you .
Liv
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! Worked like a charm on my “keep warm” setting. Never had any idea that clotted cream could be so easy. Thrilled to have this for my tea party this week.
DULCE
Hello! Thank you por the recipe and the hints! I am from Mexico but my heart is british, and I have been craving for clotted cream since my last trip to London. I looked for lots of clotted cream recipes and I found your slow cooker recipe the easiest way to do it. Right now I am waiting for my clotted cream to come true! Tomorrow I am baking scones for the first time in my life! Hope that turns out fine. ;)
caroline
hi nick , tried the recipe in my crock pot lived in cornwall awhile loved clotted cream, now trying to get all my neighbours in Ireland to try what i have made , would say the runny watertery bit at the bottom can be used in the scones or soda bread instead of throwing it away just add some more milk and lemon. caroline
Elizabeth
Thank you for this! Clotted cream is also a rarity in Canada, At least, it is certainly non-existent in the shops here in Atlantic Canada. I first ate it on a trip to the UK a few years ago and it was love at first taste. So looking forward to trying your slow-cooker method. :)
Nutty Burd
I had clotted cream for the first time in an English Tea room in Harrisonburg VA. I fell in love w/it! I can’t believe how easy it is to make! Haven’t tried the crock pot yet. I usually do it in a warm (170 degree) oven for 8 hours. What a fabulous addition to my homemade scones!!!
Morgan Winston
I actually ended up making this with ultra-pasteurized heavy whipping cream and adding a few splashes of the whole milk I had in the fridge which was only pasteurized. It ended up working but was just a little too runny for me so I added a tablespoon of cream cheese and it was perfect. I can’t vouch for how authentic mine ended up tasting because it’s been a while since I have eaten clotted cream but everyone liked it at the holiday tea party I went to.
Nick
Awesome! Glad it worked out Morgan!
Carolyn
I read in a British recipe booklet a long time ago that a simple way to make an imitation version of clotted cream was to take equal portions of sour cream and heavy cream, whip the heavy cream to the consistency of sour cream, mix the two together and there it is. I tried it once and it was a good substitute.
Erum
Love the recipe..will try it out soon.
Thank you for sharing.
Vicky
Discovered this and tried it this weekend. Used 4 cups of whipping cream and got about 1 and a half cups of clotted and the rest regular pouring cream. Very happy for a first time effort. Next time, (unless I can find out exactly what my “low” temperature is and I may well try that by putting some water in and putting a thermometer in), I will try leaving it on keep warm for 12 hours instead of 8. Looking forward though to scones, homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream this afternoon. Very fitting on a long weekend in Canada to celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday
Laura Beraha
You said ” I will try leaving it on keep warm for 12 hours instead of 8.”
That’s exactly what I did and 10 hours later it was browned & caramelized at the edges & light brown in the middle. I’m going to try again, this time using Joanne’s suggestion of 8 hours as a double boiler on Low. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Joanne
Hi! We’re an English family living in the US and have really missed clotted cream. Every year we hold an English High Tea party and have to make do with ordinary whipping cream. We found your slow cooker method and can’t believe how good the cream tastes! Just like the real thing.
Our first attempt – 8 hours on low – this was obviously too hot for the cream and it caramelised.
Second attempt – we half filled the crock pot with water, then poured the cream into an oven proof dish (pyrex) that fitted the crock pot – in effect creating a double boiler. (The dish sat above the water and not in it.) Covered and set for 8 hours on low and the cream turned out perfectly.
Thank you for the great idea!
Val
I understand that clotted cream was a sort of mistake when cream was left on top of an old range/Aga type cooker. Also I like the theory that you put the strawberry jam on hot scones (freshly made I would guess) then follow with the cream, and the jam kind of provides a layer of insulation between scone & cream, helps stop it melting. Personally I like my cream tea with cream on the scone first, fresh strawberries on top and a slight dusting of caster sugar. Mmmmm? But enjoy whatever.
Katy
Mine turned out super milky. Can you tell me what brand of heavy whipping cream you use? I found a lazy cow brand and it said it was just pasteurized. Should I have cooked it longer since I used a small 2 c. Slow cooker?
Nick
Hey Katy, that slow cooker probably isn’t big enough. You need a large one with a lot of surface area. You want the cream to be spread out and thin over the slow cooker, not really thick if that makes sense. Good luck!
Ellen
Katy, I tried this recipe and it turned out well…I found a heavy cream that was labeled “old fashioned” instead of “ultra-pasteurized” or “pasteurized.” Hope that helps.
Karen
I think my crockpot (low/auto settings) must get too hot. I tried this recipe oovernight and I habe a golden brown burned smelling mixture…any thoughts what went wwrong?
