How to Make Mascarpone Cheese

Glass container filled with homemade mascarpone, used for baking, tiramisu, toast, and more.

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Homemade Mascarpone Cheese is a delicious 2-ingredient recipe that yields creamy, luscious Italian cream cheese. Follow our quick and easy steps to make this delightful cheese at home for a fraction of the price of store-bought options.

Prep Time40

Cook Time5

Straining time12

Total Time12 45

Course: Sauce, Toppings

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: cup

Calories: 1609kcal

Author: Kathleen Higashiyama

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pint heavy cream
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Heat the cream - In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it reaches 180-185°F (82-85°C) for 3 minutes. Whisk occasionally to prevent scorching.
1 pint heavy cream
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 cream 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 mascarpone will remain in the cheesecloth.
Enjoy - Transfer the mascarpone to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Video

Notes

Top Tips

Avoid overheating the cream or the mascarpone will be grainy.
If you don't have a thermometer, heat the cream until it steams and small bubbles form around the edges of the pan.
Be sure to let the curds drain thoroughly but gently to ensure the mascarpone is creamy.
Let the mascarpone chill in the refrigerator overnight so the flavors develop and the texture firms up.
For a more tart mascarpone, add more lemon juice and zest.

Nutrition