crema

noun

ˈkre-mə 

plural cremas

1

: cream or a preparation made with or resembling cream used in cooking : crème: such as

a

: any of various custards prepared as a dish, sauce, or filling

… a trio of Mediterranean desserts, including a Catalan-inspired, lavender crema presented in an edible almond ramekin.

—Julia Zaltzman

b

: heavy cream thickened and slightly soured usually with buttermilk and often served with spicy foods

Serve the flautas with the crema.

—Zanne Early Zakroff

Crema can be used to thicken or enrich a dish, but it is broadly thought of as a condiment.

—Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman

Pour in the Mexican crema, stirring to make sure it coats all of the vegetables, and gently simmer for about 2 minutes.

—Mely Martínez

2

: a layer of golden-brown froth that forms on the top of freshly made espresso

To get the best aroma, flavor and crema, I needed fresh beans from great roasters.

—Jeremy Repanich

What the head is to the beer lover, the foam called crema is to the espresso aficionado. … The crema is produced as the water is pushed through and past the close-packed grains of coffee, although how that happens is not fully understood.

—Sidney Perkowitz

Examples of crema in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Carson smothers it over a crisp and shattering tortilla with tart pickled jalapeño, silky avocado crema and a blizzard of cotija cheese. —Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026

On top is a crema made from Greek yogurt, lime juice, and even more Chile Lime Seasoning. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2026

Place parsley or chives delicately on top of the crema and serve. —Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026

Top with crumbled cheese, drizzle of crema, dollops of salsa verde, and garnish of lime and cilantro. —Carole Kotkin, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026

One enchilada platter has roasted sweet potato and a cashew crema filling ($18). —Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026

Empanadas are available in chicken or a special vegan offering, both served with ajo crema. —Michael Guise, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026

But there are also some unique flavors like la Felina with poblano crema, ragu and raisins, or the Middle Eastern za’atar spice sprinkled on the marsili. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2026

Drizzle with chipotle crema, fold in half and serve hot. —C.w. Cameron, AJC.com, 15 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

(sense 1) borrowed from Spanish, "cream," borrowed from French crème, going back to Old French craime; (sense 2) borrowed from Italian, "cream," borrowed from French crème — more at cream entry 1

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for crema

• cima
• pima
• prima
• rima
• schema
• sema
• sima
• thema
• edema
• extrema
• ulema
• emphysema