NewsYou go out and purchase cream cheese for a dish, then change your mind. The cream cheese languishes in your fridge, as do your good intentions to use it. Cream cheese is another dairy product that often expires before we can use it. But thanks to your freezer, you may be able to get more use out of it than the expiration date implies.
So, can cream cheese be frozen? And how well does it freeze? The answer is completely dependent on how you want to utilize it. You can save money by freezing cream cheese for later use in a variety of baked dishes. 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 wrapping and cardboard box provides more than enough protection from freezer burn. Frozen cream cheese is convenient. best kept in the freezer for up to two months .
Freezing Opened Cream Cheese
If you’ve already dipped your cream cheese in it before using it, place it in 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? When cream cheese is frozen, it separates from the cheese curds because it contains around half water. 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 dish is one that won’t be affected by the texture of the cream cheese, go ahead and pull that block of cream cheese out of the freezer.
While cheesecake has to be everyone’s favorite use of cream cheese, it’s probably not the best choice for previously frozen cream cheese as your end result will have a grainy texture. Yet, there are several meals that may be made using previously frozen cream cheese, such as cream cheese pound cake, potato casserole, or a baked dip.
