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A few years ago I discovered how to make cream cheese, but I wasn't sure what to do with this information. What fool makes his own cream cheese, no matter how delicious it is? On the other hand, you could use that reasoning to dismiss almost everything here (especially if you look at yourself,marshmallows), and you're still here. But I suspected this would be a bridge too far. Even grandmothers who blog about food have to stay relevant, and who's looked around [gestures at all these things in this world right now] and said, "What really keeps me awake at night is the stabilizers in store-bought cream cheese purchased"?
And then the pandemic happened, many of us had more free time than we knew what to do with, the grocery stores didn't always have what they were used to, and when they did, the prices were outrageous (oops, so far" relevance") and I recreated it, and what I forgot to tell you is that it is incredibly simple. I made it in 25 minutes. The only practical part was scraping the cream cheese from the food processor, and in the case of plant-based cream cheese. It doesn't require any fancy ingredients, just plain milk, salt and white vinegar. Every time I've made it, we've been a little shocked at what goes with store-bought cream cheese; I'm not sure I could tell them apart with my eyes closed. And in the case of the cream cheeses, you have to try it at least once.
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Homemade cream cheese
- Portions:1 kop
- Bron:Beaten kitchen
If you've ever made homemade ricotta, cottage cheese, paneer or other fresh cheese, this process will be familiar. The main difference from cream cheese is the addition of cream (I use it in mine).ricotta, but it's not traditional), the higher salt content (believe me, without this salt content it won't taste like cream cheese) and the mixing process. This recipe makes only 1 cup; I recommend doubling (with a pint of milk) or quadrupling (with a full gallon of milk) if you are serving more than a few people.
- 4 cups (945 ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) whipped cream
- 2 teaspoons (11 grams) fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) white vinegar
- Line a fine mesh or other sieve with small holes with a layer or two of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl with enough room so that the bottom of the side does not touch the bowl when there are four cups of liquid in it, or the cheese will not drain out . Heat the milk, cream and salt in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until just below boiling. It looks like it's foaming and it's about 200 to 205 degrees Celsius. Remove from heat. Stir in the vinegar, wait 4 minutes and then pour it through the cheesecloth. Let drain for 10 to 20 minutes; it still looks quite wet, but it barely drips from the sieve. The time it takes to drain will depend on the size of the holes in your cheesecloth. Don't worry if it drains too much; you can always add some whey if it isn't the right consistency. Transfer the contents of the cheesecloth to a food processor or blender and blend until very smooth, a few minutes, scraping as necessary. That's it: you've made cream cheese!
- This is how you make plant-based cream cheese:Add 2 tablespoons chopped carrot, 2 tablespoons chopped scallions, white and green parts, 2 tablespoons chopped red pepper, blotted with paper towel to remove excess moisture, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder and a few grinds of black pepper per regular cream cheese.
- This is how you make spring onion-chive cream cheese:Add 4 tablespoons chopped scallions and/or chives per 1 cup of regular cream cheese.
- How to make Lox cream cheese:Add 4 tablespoons chopped lox, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, and chopped fresh dill to taste to 1 cup plain cream cheese.
- Make strawberry cream cheese, my favorite non-canon flavor of cream cheese because it tastes like cheesecake and I don't care how many real New Yorkers who aren't me are clutching their pearls: add 2 tablespoons strawberry jam, lightly drained if it's a looser jam, per 1 cup of regular cream cheese.
The cream cheese will still be warm, so the texture should be reminiscent of cream cheese that has softened on a toasted bagel. If it seems stiffer, you can add a little whey, 1 teaspoon at a time, and mix it in. As the cream cheese cools it will harden, but you can use it right away. Save the whey for other good things, like soup stock or as water in a bread recipe.
Move forward:According to generally accepted food safety advice, this fresh cream cheese will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator, but I can also tell you that my regular cream cheese was fine after 2 weeks. However, I would keep the lox cream cheese for a few days.
Ingredient notes:You can use any milk you like to drink, but you want to use whole milk. A milk with a low fat content will not produce the same yield. For the cream, pasteurized is fine, but ultra-pasteurized often contains gellan gum for stability, and I would avoid this. [I used Organic Valley for both my milk and cream because they are fairly readily available, not because it is sponsored.]This hereis my go-to brand for fine sea salt. White vinegar is usually sold as regular vinegar in Britain. I just started usingThis brand is machine washableof cheesecloth.
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All commentsI made this!To ask
Bentley
Oh Deb, you dangerous dangerous lady...that's amazing!!!!
Esther Katz
Will apple cider vinegar work?
deb
It is less acidic and has a less neutral taste. If you notice that the mixture does not clump, return it to the heat with more vinegar.
Gg kim
Yes! Wonderful...I sat one night over the cool countertop, covered with a muslin cloth...magical...delicious soft cheese for breakfast! xoxoxo
Gabi
First! I'm sorry I had to! Looking lovely as always Deb!
barb
How strange can people be
Rachel
Okay, so I'm someone who is kept awake at night by the added stabilizers in cream cheese. Nerds unite! I am so excited to try this recipe. Do you think this cream cheese can be used in cheesecake?
deb
I do! I'm probably too lazy, but the firm, cold texture is actually Philadelphian.
Carrie
You read my mind - thank you! I talked about it recently. Yes!
Deanna
I'm on the fence about the stabilizers in sour cream (being a dairy country, New Zealand has terrible sour cream), but I'd never really thought about them in cream cheese. Now it also keeps me awake at night.
I would be careful about using this in cheesecake...anytime I make cheesecake and use a brand other than Philadelphia or Trader Joe's, it's a gamble as to whether it will work or not. (England and New Zealand both made mistakes because the texture of the cream cheese just wasn't right. And as much as I love cream cheese, I don't want it as a warm, sweet soup)
Saba
Meadowfresh cream cheese also works in cheesecakes (just never try the spreadable version), but Philadelphia is definitely a superior product. Most of our butter in NZ is pretty bad too 😢
Karen Brown
You are joking! I would compare Lewis Road unsalted butter (a premium butterfat butter made in New Zealand) with some of the best French products. I worked as a pastry chef for many years and am very picky when it comes to butter in pastries. And when I feel like it, I make butter in my stand mixer with our delicious fresh cream. But even New Zealand's cheaper everyday butter is better than standard UK or US butter, at least to my taste.
Nanette
I use Kell's Irish Butter and am very happy with it.
I never saw the Meadowfresh brand until our Costco (New Orleans) had 1/2 and 1/2. However, they had no cream cheese.
Sherri
I do it right after the three year old goes to bed, whenever that is.
My Covid-era cheesecloth epiphany came when I was making Instant Pot yogurt but didn't dare leave the house: IKEA dish towels, the $0.79 white ones with red stripes, work perfectly. I always have a bunch of them and I can just throw them in the wash. Yes Yes.
Jill R
I like the idea of cheap dish towels. Think it would also work when steaming glutinous rice. Did the red streaks ever get into the food?
Sunny
I have several all-white dish towels that are too worn to absorb. But cheap as I am, I save them. They work perfectly in place of commercial cheesecloth.
Carla
Deanna... make your own probiotic sour cream... get some kefir grains and give them cream... in less than 24 hours you will have the most luxurious sour cream... and very happy grains. I use a deep tablespoon for 2 cups of cream. Just strain the grains and you're good to go. Then give the grains a few cups of milk, any kind, and the next day you have kefir.
