How to Get Magma Cream in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Kill magma cubes in the Nether (0-1 magma cream in Java, 0-2 in Bedrock, more with Looting) or craft it from 1 blaze powder + 1 slimeball. You need it for Fire Resistance potions and magma blocks.

What you need

Weapon for magma cubes (Looting III ideal)
Blaze powder (from blaze rods)
Slimeballs (from slimes)
Brewing stand for Fire Resistance

Step by step

Hunt magma cubes in the Nether: they spawn everywhere in basalt deltas and commonly across nether wastes and fortresses. Only the large and medium cubes drop magma cream - the tiny ones drop nothing but XP.
Know the drop: in Java a magma cube drops 0-1 magma cream, in Bedrock 0-2, with Looting adding to the maximum. A magma cube farm at a basalt delta or fortress intersection makes cream unlimited.
Or craft it: combine 1 blaze powder with 1 slimeball in any shape. This turns a blaze farm plus a slime chunk farm into a magma cream factory without hunting cubes.
Loot bastion remnants: their chests can contain magma cream, a decent early source before your farms exist.
Brew Fire Resistance: add magma cream to an awkward potion in a brewing stand for a 3:00 Fire Resistance potion (extend to 8:00 with redstone) - essential for lava work, blaze farms and ancient debris mining.
Craft magma blocks: 4 magma cream in a 2x2 grid make 1 magma block for bubble columns, mob-damage floors and beacon bases.

Java vs Bedrock

The main edition difference is the magma cube drop: 0-1 magma cream in Java versus 0-2 in Bedrock (both boosted by Looting). Crafting, brewing and magma block recipes are identical in both editions.

Versions: Magma cream was added in Java Edition 1.0.0 (Beta 1.9 Prerelease 2, November 2011) and in Pocket Edition v0.11.0.

Frequently asked questions

What mobs drop magma cream?

Magma cubes - specifically the large and medium ones; tiny cubes drop only XP. Java drops 0-1 cream per cube, Bedrock 0-2, and Looting raises the maximum in both.

Can you craft magma cream?

Yes: 1 blaze powder plus 1 slimeball in a shapeless recipe. It's often easier to automate than hunting magma cubes once you have blaze and slime farms.

What is magma cream used for?

Brewing potions of Fire Resistance (3:00, extendable to 8:00 with redstone dust) and crafting magma blocks for bubble columns and damage floors.

Where do magma cubes spawn most?

Basalt deltas have the highest magma cube spawn rates in the Nether; they also appear in nether wastes and around nether fortresses. Bastion remnant chests can hold the cream itself.