NewsYou go out and purchase cream cheese for a dish, then change your mind. The cream cheese, like your good intentions to utilize it, sits in your fridge. Cream cheese is another dairy product that often expires before we can use it. Yet, because of your freezer, you may be able to get longer usage out of it than the expiry date suggests.
So, can you freeze cream cheese? And how well does it freeze? The answer is completely dependent on how you want to utilize it. Freezing cream cheese for later usage in a number of baked recipes might help you save money. Discover how to freeze and thaw cream cheese properly.
Can You Freeze Cream Cheese?
Simply said, freezing cream cheese for later use is totally safe. But, the texture will vary significantly, so you probably won’t want to spread it over your morning bagel. But you can easily use previously frozen cream cheese for baking, or any other use where it’s now grainy texture won’t stand out — like in casseroles or pound cake.
How to Freeze Cream Cheese
Freezing Unopened Cream Cheese
Buying cream cheese in bulk is not such a bad idea when you utilize your freezer. Unopened cream cheese may be stored in its original package in the freezer. The foil covering and cardboard box offer adequate freezer burn prevention. Frozen cream cheese is convenient. best kept in the freezer for up to two months .
Freezing Opened Cream Cheese
If you’ve already dipped into your cream cheese a bit before using it, you’ll need to transfer it to an airtight container before freezing. Label the container with the storage date and place it in the freezer for up to two months. This may go without saying, but make sure your cream cheese hasn’t expired before freezing.
How to Thaw Frozen Cream Cheese
Thaw frozen cream cheese in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. You’ll notice the texture has changed — previously frozen cream cheese will be significantly more grainy and crumbly than refrigerated cream cheese. Why? Cream cheese is made of about half water, which separates from the cheese curds when frozen. Use a spoon or a whisk to combine the ingredients as much as possible.
Uses for Frozen Cream Cheese
While the changed consistency of previously-frozen cream cheese might not be appealing on a bagel, it’s still perfectly fine to use in a variety of baked dishes. Here’s a nice starting point: Use chilled cream cheese instead if the texture of the cream cheese would be noticeable. But, if the texture of the cream cheese will not effect the meal, go ahead and take that block of cream cheese out of the freezer.
Although cheesecake is undoubtedly everyone’s favorite way to utilize cream cheese, it’s certainly not the ideal option for previously frozen cream cheese since the finished product would be gritty. But there are plenty of dishes that will do well with previously frozen cream cheese, like cream cheese pound cake, potato casserole, or a baked dip.
Related Questions
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Can cream cheese go bad in the freezer?
Cream cheese can be frozen in its original packaging or stored in an airtight container and should be used within 2 months. It may be defrosted overnight in the refrigerator.
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Why is my cream cheese crumbly after freezing?
This is due to the formation of ice crystals during the freezing process. Cream cheese is half water and half emulsified cheese curds. The ice crystals break down the emulsion, causing the water and cheese curds to separate, leaving a grainy, crumbly consistency once the cream cheese is thawed.
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How can you tell if frozen cream cheese is bad?
The texture of previously frozen cream cheese will be noticeably grainier and crumblier than refrigerated cream cheese.
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Can you eat expired frozen cream cheese?
Cream cheese may be securely stored in the freezer for up to two months, according to Healthline. Anything more (two years for instance) and the cream cheese will no longer be assuredly safe to consume.