By the way.. if you make your own kefir, kefir cheese and kefir sour cream you will save over $600 a year!!! And it's easy! To enjoy.
Kelly
I would like to try this. How many kefir grains in dairy product?
Carla
Kelly,
I keep my grain level at about a tablespoon for two cups of milk.
For sour cream, I give them a "treat" of about a cup of cream and it grows within a few hours. I strain it out and then give the grains their normal 2 cups of whole milk. Sure, you could grow 2 or 3 cups of cream with a tablespoon of grain... it would just take longer. Temperature also plays a role...I try to keep the digesters at about 72 degrees...but that is a challenge in the summer. Often my kefir grew faster. Try making cultured butter with kefir.. 1/2 cup to a quart of cream... culture for about 24 hours.. until thick and then cool for a few hours before whipping into butter. I usually get a few cups of buttermilk as a bonus....those make great pancakes!What are Kefir Grains? Where do you find them?
How about making crème fraîche? I can't bring myself to use a local dairy's cream (I don't know the fat content) and their fresh buttermilk (at $3 per qt for the buttermilk I can't complain about the price since we only have it in the winter use).I like it!
Laurens
I'm curious if you think it could work with nut milks (like almond milk and coconut cream)?
deb
No, it won't harden.
Jackie
Any idea if lactose-free cow's milk would work? I would be fine with the heavy cream, it is a small amount.
Alene
My question also because lactose-free cream cheese is difficult to find and a bit strange.
Dee
I just brought lactose-free cream cheese. This may be region specific, but Loblaws (the supermarket chain) has their own brand of cream cheese that is lactose free. Canadian of course.
Lea
I think it will work. The vinegar coagulates the milk proteins, not the lactose. However, lactose-free milk may not work in homemade yogurt because the lactose must be converted to lactic acid to sour the milk.
Nadia
Lactose-free milk works in homemade yogurt. I make it all the time because lactose-free yogurt is so hard to find (and very expensive when you do).
Tori
I have successfully made ricotta with lactose-free milk in the past, so I imagine it will work out here!
Lori
There's a vegan bagel shop in my town that has delicious vegan cream cheese, so it should be feasible. I just don't know how!
Jacqueline
It may be worth trying it with soy milk. I make a ricotta-like cheese with soy milk curdled with lemon or vinegar. I use the Westsoy or Eden brand because they only contain soybeans and salt. I imagine the stabilizers in many plant-based milks would prevent clumping.
Shari
What about Temptee lovers? Have you tried beating it?
jane3
I've done it with both homemade coconut yogurt and coconut kefir. But you don't cook it - you just boil the cream and hang it in a cheesecloth on the counter overnight. It's basically labneh, but just as thick and creamy as regular cream cheese – which I then spread on toast with seedless blackberry jam. I haven't tried it salted, maybe that will come up. Good luck!
Ruth
Rose Levy Beranbaum always tells you to use Philadelphia cream cheese in her (or any other) cheesecake recipe. She says the recipes are meant to be made with stabilizer containing cheese and will not be the "natural" kind. I buy Ben's to eat, but follow her advice for cheesecake.
And I can't wait to try this.
Hi Rachel, One option for cheesecake if you don't have cream cheese available is Greek yogurt (homemade or store-bought unflavored). Strain it through cheesecloth over a bowl for ~24-48 hours and it will have the consistency of cream cheese. I've used it in cheesecake and it's quite tasty.
Eleonora
Hi Rachel, All the cream cheese we get here in Israel is natural, unstabilized – which is great and delicious as a spread, but works very differently in pastries. I've made North American cheesecakes with them and they bake very differently. They are wetter (the crust becomes soft) and not as dense and creamy. That said, if you really want to avoid cream cheese with stabilizers, you can make cheesecake with natural cream cheese. For best results, look for European-style recipes that are not based in Philadelphia. For example, Israeli recipes often use flour or whipped egg whites, creating a completely different cheesecake, but still tasty. And I know there are many European recipes such as cheesecake, cheesecakes, etc. Or be willing to play with your regular recipes until you are satisfied. One idea I've considered is to bake a crustless cheesecake with natural cream cheese and invert it onto a pre-baked crust to avoid the sogginess problem. And I think natural style cheesecakes benefit from a fruit sauce/topping because the cheesecake itself isn't one of those thick, creamy cakes that stands on its own. Good luck with your cream cheese adventures! (And if you try it and it actually works like Philadelphia, please report what you did!)
myrna1
I love the concerns about added stabilizers, especially because my first look at the top photo made me think "oh are those cream cheese sprinkles", I would eat that! This goes on the list to try. !
Jeanie
Keeps me awake too! Nancy's is the best reliable brand I've found without the gum and crap.
Monica Margo
Would whole milk work lactose-free? The smaller amount of cream would be fine.
deb
I won't know for sure unless I test it. Or maybe someone else has tried it and can report back.
Jackie
I just saw this comment. Maybe I should just give it a try. I recently retired, why not? I'll let you know if I try it.
Grayson
I often use lactose-free milk to make ricotta, so I imagine it would work great here.
Marianne
This is good news for my father!
Linda
It is the casein in the cheese that holds the cheese together. The lactose is actually only important if you want to ferment the cheese. Since this is a fresh cheese, lactose-free milk would definitely work. This is also why the ricotta also works, because it is also a fresh cheese :)
Ali
Thank you very much for the information! I have drops to make milk/cream lactose free, but it would be horrible to ruin a jug of milk for making cheese.
Ellen N.
Because lactose-free milk is significantly sweeter than non-lactose-free milk; the taste would be different.
EllaFm
I have not used lactose-free milk (or lactose-free cream) for cream cheese, but I have used it for marscarpone and ricotta with excellent results. Since the method is similar (heated milk and vinegar strained after curdling), I imagine it would work for cream cheese as well.
This thing is fantastic too. It turns any liquid dairy into something lactose-free (milk, condensed milk, cream).https://www.amazon.com/Supplement-Certified-Formulated-Seeking-Health/dp/B003VSTRY8
Alene
I actually completely forgot about that! For a recipe I made ricotta cheese and I used lactose-free milk. It worked perfectly and I was able to eat it without taking a lactose pill. So cream cheese would probably work that way too. My own question answered! You h!
Lori
I didn't know drops like this existed! This is a game changer. Regular milk is so much cheaper than lactose-free milk (at least here in Canada), which keeps me from trying a lot of fun milk-based kitchen experiments for fear of wasting the expensive purchase!
Sherri
How would crushed chili peppers work!
Sherri
Oops, I didn't mean to yell. I would use the "?" 😁
deb
I would drain them very well.
Joannes
I'm thinking pumpkin cream cheese...
Erik Christian Berg
There is a place near me that makes olive pimento cream cheese, that would be the first thing I would try with this recipe.
barb
looks fantastic! but...for those of us who need to be more aware of certain fats in our diets for heart reasons...can you somehow suggest a lower fat recipe that would be successful? when I know of cream cheese here in Toronto, it is reduced to 15% milk fat. Any ideas?
deb
If it has less fat than this, it probably contains "other" ingredients to make it work. If you compare the labels of full-fat and low-fat cream cheese versions, even from the same brand, you'll see many additional ingredients in low-fat, chewy, etc.
