Whipping up your own cream cheese is easier than you think! We will show you How to Make Cream Cheese in just a few simple steps with only 2 ingredients. Then spread on bagels, toast, or crackers. You can also use it for frosting, filling, and more!
Cream cheese on a bagel is a classic breakfast for us. But we also love homemade spread for our chai cream cheese frosting, cheesecake swirl brownies, and no-bake mini cheesecakes. However you use it, it adds a warm, buttery, and undeniably delicious flavor and texture.
Looking for other cheese recipes? Try our Mascarpone Spread, a homemade Italian version.
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Why You'll Love This Homemade Cream Cheese
- Taste - This cheese is mildly sweet.
- Texture - It is perfectly creamy and spreadable.
- Effort - It takes about 5 minutes to heat the whole milk or heavy cream, 40 minutes to let it rest, and 12 hours to strain it.
Key Ingredients
- Non-ultra-pasteurized whole milk, or a mix of whole milk and heavy cream - Whole milk and heavy cream are the rich base for the cream cheese. Be sure to use non-ultra-pasteurized whole milk or heavy cream. Non-ultra-pasteurized milk and cream is pasteurized and safe to consume, but has an intact protein structure that allows the milk to properly curd.
- Fresh lemon juice - Lemon juice is acidic and reacts with the milk or cream to form curds.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions/Variations
- Fruit - Fold in fruits like strawberry or blueberries for a sweet treat.
- Cinnamon - Add cinnamon for a woodsy warm accent.
- Lemon zest - Add lemon zest for a bright a lemony flavor.
- Herbs, seasonings, and more - Once the cream cheese is strained overnight, fold in your favorite mix-ins, like garlic powder, everything bagel seasoning, fresh chopped herbs, and more.
How to Make Cream Cheese
- Heat the milk - In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, heat the whole milk over medium heat until it reaches 180-185°F (82-85°C). Whisk occasionally to prevent scorching. (Photo 1 and 2)
- Add lemon juice - Reduce the heat to low and immediately whisk in the fresh lemon juice. Then remove from heat. (Photo 3 and 4)
- Allow to set - The mixture should be thickened and will coat the back of a spoon. Allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 30-45 minutes or until completely cooled. (Photo 5)
- Strain - Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth or a clean cotton kitchen towel over a large bowl. Then pour the milk into the cheesecloth and let the mixture drain in the refrigerator for 12 hours to overnight. The whey will drain into the bowl and the creamy mixture will remain in the cheesecloth. (Photo 6 and 7)
- Blend - If the mixture is dense and/or grainy, place it in a food processor or blender carafe and pulse a few times until smooth and creamy. Mix in your favorite seasonings, sweetener, fruit, and more.
- Enjoy - Transfer the cream cheese to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. (Photo 8)
Pro tip - Avoid overheating the whole milk. If the milk gets too hot, the spread can become grainy.
Other Tips
- If you don't have a thermometer, heat the cream until it starts to steam and small bubbles form around the edges of the pan.
- For a more tart cream cheese, you can increase the amount of lemon juice.
Cream Cheese FAQ
How can I make my cream cheese smoother?
You can either strain it longer or use a blender.
What is the difference between cream cheese and mascarpone?
Mascarpone usually has a higher fat content making it richer tasting.
Related Recipes
Love This Cheese Recipe?
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📖 Recipe
How to Make Cream Cheese
Whipping up your own cream cheese is easier than you think! We will show you How to Make Cream Cheese in just a few simple steps with only 2 ingredients. Then spread on bagels, toast, or crackers. You can also use it for frosting, filling, and more!
Servings: 1 cup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pint non-ultra-pasteurized whole milk or a mix of non-ultra-pasteurized whole milk and non-ultra-pasteurized heavy cream*
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the milk - In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, heat the whole milk over medium heat until it reaches 180-185°F (82-85°C). Whisking occasionally to prevent scorching.1 pint non-ultra-pasteurized whole milk
- Add lemon juice - Reduce the heat to low and immediately whisk in the fresh lemon juice. Remove from heat. The mixture should be thickened and will coat the back of a spoon.2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Allow to set - Allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 30-45 minutes or until completely cooled.
- Strain - Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth or a clean cotton kitchen towel over a large bowl. Pour the milk into the cheesecloth and let the mixture drain in the refrigerator for 12 hours to overnight. The whey will drain into the bowl and the creamy cream cheese will remain in the cheesecloth.
- Blend - If the cream cheese is dense and/or grainy, place it in a food processor or blender carafe and pulse a few times until smooth and creamy. Mix in your favorite seasonings, sweetener, fruit, and more.
- Enjoy - Transfer the cream cheese to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Video
Notes
Top Tips
- Avoid overheating the whole milk. If the milk gets too hot, the cream cheese will be grainy.
- If you don't have a thermometer, you can heat the cream until it starts to steam and small bubbles form around the edges of the pan.
- For a more tart cream cheese, increase the amount of lemon juice.
- You must use non-ultra-pasteurized milk and heavy cream. Non-ultra-pasteurized milk and cream is pasteurized and safe to consume, but has an intact protein structure that allows the milk to properly curd.
Tried this recipe?Mention @theheirloompantry or tag #theheirloompantry!
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