Vicky
Either the crockpot wasnt large enough (see Nicks explanation above) or the setting even on low was too hot. I do mine on the “keep warm” setting. It works much better.
Jenny Pepper
I never knew that other countries didn’t sell clotted cream. Being from the UK, it is normal to just take a tub from the supermarket shelf and put in the trolley.
Mic
How long can you store this after making it?
Nick
Hey Mic, think it would be fine in the fridge for a week or so. Good luck!
Rita
By the way, the clear, watery stuff at the bottom is whey. It’s full of protein and you can cook with it. Boil some legumes or add to a pot with water to cook pasta,
Amy
The easiest way to make clotted cream is in an electric roaster. You can set the temperature to exactly 180 degrees. You need to make a double boiler of sorts. Put the cream in as large of a glass cake pan as you can fit in the roaster and pour water in the roaster around the pan so most the pan is surrounded by water. I keep it in the roaster for 10 – 12 hours and then, after cooling, carefully lift the cake pan out of the roaster and put it in the fridge. It works every time. I’m hoping it works today since I will need to take the cream out a little early.
Amy
I forgot to add that the cake pan must be covered by foil so the condensation from the water doesn’t drip into the pan.
Angela Goodman
I made mine in my salad master EOC set at 180° for eight hours. after it cooled overnight it looked perfect. I scooped out the pudding-like top layer and all the bits that came with it stirred it up and it was a little watery so I used a hand mixer for maybe 10 seconds and it came out with the perfect consistency. Having just returned from London I had a good memory of what it looked and tasted like. I have to say this is pretty spot on. I used heavy cream from a local dairy purchased at one of our natural grocery stores.
Maggi Wardell
Definitely will try this…I am married to an Englishman and he tells me I need to make a Victorian sponge cake with clotted cream and strawberry jam….
Sally T
Worked like a charm! I started my slow cooker on low to get it going as I began later than I meant to, and then switched to warm fairly quickly. I was dubious at 8 hours and let it cook for 10, which I think was unnecessary and maybe put it slightly closer to butter than I’d like. As a Cornishwoman abroad, I’m loath to start a Devon-Cornwall war, but JAM FIRST! How’s else are you going to “give ‘em a gurt big dollop”?
Pam Ammons
Thank you for the recipe for Clotted Cream made in a slow cooker. I have made it before in the oven but the last time it was too runny. I look forward to using your recipe and enjoying real Clothed Cream.
Lilly
I made clotted cream yesterday. I found the recipe somewhere and completely overlooked the fact that it said NOT to use ultra pasteurized. I was online looking at various recipes, but at that point my cream was in the oven for five hours already so I figured, oh well, let see what happens. But guess what? It came out just fine! The cream I used, although ultra pasteurized, was 100% cream…NO GUAR GUM, NO CARRAGEENAN. Is it possible, that everyone has it wrong? That somewhere along the way, someone meant to say to use the 100% pure, instead said NOT to use ultra pasteurized? I can completely see how carrageenan and guar gum would not clot.
BTW…I have to wonder if the cream with these additives is even cream. They use it to thicken, but the real cream I bought yesterday was thicker than any of the “imposters” i’ve always used.
Either way, I got about 3/4 of a cup from one pint of the Whole Foods 365 cream.
Lindsay
My slow cooker low setting is 205 and warm is 160. Do you think this will work and be a safe temp to do it at 160? I know 205 will be too high a temp. Thanks!
Heather
Im making this currently and went to check it after about 3 hours and realising my slow cooker on low is almost cooking the cream. Its slightly simmering and looking a little brown on the edges. It is forming a skin on top. Ive just transferred to the oven instead but do you think its already ruined and i should just start again from fresh in the oven?
Lee Prouten
I did not use a slow cooker – i accidentally left my cream in the trunk of the car for 4 days (and 3 nights), which put it through the heating/cooling cycle several times. when i opened the container, the cream was clotted…and I used it to make a lovely cheesecake … am trying your slow-cooker recipe now…
Ally Robb-Morrison
That’s genius/as long as it doesn’t spoil. 😁👏🏻. Wondering who was the taste tester in your family. I imagine- “hey kids. Who wants to try my spoiled milk product I left in the car?” Everyone disappears. 😂
Ally Robb-Morrison
Thank you for finally a good recipe. I made a “fake” recipe someone posted somewhere using sour cream and it had too much “zing” to it. Too sour. Anyway, wondering if anyone has tried freezing the leftover or will that be like the cream cheese debacle I have done in the past-where the texture and taste are gross? Thx again. Wee lassie 🏴 born raised in the 🇺🇸. P.S. the shortcake in the North and South of USA vary very different. Yellow Cake is used in the north (at least in NY) and biscuits are used in the South. (Not to be confused with British biscuits). My friends never understood my wee Maw offering crisps-instead of potato chips. 🤣