Lara
not necessarily – Arla's Buko brand (not sure if it's available in the US) has 16% heavy cream cheese with no artificial ingredients. Apparently they use buttermilk and cream to make their cream cheese. For example, heavy cream is difficult to find in Germany, I would definitely try it with at least low-fat cream. Lara.
Jen
See AlsoThe Absolute Best 31 Cream Cheese SubstitutesCream cheese | Definition and applicationsIs cream cheese dairy-free?Cream Cheese Recipe: Make Homemade Spread and DipBarb – look for labneh at your local supermarket or Middle Eastern grocer in Toronto. It's probably the same place as ricotta and mascarpone, not with cream cheese. Labneh is a bit like salted, extra-thick Greek yogurt, and the commercial brands are about 10% MF. It's a bit sourer and looser than cream cheese (kind of a whipped texture), but I actually prefer it. If I remember correctly, it's only 3 ingredients: milk, salt, acidity regulator. Cedar and Phenicia are the most common brands in Toronto.
barb
thanks Jen and Deb – I often buy Western or MC Dairy, but was intrigued to try making my own! Thanks for the Labneh tips – I often make yogurt cheese from Greek or Icelandic yogurt, but I don't add salt. cheers
Shera
*This* is the recipe I've been waiting for!! Since I made your ricotta, I never use store-bought ricotta again because the difference is so dramatic. I just knew there had to be a way to make cream cheese! You are a star.
Joel
My new favorite bagel place (Holey Rollers) here on the west coast has a great cream cheese flavor. May I recommend:
– cucumber garlic dill
– pickled onions and capers
– Calabrisk-chiliLisa
This is amazing, I can't wait to try it.
Kat S
I know what I'm buying at the store the next time I leave my house!
jessica
omg I make 1000% fresh cream cheese for Yom Kippur quick breakfast! it looks great 😋
question – what do you eat the strawberry cream cheese with? bagels? or just a spoon?
Adrian
Strawberry cream cheese is also delicious on toasted challah or apple slices.
Marcella from Italy
For a real cheesecake experience I would try it on a Digestive cookie 😋
Jane
Spread cream cheese thickly on a split croissant, sprinkle with a little BROWN sugar, not regular, add sliced strawberries and bake until the brown sugar melts a little and the croissant is just toasted. This was my favorite brunch item in high school and it's still delicious.
Jane
Excuse me; cream cheese, strawberries and then brown sugar on top so it caramelizes a bit over the strawberries :D
Justin Tang
Every time I see "heat xxx to yyyF degrees" I wonder...can I use a sous vide circulator to heat that liquid instead of using the stove?
Dorothy
I imagine this would destroy the inside of your circulation pump! I don't think I would try it.
Justin
Oh, I meant to say: put the milk, cream and salt mixture in a bag or pot and then sous vide. Goodness, I would never put my circulation pump in anything other than water!
Françoise
It could work. I know you can make yogurt using a circulator (milk and culture in a sealed jar, jar in water).
Bev
Sounds perfect if you could use a ziplock bag for milk and cream mixture and then add vinegar to it.
Alison
Using an SV to heat a container of milk for cheese making is so simple and works well. Many home cheese makers buy one specifically for that purpose (especially if you want to make a cheese that needs to be kept at a certain temperature for a while).
Donna
Hello Deb,
I will definitely try this. Especially because I have made ricotta before.
Right now I'm "cheating" and buying store-bought cream cheese (Philly) and making my own vegetarian cream cheese, which my family prefers to the bagel store.
I skip the red peppers because they dominate the taste too much for us. What I use instead for the red color AND the spicy flavor are a few radishes that have been chopped. Thanks for this recipe, I can't wait to try it!Bev
I have been buying pineapple Philadelphia Cream Cheese in the small tubs for years. It's a favorite lunch on a Ritz cracker with a slice of pepperoni or a side of ham. However, it is not always in stock. Maybe I'll try to make one myself.
Ellen N.
You need canned pineapple. The enzymes in fresh pineapple break down proteins.
EllaFm
I have not used lactose-free milk (or lactose-free cream) for cream cheese, but I have used it for marscarpone and ricotta with excellent results. Since the method is similar (heated milk and vinegar strained after curdling), I imagine it would work for cream cheese as well.
This thing is fantastic too. It turns any liquid dairy into something lactose-free (milk, condensed milk, cream).https://www.amazon.com/Supplement-Certified-Formulated-Seeking-Health/dp/B003VSTRY8
Kate
I don't have a candy thermometer (which one I assume you use?). Just a meat thermometer. Can I do this without it? Eye mist the hot milk to froth?
Naomi Habedank
We use our meat thermometer for making yogurt, it seems to work fine.
Naomi
We use our meat thermometer to make yogurt. Works fine.
deb
You don't need a thermometer. I just added that reference for people who want to check. Just follow the description - just below that it simmers and becomes frothy.
Dawn Nordin
Can you use this in cheesecake?
deb
You could!
This looks incredibly simple with a great result. I made soft cheese a few years ago and need to get back to it. The great thing about this cream cheese is that it requires no culture. Good message, thanks.
Kayleigh Hodes
So when I was making bagels at home, I also tried making more NYC deli style cream cheese, but couldn't really find much information about it online. How does this compare to v. merchant philadelphia?
deb
For us, the plain is a match for the plain of Philadelphia, but slightly better. The flavored cream cheeses are better than the best bagel shops - especially the veggies, IMHO.
Lisa
Would long-life milk be suitable for this recipe?
deb
I haven't tested it, but from what I've googled it should be fine here.
JP
The DIY basic ingredient recipe like this cream cheese is what I'm always looking for. I really appreciate your professional attitude on this and I would like to try it. I have made my own cottage cheese/pot cheese before and it is very tasty. The only problem is how much milk is needed to make such a small amount of cheese. Now I know why cheese costs so much! Still a great alternative if you are concerned about certain ingredients that you would rather not eat or simply don't want to go to the store anymore! Thanks Deb!
Sara
I i i! The stabilizers in cream cheese are bothering me!! This is amazing. I've been making homemade plant-based cream cheese for a while (but with store-bought cream cheese). I like to put it in ziplock bags, make a rack on the bag with the full side of a knife, freeze it, then break off squares and thaw them as I need them. I can't wait to try this recipe and see if it freezes well! I'm so excited here! Thank you!
Sara
*boring...the boring side of a knife!
Sally Trefftzs
An even simpler method is to use regular crème fraîche – perhaps on the expiry date? – and put it in a sieve lined with cheesecloth to drain the whey. You can stop the process when it is firm enough and add salt to taste.
Françoise
Well, now I'm craving bagels too!https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/bronx-worthy-bagels/
RCH
Where I live, we make cream cheese all the time by stirring a little salt into sour cream and straining it through cheesecloth overnight (OK, where I live everyone uses cloth diapers). Comes out perfect and makes great cheesecake too!
Andrea
We use a lot of cream cheese and the additions make me wary, so thanks for the post!
Is heavy cream equal to whipped cream in Canada? What is MF%? I can get something called heavy cream (52% MF, great in your Irish Cream recipe!) or else 34-36% MF heavy cream. And our whole milk is 3.25%, will that work?
