Half-and-half, which is half cream and half milk, is a very versatile ingredient that you’ll find on the ingredient list in a wide range of recipes from appetizers to casseroles to desserts. If you don’t already have half-and-half in your fridge, these recipes will convince you to grab some during your next trip to the grocery store. Plus, in many recipes half-and-half can be used as a substitute for heavy cream which may help if you find yourself in a pinch.
Whether you bought a carton of half-and-half for one recipe and are looking for a way to use the rest or have some in your refrigerator that’s about to expire, these are our best recipes using half-and-half.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Soup in 30 minutes? Yes, please! To make this recipe even more comforting, serve it up in a bread bowl.
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey
Half-and-half thickens the alfredo sauce in this rich, comforting alfredo lasagna—plus, you can make it ahead to reheat later.
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
All the goodness of a loaded potato made into a soup: Chicken broth is blended together with tender new potatoes after simmering in the slow cooker to provide the base of the soup. Finish with half-and-half and top with all the loaded potato fixings.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Like custard pie, Caramel Pie is sweet and rich with a unique toasted golden hue. Half-and-half is boiled and combined with dulce de leche to make up the base of the caramel filling.
Half-and-half provides the base of the banana pudding in this creamy, light, and refreshing Icebox cake layered with strawberries, bananas, and graham crackers.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This quiche combo of ham, Swiss, and fresh chives is classic. Half-and-half provides the perfect balance of creaminess to help the quiche bake into a velvety custardy base.
Million Dollar Mac And Cheese
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
This dish deserves it’s high price namesake. It’s decadent, gooey, and won’t last long on your counter. Half-and-half adds additional richness and a creamy, luxurious texture to the sauce. We recommend making a double batch because it’s just that good.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Homemade mashed potatoes are simple to make and worth the effort in our opinion. When making mashed potatoes in your Instant Pot, you can easily keep them warm until you’re ready to serve thanks to the “Keep Warm” function of the pot.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This restaurant-quality soup is warm, comforting, and comes together in under an hour.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Serve up the delicious flavors of homemade French toast without having to stand by the stove flipping all morning with this casserole version of the classic breakfast dish.
Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page
One cup of half-and-half is vital to making the custard base for this quiche recipe.
https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/scalloped-corn-casserole
Half-and-half is combined with corn in a blender to create the creamy base for this corn casserole. And don’t be fooled by the name—there’s actually no scallops in this recipe, just plenty of corn.
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
This over-the-top pie starts with a crust that’s made from chocolate cookies. The crust is then filled with a layer of brownies, a layer of chocolate pudding, and finished off with a whipped topping and crumbled cookies.
Refrigerated biscuits and your trusty slow cooker will help this decadent casserole come together with just 20 minutes of hands-on time.
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
We turned the classic sandwich into a crowd-pleasing casserole. Just make sure you allow at least eight hours for refrigeration before you’ll be baking the casserole.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Half-and-half serves as the base for the creamy filling of this classic pie recipe. You can use a refrigerated pie crust or make one with your favorite homemade recipe.
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes are blended together with half-and-half and spices to make a rich, creamy soup that’s endlessly versatile.
Coming together in just one pot in 45 minutes, this chicken Alfredo dish will become a staple in your weeknight dinner rotation. Plus, it’s elegant enough for weekend entertaining.
While you’ll only find onions on the ingredient list for this frittata, you can also add other veggies you have on hand.
You can use fresh or frozen corn for this cheesy casserole. Just make sure to drain any excess water so it doesn’t make the dish watery.
Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Ali Ramey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
Quiche is a pretty simple brunch recipe. To make it even easier, you can use a pre-made crust if desired.
Monica Farber / Southern Living
Half-and-half, eggs, and a few spices are all you need to create the filling for this easy pie.
Whether you enjoy it for breakfast or dessert, you can’t go wrong with this pound cake recipe. Just make sure to allow your eggs, butter, and cream cheese to come to room temperature before you begin mixing.
Key lime juice and zest combine with half-and-half to create the custard for this zesty icebox cake.
Hector Sanchez; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Mindi Shapiro
Slow cooker dips are great not only because of their ease, but also the slow cooker can keep the dip warm until it’s time to enjoy. This is easily served when hosting for the holidays or game day.
You don’t have to choose between cake and pie with this recipe. Enjoy the best of both with this layer cake that’s almost too pretty to eat.
Will Dickey
Half-and-half adds plenty of richness to this recipe that delivers fluffy homemade grits with just 10 minutes of cooking in an Instant Pot.
Whipped Potatoes
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Prissy Lee Montiel
These are no ordinary whipped mashed potatoes—the addition of Brie cheese adds an earthy, nutty undertone. Half-and-half adds richness and moisture for the right consistency. Serve them as a side dish to elevate a special holiday meal, or prepare a bowl for yourself as a cozy treat.
Classic Red Velvet Bundt Cake
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
The perfect dessert for the holidays or when you just want to treat yourself — and get rid of that half-and-half in the fridge. This recipe uses half-and-half to add a little extra richness to the glaze.
Ham And Potato Soup
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
From start to finish, this soup with ham and potato takes just about 45 minutes. It calls for half-and-half and flour to make it extra creamy.
She-Crab Soup
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Seafood for dinner doesn’t need to be complicated. With fresh crabmeat, half-and-half, and sherry wine, this luxurious Charleston soup deserves a spot on every dinner table — and it only takes 45 minutes to make.
Shepherd’s Pie
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
When the weather turns, this dish is here to warm you right up. Use half-and-half for the mashed potato topping.
Croissant Bread Pudding
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling; Prop Stylist: Prissy Lee Montiel
Serve this super sweet dish for breakfast or dessert! Half-and-half strikes a great balance between heavy cream and regular whole milk to lend a velvety creamy yet light custard taste.
Cajun Custard Pie
Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This lesser-known pie deserves some recognition for it’s silky taste and simple ingredient list. Use half-and-half to add moisture and tenderness to the cookie-dough like crust.
Homemade Butter Mints
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
For something a little different, try your hand at these butter mints. They’re perfect for showers, brunch, and any girl get together. Half-and-half helps create the right consistency.