What's the best recipe to make your own cream cheese?

My Homemade Cream Cheese Recipe shows you the easiest way of how to make cream cheese whenever and wherever needed with the most common ingredients you likely always have in the fridge! The end product is smooth, creamy, and tangy, much like store-bought cream cheese! There is never a scarcity of cream cheese!

To say I have received tons of requests for this recipe is an understatement because How to Make Cream Cheese has been the most-requested recipe for my Bold Baking Basics series. Since starting Bigger Bolder Baking, you Bold Bakers have shown me what ingredients are and are not available in the countries you live in. Cream cheese was either unavailable or had an entirely different texture depending on the country. I normally only utilize items that are easily available no matter where you are. Nevertheless, certain substances aren’t as common as you may expect. So, what are we to do? We create our own!

When studying “How to Make Cream Cheese,” I tried many recipes and squandered a lot of milk. Nevertheless, I couldn’t locate a recipe that worked without buying active starting culture packets or hanging a cream cheese for hours. I despise waste, and I don’t want you to squander your supplies, so I’ve devised a perfect recipe for excellent Homemade Cream Cheese.

What is Cream Cheese?

Cream cheese is a soft and creamy fresh cheese created from milk and cream that has a sour flavor. It usually comes in two forms – firmer one in blocks or softer and more spreadable one from tubs.

In commercial production, lactic acid bacteria are added to pasteurized milk (most milk on the market available to most people is pasteurized to some point to kill harmful bacteria that can lead to diseases.) Curds are formed by coagulating casein. Heavy cream is used to increase the fat level and creaminess of the finished cream cheese.

This DIY Homemade Cream Cheese Recipe, on the other hand, utilizes lemon juice, lime juice, or simple white vinegar, and milk is optional.

Heavy-bottomed saucepan
Wooden spoon or spatula
Sieve (fine-mesh strainer)
Cheesecloth (or butter muslin)
Bowl

Ingredients List

Whole mil k: I use full milk in this recipe to get the richness that we commonly associate with cream cheese. It will produce more and larger curds than low-fat milk. I also always use whole milk (full-fat milk) in my recipes since it has a rich flavor and a creamy texture.
Lemon juice Instead, lime juice or simple white vinegar may be used.
Salt : Brings out flavors!

How to Make Homemade Cream Cheese

Heat the milk : Firstly, bring the milk to a rolling simmer in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium-high heat. Do not allow it to come to a boil.
Add acid Second, turn down the heat to medium. 1 tablespoon lemon juice at a time, 1 minute at a time. Continue to stir regularly.
Curdle : Stir constantly till the mixturecurdles and has separated completely, this should take just a few minutes. Take the pan off the heat.
Strain : Thirdly, lay a sieve with 1 or 2 layers of cheesecloth over a large bowl. Fill the strainer halfway with the curd mixture. Let it to strain and chill for 15 minutes.
Blend : Last, transfer curds to a food processor and process for around 3-4 minutes or until curds have come together and are totally smooth and creamy. Continue, gently adding back in any residual clear liquid if your cream cheese is gritty.
Season : Season with salt to taste. Additionally, now is also a good time to add dried or fresh herbs, garlic or any other flavors you like.

How to Store Cream Cheese

Since recipe includes fresh milk and no preservatives, I recommend storing the cream cheese in an airtight jar in the fridge for 7-10 days.

Is This the Same As Store-Bought Cream Cheese? Is This Real Cream Cheese?

This Homemade Cream Cheese recipe yields REAL traditional fresh cream cheese which does not contain commercial stabilizers or preservatives. It tastes great and works just as well as store-bought cream cheese in cheesecakes and other baking and cooking.

Why is my cream cheese grainy?

Due to inaccuracy in timing, the milk was warmed, which causes fat to separate from the cheese. This can be avoided in commercial production by adding stabilizers such as carob bean gum, guar, or carrageenan to make it creamier and smoother.

With handmade cream cheese, this may also be avoided/reduced by heating the milk to a simmer rather than a boil. If the cream cheese seems a little grainy after combining, simply keep going. The salt will season the cream cheese and aid in the curdling process, resulting in a wonderful smooth cream cheese. Adding extra whey to the food processor gradually while mixing can also assist.

Why is there milk in cream cheese making?

As the acidity rises due to the addition of lemon juice, calcium precipitates the casein, causing dairy to curdle.

Cream has almost little casein or lactose. While in cow’s milk, approximately 82% of milk protein is casein and the remaining 18% is serum or whey protein.

Therefore when milk comes into touch with acid, it curdles more than cream, and cream is often added for creaminess and to modify the fat level of cream cheese.

What’s the difference between cream cheese and other cheeses?

They vary mostly in their nature and the final stage of manufacture.

CREAM CHEESE is fresh/non-aged strained curds that have to be processed until smooth; (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/how-to-make-cream-cheese/);

COTTAGE is non-aged curds and whey;

RICOTTA is non-aged or aged semisoft curds with whey strained out ; (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/ricotta-cheese-recipe/)

PANNER is non-aged curds that have to be pressed.

MASCARPONE is made with cream (no milk) and acid.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

You can use LACTOSE-FREE MILK but expect much smaller curds.

Lacose-free milk still contains casein which curdles in contact with acid. As a result, the denaturing process may prevent it from curdling normally.

How to Use This Cream Cheese, and Can You Bake With It?

This cream cheese is simply like any other. It may be used to bake and cook with in addition to topping bagels in various flavors and eaten plain. I love to use this cream cheese in my Best Ever Cream Cheese Frosting for my Carrot Cake and of course, in the glaze I use to finish off my No-Knead No-Machine Cinnamon Rolls! This cream cheese may also be used in place of yogurt in a variety of dishes; the possibilities are really limitless.

This recipe yields 1 cup (8oz) of Homemade Cream Cheese, so check your cheesecake recipe and see how much Cream Cheese you need and then multiply. This recipe may simply be doubled or tripled as needed.