Your site is my favorite, so thank you, thank you for keeping my family connected and well fed with delicious meals.
deb
Heavy cream is similar to whipped cream, but cartons sold as whipped cream are more likely to contain stabilizers. It may work fine, but look for the one with the fewest "extra" ingredients.
Ruth
52% MF, I'm so jealous. Our whipped cream/whipped cream is 36-40%. Not that it says MF on the label. And it's becoming increasingly difficult to find cream that isn't ultra-pasteurized. Which I won't use for this.
Lisa Shimada
Can you use half and half and add water as a sub to whole milk... or just whole milk and add the same amount of water as a sub to whole milk - for those who are lactose intolerant or want to maintain their carb count (from the whole milk) down?
deb
I'll have to test it to find out how much of each. Half and half is more milk than cream.
Sara Grace
I'm also hoping to try this with just heavy cream, since I'm currently avoiding cow's milk protein. Does anyone have an opinion on this?
Sue Goldian
Would lemon juice work instead of vinegar? I hate vinegar and don't keep it in the house.
deb
It has no vinegar taste; the vinegar just creates the curds. However, I find that with lemon juice it is more perfumed and you want a bit of lemony cream cheese. Lemon juice also has less consistent activity. If you notice that the mixture does not clump, return it to the heat with more lemon.
Laura
If you double or quadruple the recipe, do you also double or quadruple the salt?
deb
Yes, double or quadruple everything.
Melinda
Hi Deb, I've been following you for years but don't think I've ever commented. I've had such problems with the cream cheese here (UK) being too runny. I've had batch after batch of cream cheese frosting and many British friends ask me what they're doing wrong. It's not their fault. This is the type of cream cheese sold here. I used a technique where the cream cheese is strained and only gently mixed. It is a rather fickle technique. Making my own cream cheese sounds like I might be able to give the cream cheese a much more condensed texture that is needed for the frosting. The problem is that the Philadelphia brand has stopped selling the cubes of cream cheese and only markets the spreadable 'soft' cream cheese. I'll try this homemade version and let you know how it goes. Maybe you solved this annoying problem for me! Thank you very much for this useful message.
Best
Melinda, I moved to the UK a few years ago and have had the same problem with cream cheese frosting using the Philadelphia tubs. Let us know how Deb's homemade version goes. Thanks in advance!
Melinda
Melissa, I even wrote to the corporate office in Philadelphia twice and told them the problem with using softened cream cheese for frosting. They responded but found there was no problem. Being American, everyone asks me the same question about why their cream cheese is so smooth. I've tried adding Guar and Xanthan Gum (not together, but on separate occasions) and it thickens it, but has a funny "trampoline" texture that I don't like. A nice Irish lady whose blog is called 'Kerry Cooks' has a great post about this problem and she has had some success with her method. A few times it worked, but other times it didn't. I can't wait to try Deb's homemade cream cheese and see if it works. It will be the next time I order delivery, so not for a while. I'll definitely come back to this post and let you know how it turned out. Cheers!
Best
Thanks Melinda! I'll definitely follow along and keep my fingers crossed that Deb has solved this problem for us!
Melinda
I finally got all the ingredients. I used cream and organic milk and white malt vinegar (which is 5% acetic acid). It all worked, and I have cream cheese, but it's way too soft to use for frosting. I couldn't find any white vinegar that wasn't malt vinegar. My cream cheese has a vinegar flavor. So for me this is not the answer to my cream cheese for cream cheese frosting. Melissa, if you try it and get better results, please let me know. Deb, thanks for this recipe. I enjoyed trying it out.
Carol Milstein
I really want to try this! I make a lot of yogurt. Do you think my yogurt strainer would work instead of cheesecloth?
deb
I haven't used one yet, but I suspect it's fine if it's yogurt so it might work. Once all the curd is through you will see it and you can try again with cheesecloth.
silly girl
Reading labels has shocked me - cottage cheese, cream cheese, cream, yogurt - things that are supposed to be just a few real ingredients - many contain much more than that. Even the cream in the stores here usually contains other things. It's an education.
Roos Bernstein
I would like to make this because I am allergic to the additives in cream cheese. But I'm also lactose intolerant, so I can't use whipped cream. Any suggestions?
Annie N
There is very little lactose in whipped cream, about 0.5 grams per 1/2 ounce of cream. Unless you are extremely lactose intolerant, you will be fine.
Bethany H
I was so excited to make this, but after following the recipe and buying the right milk, it seemed way too close to a liquid. I strained it a second time, but it still didn't thicken very much. It's in my fridge now just in case something magical happens. Is there anything to save it? Or should I try something different next time? 😩
deb
Did it clump when you added the vinegar? If not, I would repeat the reheating process with more vinegar. If it clumps, it should be smooth, but thick once drained.
Susan
We live in a small town that only sells Philadelphia cream cheese. We miss the fresh cream cheese from the city. I made this and I am OBSESSED! Tastes great! I want to make this again!
So!
SusanAlene
I'm also lactose intolerant, but I can tolerate heavy cream with no problem. I think because it contains so little lactose. Plus, I don't eat a bowl of heavy cream, lol! Just a little bit here and there.
Ali
At first glance one of the cream cheeses looks like funfetti :)
Françoise
Deb, This process sounds exactly like making ricotta. Can you go into more detail about what's different and how you get cream cheese versus ricotta? Is it the whisking in the food processor? Thank you!
deb
I talk about it in the headnotes above the recipe:
If you've ever made homemade ricotta, cottage cheese, paneer or other fresh cheese, this process will be familiar. The main difference from cream cheese is the addition of cream (I use it in my ricotta, but it's not traditional), the higher salt content (trust me, without this salt content it doesn't taste like cream cheese), and the mixing process.
Françoise
Thank you. I wasn't sure if there were more details. Guess I'll just have to try it for myself and see!
Dean Don
Ricotta also exists because a secondary byproduct of older cheesemaking practices, particularly sweet whey, retains properties essential to further "cheesemaking" with the application of heat, the addition of acid and whole milk, and/or with the introduction of a fermentation process. .
Some commercial producers and some home cooks avoid the need for whey – a byproduct that few home cooks and professional kitchens have on hand and produce themselves – by using whole milk.
A better analogy to ricotta is cottage cheese, which differs from each other by, as you say, mechanical processing, fat (which and how many supplements of dairy products are added) and moisture content (retention of water produced by separation of proteins or draining/sifting). Cottage cheese starts with whey, while with cottage and cream the curd is processed to the desired texture and sufficient moisture content.
Cottage begins by applying only heat and acid to the milk, which causes the whey and curds to separate. The latter is further exposed to more heat, partially stripped again of some of its whey, which, like ricotta, results in a sour whey (which can be used in other dishes as a watery but sharper and less astringent acid) and then small or large curd results are enriched/dressed with pure milk or cream.
The main ingredients in cream cheese are milk and cream combined. Heat and acid are not applied to create very stiff curds, but to thicken the slurry without concentrating; the drain time is significantly shorter to reduce scrap, but maintains a spreadable quality with moisture content. The texture is further improved by processing. Here, stabilizers (usually both chemical and mechanical) can be added to ensure a smooth and long-lasting uniform texture distinct from both ricotta and cottage cheese.
Ricotta is low-fat, usually fresh whey supplemented with whole milk for protein and fat. After a heat and acid treatment, both together briefly to coagulate/thicken (but not concentrate) the end result is drained, creating the characteristic ricotta texture.
All three are considered fresh cheeses and are generally unaged, with some exceptions used to improve flavor, increase sodium content, or extend shelf life.
Ricotta follows the secondary production of whey from rennet-based cheese making. Not cottage cheese. With some cream cheeses, rennet is applied purposefully, but usually to supplement the acid during fermentation to ensure a smooth texture. Nevertheless, all three are considered acid-fast.
Kari
Since you say the salt is so important, what 'fine sea salt' do you use? I'm on the west coast so I'm not sure what's available here. Thank you! I will definitely try that!!
Erika B.
Did any jam form after using the straw jam instructions? Blueberry! Apricot! Raspberry!?
Roos
Stabilizers in store-bought cream cheese (almost) keep me awake! I never thought I could make cream cheese myself. But do you use organic cream to avoid the stabilizers there? Very hard to find here in Canada...
Roos
I found the answer to my questions in your notes... it's organic cream! Thank you!
Kate
I wish I had known about this when the supermarket pick up sent us 2 liters of milk which expired in 2 days! Instead I have a liter of pudding in my freezer :-/
Georgian Kapman
I get excited when I receive your emails!! Thank you...❤️
Kate E Cohen
For years I've used cloth diapers - the kind you have to fold yourself to get the right thickness - for every culinary need: jelly, spinach, shredded potatoes, ricotta, etc. Washable and cheap (maybe $1 each).
Oh yum! I can't wait to make this! I'm thinking of making this with your soft pretzels! Homemade cream cheese + homemade soft pretzels, what a great combination!
POND
Whey as a soup base?! I'd love some recipes/suggestions on how to do this – I hate going off whey, but there's only so much bread I can eat!
deb
Use it in place of store-bought or homemade stock, in whole or in part. Or you can use it as part of the water when making your own stock.
Margie S
Any ideas what we can do with the leftover whey?
deb
I suggest in the recipe the two things I use it most often for: as a soup base or as water in a bread recipe. But the internet is full of othersmore creative ideas, and I am particularly fascinated by thisValle caramel sauce.
Donna
Several years ago, after hearing about a close cousin's diagnosis, my daughter told me that she would die if she was ever diagnosed with lactose intolerance. She loves her ice cream, yogurt, cream and CHEESE! A few years later she received the same diagnosis. It was a long period of mourning for her when she stopped producing milk. Sometimes she treats herself to e.g. a piece of cheesecake, and then being sick for 2-3 days.
All this to say that I can now try making cream cheese with lactose-free whole milk. (You can buy lactose-free cream cheese at specialty stores, but you're really paying for it.) All lactose-free milk I've seen is ultra-pasteurized, which can be a problem. But I've had success making ricotta with that milk, so maybe that will work too. I'll let you know how it goes.
If it works, this will be HUGE in my household.Carrie S
I came to look at your homemade bagel recipe yesterday but was happy to see that the newest recipe is for homemade cream cheese. As if fate wasn't enough, I'm a mother of a one-year-old, so I have a refrigerator full of whole milk. while I didn't have cheesecloth, I had a clean elephant cloth cloth. Enjoyed the bagel and cream cheese combination.
Gretchen
I made this and the taste is very similar to store-bought cream cheese, but the texture is not as smooth as I had hoped. Does anyone else have this result?!
deb
What did you mix it with?
Gabriel
I also came to see if anyone had it. It was similar in texture and taste to a whipped ricotta. I used a food processor and a hand blender.
The flavor was also more ricotta than cream cheese. It doesn't bother me, but my ricotta-denying kids are an absolute NO!
I was wondering if I should have added some of the liquid back?Laurens
I've been making a lot of Boursin-style herb and beer cheeses lately (the past six months) so I can have some crackers and cheese for an appetizer, lunch, or whatever. Most of them have cream cheese in them, so now I'm going to make some of the favorites with homemade cream cheese. I generally buy Neufchatel instead of cream cheese, but it will be fun to try this so I can compare. My granddaughter will love it too - she loves cream cheese (and sprinkles!) I will be a hero with this combination!!!
yesterday
7.50 for less than a pound of fine sea salt is a bit pricey. Is there anything good about it to make the price worth it?
deb
I'm sure you can find it for half the price in many stores. It takes me forever to go through a container because a little goes a long way. The equivalent weight would be table/iodized salt, but many cooks don't like the taste.
Ellen N.
In Los Angeles, California, I get fine sea salt from the SoSalt brand from Sicily at the 99 Cent Store. It costs 99 øre for 1,000 grams.
Not only is it much cheaper than Baleine, but it also comes in a cardboard box from which it is easier to measure. I used to buy Baleine. I've always found the package annoying.
Here is also a link to another Amazon page for Baleine fine sea salt at a lower price.
https://www.amazon.com/Baleine-Salt-Crystals-Canister-Ounce/dp/B000VHNOSM
jessica
Okay, it seems clear to me, but I just want to double check. I can't get pasteurized cream near me, only ultra, but I usually buy half and half organic dal, which is just milk and cream. do you think it will work well with 1/2 cup half and half and 3 3/4 cups whole milk? Shouldn't it?
deb
Half and half is not half of each, just to make it more confusing. I would probably try it with 3/4 cup and the rest whole milk.
Ruth
Normally I don't have whole milk at home, only skimmed milk. I hate buying a gallon of whole milk just to use a cup in a recipe. I would like to see a substitution chart for mixing different types of milk and cream to achieve the milk fat needed.
AILYN SANCHEZ LIEFDE
Thanks for the recipe, could it work with lactide free milk?
deb
I haven't tested it, but from previous responses it seems like it shouldn't be a problem.
Teresa Jewell
My partner can make goat's milk, but not cow's milk and goat's cream is hard to find. Do you think I would still get something edible if I used whole milk for both the milk and cream amounts?
Hillary
I can't wait to try this and was looking for a bagel recipe on your site! Maybe you can update your old bagel recipe with new photos and instructions. I would especially like scales for the flour.
Michelle
I am so in love with this recipe right now Deb. I've been looking to make homemade cream cheese for the past few years, but could never find a recipe that I liked. Thanks for staying relevant! ❤️
Lisa G
I love all things dairy – I make my own yoghurt and labna – so this looks like a doer!
When I was a student, I worked at a bagel shop a few millennia ago. I think the best spread for cream cheese is to mix chopped walnuts, raisins, and a little honey (not too much) and spread it on a toasted sesame bagel...heavenly. And this homemade cream cheese thing sounds fantastic.
Mari
I just love you. That's all I had to say. hahaha
Oh, I love the idea!
Never considered making cream cheese. I am a big fan of cheesecakes and can imagine that this would taste delicious in a cake! My husband cooks and bakes much better than me, so I'll have to let him do the work - haha
Tanja
I'm amazed and relieved to know I can do this! When the second wave was about to hit us, I just loaded up on cream cheese to get through Christmas and felt like a fool. (My only complaint is the need for bagels with cream cheese in the morning.)
Thank you!!Anne
Do any of you live in places where there is no 'normal' white vinegar, but only different percentages from 3% to 35% (the latter of which is certainly not suitable for food)? If so, what percentage of vinegar did you use for this? I made the recipe without any changes and it turned out very well in terms of consistency, but the cheese (and whey) really tasted like vinegar.
JP
Regular white vinegar in the US. amounts to 5%.
Kate
Does this mean I can make chocolate cream cheese?! When they stopped it was a sad day. Tortilla, chocolate cream cheese, whole banana. Turn it. Enjoy dessert for breakfast. How much cocoa powder should I add?
Megan
I had no idea homemade cream cheese was missing from my life, but now I HAVE to make this! So excited to try the different flavors!
Andrea
I am so happy with this recipe! I tried making my own cream cheese a few years ago, and by trying I mean I bought the special thermometer, rennet, and another starter. . . but the directions basically called for a full 24 hours and I never got past that. I will definitely try this!!
Pink gray
I wonder if anyone else from NZ has tried this? It was my first SK mistake: I had almost no curd and was completely runny when I processed it, refusing to set at all. I assume the fat content in our cream is too low (generally we don't get "heavy" cream, just cream that contains about 40g of fat per 100ml).
deb
If it's too watery, two things can generally happen: the cheesecloth could be too fine (but I think that's less likely; the reusable ones I use are very fine and still strain within 10 minutes when one batch) or it did not have enough acidity to create a curd. If the latter, put it back on the stove, bring it almost to a boil and add more vinegar. See if that helps.
Sara
Is there any way to save it if it's too watery? I let it drain for twenty minutes and put it in the blender. It is still very runny. Staff!
deb
Did you use white vinegar? If it's too watery, two things can generally happen: the cheesecloth could be too fine (but I think that's less likely; the reusable ones I use are very fine and still strain within 10 minutes at one batch) or it did not have enough acidity to create a curd. If the latter, put it back on the heat, bring it almost to a boil and add more vinegar. See if that helps.
Linda Marlow
thanks Deb! Yogurt, ricotta - now my own cream cheese! AND all this on top of my sourdough bread (resisted for so long, finally succumbed and love the product). Thank God I am retired and only needed in the garden and my kitchen. Your posts are inspiring...
Emily
Would you use this for baking or still stick with store bought?
deb
I don't want to use it for baking because it's a bit too much work for something I can easily get my hands on, but I guess I can. I haven't baked with it, but out of the fridge it is quite firm, just like the purchased stuff.
Elisa
Perfect time for Yom Kippur, have a quick breakfast
Jeanne
Batch #1 never got any lumps. I wasted half when I tried to put it back in the jar to add more vinegar. Batch #2, added 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) vinegar. It still drains, never had any lumps, just looks a little grainy. I'm going to let it set/cool down and try to put it in the food processor. I hope it hardens enough...?
deb
Did you use white or regular vinegar?
Constance Jardim
I wonder about the very short drain time. I've looked at some other recipes and some take days to make. What makes this one different is that it only lasts less than 30 minutes.
deb
10 to 20 minutes was all I needed to get the consistency right, otherwise I would have definitely said to do it longer. :)
Sheri B
Oh yeah! I just made this cream cheese – exactly as described, with whole milk and Organic Valley whipped cream (the only brand that didn't list other things in the ingredients!)
Added chopped scallions – it's in the fridge now and I can't wait to spread it on my bagel tomorrow morning!
It tastes delicious and has the perfect consistency - THANK YOU!Caitlin
I made this recipe this morning, it really only took 30 minutes! I use a very thin, floured kitchen towel instead of cheesecloth and it works perfectly. My question to Deb is, do you have any ideas on how to make the cream cheese sharper this way?
Jess
I hope it worked, but if not, you might want to look at the milk you used. If you used something that is ultra-pasteurized/hom*ogenized, it won't work. When I make recipes like this (ricotta for example), I use regular whole milk - nothing fancy.
Jeanne
Jess, I think you've beaten my case! on to batch #3...Thanks!
Wendy Fugal
My batch is now pressing! I made pepper jelly to eat with the cream cheese on crackers.
https://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2020/09/sweet-spicy-pepper-jelly.html#more-51332
Vanya
I made this but after I mixed it it was too runny. He probably didn't try hard enough, but you're wondering if there's anything you can do to fix the problem? I put it in the fridge to see if that would help, but it's practically a liquid and not the lovely creamy consistency in the photos.
Elena K
I had the same problem and I can't figure out why. I followed the recipe exactly, including the ingredient notes. It was clumpy, just like in Deb's Instagram highlight video, but once I put it in the blender, even for a few seconds, it liquefied. It's in the fridge now so I'll have to see if I can salvage it, but it's disappointing, especially since I made a double batch and bought all the other ingredients to make the vegetarian version. This is one of the few of many, many SK recipes that didn't work for me.
deb
When you say runny, do you mean runny like cream cheese on a toasted bagel (I show this in the photo) or like runny? If it was liquid and it definitely clumped, what was the whey like? Was it milky or clear/yellow? It should be the last. Milky could be a sign that the cheese has escaped.
Laura
Same problem here! Followed the directions exactly and the consistency was way too runny after using the blender (almost like a cream cheese sauce and not like melted cream cheese on a warm bagel). To salvage the batch, I reheated it on the stove to thicken, which caused some separation. I strained it through the cheesecloth/sieve again and can use the solid bits that remain (although the texture is very grainy). Meanwhile, a pack of cream cheese spots me out of the fridge.
deb
Did you have separation and clear clumps of cheese when you heated it with vinegar? If not, it would certainly benefit from more.
Laura
Yes to lumps of cheese! Thanks for the tips. A good recipe in case a pandemic or some other travesty breaks out, leaving the stores without good stuff.
Diane
Can this homemade version be frozen? I've had good luck with store-bought cream cheese, frozen and thawed in the refrigerator for months. I hope I can share this recipe and freeze some. I'm thinking of a fall pumpkin spice flavor...
Debby
This looks great! And thanks to everyone who asked the questions about lactose-free milk. I want to try this recipe soon because… why not? It's from Deb!
Amanda
Despite making homemade yogurt every week, homemade cream cheese had never occurred to me. Since I was out of mild COVID, heavy cream about to turn around, I decided you posted this JUST for me and I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I normally don't have whole milk at home, so I took a chance and made this with 2% milk. I doubled the recipe and increased the heavy cream in the basic recipe from 1/4 to 1/3 cup to compensate for the lower fat content. I strained into the mesh bag I use to strain my yogurt - I can't stand playing with cheesecloth. After about 20 minutes, my (double batch) yield was about 12 ounces of cream cheese. It was delicious! I have plans to make carrot cake on the horizon, and I will make this again and sift a little extra to use as a base for the frosting.
A helpful tip I learned when making yogurt to prevent milk proteins from sticking to the bottom of the pan and making cleaning difficult: swirl some ice cubes into the bottom of the pan and let it cool for a minute, then toss the cubes away, but DO NOT wipe the pan. The thin, thin layer of water left in the pan works some chemical magic to keep the milk proteins from sticking. Also heat the milk on medium, not higher - this takes longer, but drastically reduces the build-up of crude oil at the bottom of the pan.
Well done, Deb!!
Rebecca
I made this and it was tasty, but something about the "mouthfeel" felt a little strange. It wasn't as smooth and "creamy" as the store-bought cream cheese I'm used to. Maybe I should have let it drain longer? More processed? Or is it just what you'd expect from homemade versus store-bought?
deb
What did you mix it with?
Rebecca
A Cuisinart food processor. (Sorry for the delay, I didn't receive an email letting me know there was a response!)
Kelly
Love! While I thought the vegetarian cream cheese sounded great, we need sweeter bagels for a quick snack, so I wanted to go with a cream cheese with a sweeter flavor. I ended up adding honey and toasted chopped pecans; for anyone who wants to try it, I doubled the cream cheese recipe and about 3 – 4 tablespoons of honey and about 1/2 cup of chopped, toasted pecans is what seemed right to me.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Elena K
Deb help! I just made a batch, it was quite thick and then I mixed it and it is really runny.
I used whole milk and Whole Foods heavy cream (the only ingredients are cream and milk, no gellan gum). It is broken? I'm making a double batch, so I'm working on the second one and would like to save at least one if possible!
So,
Elenadeb
When you say runny, do you mean runny like cream cheese on a toasted bagel (I show this in the photo) or like runny? If it was liquid and it definitely clumped, what was the whey like? Was it milky or clear/yellow? It should be the last. Milky could be a sign that the cheese has escaped.
Karen
I made this today! I couldn't believe how easy it was. I doubled the recipe and left half plain and made garden vegetables with the other half...it's amazing! Thank you
Amy
At least 35 years ago, my local cheese shop introduced me to cream cheese made without gum or other stabilizers. What a revelation! Since then, I've asked for it many times at the top cheese shops to no avail - and I'm in the middle of Chicago. Thank you very much for this. I'm going to make it very soon.
Madeline
Have you tried making yogurt cream cheese?
It's sooo good and much easier.
Place a coffee filter in a sieve over a bowl.
Add yogurt and let sit in the refrigerator for an hour or more.
When the yogurt has reduced by half, it should be as thick as cream cheese.
Perfect spread for bagels & smoked salmon with sweet onion. dill & capers.
Hope you like it.Lisa
Do not throw away the whey. It is full of protein and makes a good soup base. The last time I made cheese I used it to make a great vichyssoise (cold) or potage parmentier (hot).
I made this with regular pasteurized hom*ogenized milk and ultrapasteurized heavy cream (ingredients listed as cream carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides, and polysorbate 80), since there was no other option for heavy cream in my local grocery store. I decided the ingredients were cheap enough. I wouldn't be too upset if it didn't work. It worked. I let it drain through an old dishcloth. It took a long time to drain and I feel like some people who have problems just don't let it dry enough before blending. I made a double recipe and left half plain, the other half I made a honey roasted pecan cream cheese. Tastes great, but wow, there's a lot of washing up to do to make this!
You know, I think it's a brilliant idea! Of course, you can buy cream cheese at the store, but if you make it yourself, you can also make it in the batch size you need. Less chance of it coming loose (which is quite common in this house). Thanks for sharing!
Sue C
WOW! I can't believe I just made my own cream cheese. The directions are simple and easy to follow - dangerously simple. I made a cream cheese for mine and my husband was blown away. Thank you :)
Maria M
The batch I made with whole milk was amazing! I made it clear. I think I'll add tomato powder and dried basil to my next batch.
However, the batch I made with goat's milk did not curl. Can anyone help me understand why this is happening (and what I can do to fix it)? The box stated that the goat's milk was ultra-pasteurized. Unfortunately, I didn't think to compare the protein and fat content to cow's milk before throwing the carton away. I'll have a look next time I'm in the dairy section.
Helen a CA
I think the problem you ran into is the "ultra-pasteurized". Actually, Deb, you can add that to your notes, to not use ultra-pasteurized milk.
Hillary
Hello! It looks like there is a question in the comments about what type of vinegar to use. Is "white vinegar" the same as generic white distilled vinegar with 5% acidity?
deb
In
Why were you so afraid to patch your holes?!? Is this how NYers scratch?! I am shocked. Your poor bagels have lost their holes! For all I know they could be hamburger buns. I am confused; possibly betrayed. Please explain.
Cait
What?? Spreading evenly over the top gives you the best possible last bite of the bagel: the sides of the hole (which have the chewiest texture and tend to collect extra toppings during baking) plus the thickest ratio of cream cheese to bagel.
deb
Bwahahaha. I love this. It was really the bagel's fault. We grabbed bagels from Tomkins Square Bagels - they are very good - but for whatever reason the holes were closed that day. I'm not the kind of food stylist (read: professional) who then runs to another bagel shop so the bagel can look more prototypical.
Molly
Relief; relieved to hear it's not normal. Cait – authority has spoken; You are clearly a crazy woman for pouring on your holes on purpose. Good luck on your way to well-being ;)
Nice
Hi Deb. I have made your ricotta many times and love it! I was excited to see this and couldn't wait to try it. I followed your instructions and after draining for 25 minutes (in the reusable cheesecloth, please!), it was still very soupy. When I lifted the cheesecloth out of sight, a steady stream of whey poured out. Having never done this before I wasn't sure if it was acceptable so I tied the cheesecloth and let it hang until the amount of drips was more in line with what you described it should be after 20 minutes. So my question is... can I expect a steady stream of whey after 20 minutes?
deb
No. Did it clump when you added the vinegar? If not, I would repeat the reheating process with more vinegar. If it clumps, it should be a thick soup-like substance when drained.
Article
If you used organic milk, chances are it was ultra-pasteurized, which won't create larger curds.https://cheesemaking.com/blogs/fun-along-the-whey/problems-with-ultra-pasteurized-milk
Semhal O'Gorman
Can you use this to make cheesecake or cream cheese frosting? I can't get block cream cheese, only the spread, which is not suitable for any of the above. I'm always looking for ways to do this!
deb
My feeling is yes. Mine became hard like block cream cheese in the refrigerator. But with the caveat that I haven't tested it either; only as a communication.
stiff
This went perfectly with regular old milk and cream from Trader Joe's. I used my Vitamix to blend, which worked fine, but I think next time I might try the immersion blender so I don't have to scrape out the container.
Brenda
I was craving some homemade bagels and cream cheese and thought I'd give this recipe a try. It worked fine even without a thermometer to check the temperature of the milk. I never have cheesecloth on hand, so I strained it through a fairly open weave linen napkin into a fine mesh strainer. I will definitely make it again!
Jen
I had the same problem as some other commenters: the product was too runny after processing. To try to salvage it, I put the processed liquid and the liquid that was originally drained back into the pan together and reheated to 200-205 degrees. I added 1/4 cup of white vinegar (decided to go big), let it sit, then drained again. Reheating it and adding more vinegar saved the cheese. When I processed it a second time, it had a nice cream cheese consistency, but the texture of the final product was grainy/doughy. It was fine, but again not delicious. I made a vegetable soup with the leftover whey, which was delicious.
Rose Reilly-O'Hara
Just curious: Can this cream cheese recipe, made in the larger batch size, be frozen?
Sydney
If you are making the recipe larger, I recommend letting the cheese mixture sit for about 40 minutes to get the right moisture level. I tripled the recipe and let it steep for 20 minutes, and the consistency was somewhere between sour cream and cream cheese. Tastes delicious!
Laurens
Would using 2% milk work for this?
deb
I usually found lower yields with skimmed milk
Denise
I made this last week with my grandkids and it was a hit! We used the whey to make Martin's King Arthur bagels & NEW no-knead bread the next day. The kids both loved the cream cheese! The youngest said the cream cheese reminded her of ricotta, it was amazing!
So DebAA
I've wanted to try it since I first read the recipe, but it just kept slipping into the back of my mind. Oh my goodness – so easy and so delicious. I can't wait to make it again.
Jim
I have made this cream cheese recipe four times now and I love it! It's very easy to make, tastes better than store-bought cream cheese, and I feel good when I eat it. A gallon of raw whole milk from my local farm can make two batches of yogurt and a big batch of cream cheese! I admit that I increased the heavy cream content.
Angela
Made it for the first time today! I used 4 cups of 2% milk (I have a lot that expires at the end of the month) and 1/3 cup of heavy cream. Also use a paper towel with a flour bag and let it drain for about 2 minutes. 20 minutes (with occasional pinching). I felt the finished product could have used more stiffness/drainage, but I haven't refrigerated it yet so we'll see how it shakes out. The taste is very good and abundant. I added scallions to this batch, so I'm curious to see how it tastes tomorrow after the flavors have had a chance to meld.
Karen Humphrey
Severe corn allergy, here. And THIS, oh my god, gives me hope that I might actually have cream cheese. (uses apple cider vinegar)
Does the milk have to be unpasteurized?
AR
Reading is fundamental! I usually skip all the fluff and commentary to get to the heart of an online recipe, but since I didn't read it in full, I missed a few key points:
1) Make at least double the recipe. There's no point in creating a huge mess in your kitchen with a small amount of these things.
2) Use more vinegar than recommended. Maybe much more.
3) Leave it on longer than recommended. So maybe much longer.
In my case, I first made the originally recommended recipe and tried scraping the measly clump of solid into a blender after about 20 minutes (it stopped dripping) – the net result was no cream cheese at all, just a small, salty, milky liquid slurry.
So I read some more and saw the idea of doubling or quadrupling the recipe. Second attempt - a full liter of whole milk and a cup of cream yielded a very disappointing amount of cream cheese that was still quite runny.
Then I started reading some comments and came up with the idea of putting it back on the stove and adding vinegar if there weren't enough whey shavings. I brought the leftover whey back to a boil and threw in a LOT of vinegar and that seems to help. I'm now straining it through a thicker cloth and letting it sit longer, looks like I'll get something worth having - so far it's working a lot like ricotta. Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be delicious!valve
I know I'm asking this right after the article came out, but would it be okay to use a yogurt strainer or is the mask too fine?
Ev
This is great...I should have let it drip a little more, but loose cream cheese spreads easily. Thank you.
Sydney
absolutely delicious! I was a little concerned after I put it in the food processor and it looked like loose ricotta, but always trust Deb because after a few minutes it was perfect cream cheese. Next time I will add a little more acid, because I think it was a little less acidic than the store. I also recreated my hometown's famous vegetarian cream cheese at the bagel shop by mixing 2 cups of cream cheese with 1/4 cup of finely chopped broccoli florets (stemless), 2 tablespoons of finely grated carrot, 2 finely chopped spring onions, a grated clove of garlic and (unfortunately) dry ranch seasoning powder to taste. AWESOME!
Sydney
continued – made again today and added an extra dash of vinegar. Perfect sharpness now
I AM one of those people who hates cream cheese stabilizers and gums. Next trip to the farmers market to pick up a quart of their cream on top of milk and some cream!
Did you use your recipe for Dorie Greenspan's Gingerbread Bouche Noel?Unfortunately, Organic Valley now adds stabilizers to their cream! I think it has a longer shelf life.
deb
I don't have that, but I do have my ownGingerbread Yule Logon the side (but I use whipped cream).
Maureen Sullivan
Thanks for this recipe. I'm going to try it and if it tastes like the real thing, it will be a Christmas gift for some of my friends who are mourning the loss of their favorite bagel topper.
Blythe Scholarship
PLZ makes it easier to pin or save recipes so you can find them easily!
Life is hard enough and it would give us more time for the joy of cooking!
You are good at what you do Deb!Karen Bentz
Can the white vinegar be replaced with lemon juice?
Karen Bentz
Another question. Do you think this would work for cream cheese frosting (maybe with some extra confectioners' sugar)?
Jenna
Just made my first batch and it is delicious! Smooth, creamy perfection! I'm very glad I read the comments because I added an extra tablespoon of vinegar and let it sit for over 10 minutes instead of 4. Strained through two sieves with a thin IKEA dishcloth in between, then smoothed until a magical mixture. silky smooth consistency in my *mini* food processor.
NOTE to anyone making just one batch: if you have a mini food processor, use it!! This definitely wouldn't have been enough to put in my large Cuisinart or the blender.
Julie Wüesthoff
Thanks for the great fennel recipe! And a funny one
Next to it the homemade cream cheese is toasted
Hatch chili peppers – great for eggs, quesadillas and in potato quiche!I'm curious if you think this could also work with a nut milk
I wouldn't think it would work the same way.
deb
No, you need milk proteins to harden it.
It's wonderful to return to your blog after a long vacation. I have enjoyed working on this project for some time now. I am writing this essay to fulfill a requirement for a class project on your topic.
Tastes like cheesecake, and I don't care how many real New Yorkers who aren't me are clutching their pearls: add 2 tablespoons strawberry jam, drained a little if it's a
Living
Be sure to follow Deb's advice to use unadulterated dairy! I used regular old Hood heavy cream because I already had it on hand and was definitely having issues with it not wanting to separate; adding more vinegar and heating it up helped somewhat, although my whey definitely still contained milk and cream. That said, what I produced was DELICIOUS. My super loose mix sets overnight and is so delicious poured over an English muffin.
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tastes like cheesecake, and I don't care how many real New Yorkers who aren't me are clutching their pearls: add 2 tablespoons strawberry jam, drained a little if it's a
Hello there, I came across your blog while searching for such an educational post on Google, and your post seems extremely interesting.words today
Hello there, I came across your blog while searching Google for such an educational post, and your post seems extremely interesting.words today
Leslie Mignault
Hello, could you make this with lactose-free milk and cream?
Alene
My question too. Thank you!
Alene
I just saw that Deb already answered this. She said something like she didn't know why not and according to other comments.
I love this article because it gives me a lot of useful and valuable information. The content is easier to understand than some similar articles in other blogs I have read.
Marie-Eva
Would you recommend this recipe for making cream cheese frosting? Would you say it longer to get the right consistency?
Christine
Can I use a nut bag strainer or yogurt bag to strain this? Or is it not good enough? I love your recipes and blog by the way. I've been following you for so long and I'm always looking for your new stuff. I always hope you come to Vermont on tour. Tip. Tip. Thank you for all your beautiful recipes!
deb
I don't have one, so I can't say if this is the right tissue for this, but it can't hurt to try. And thanks! :)
Sylvia
Have you ever used this to make cheesecake? 🤯🤯🤤🤤
Helen a CA
I am confused.
Less cream in your cream cheese than in your ricotta?
deb
More needs to be set.
Linda
New Yorkers are a tough bunch; we don't take pearls lightly, or at all. Flavored cream cheese is also available in NYC.
