Homemade Cream Cheese
When I learned how easy it was to make my own homemade cream cheese with only 3 ingredients, I was pretty excited. Even though cream cheese can be readily found at nearly every grocery store in the continent, it can still be exciting to claim you made your own. And once you make it, you can flavor it however you like. Or you can use it in your favorite recipes. Whatever you do with it, you will glad you tried it at least once!
What Is Cream Cheese Made Of?
The 3 ingredients used to make your own cream cheese are: cream (or milk…more about that soon), an acid (I used white vinegar but you can use lemon juice) and salt. This is all you need to make your own cream cheese.
What Kind Of Cream Do I Use For Making Cream Cheese?
You can use nearly any type of milk or cream that is between 3%-35% butterfat content to make your own cream cheese. So whole milk on its own will work great. Whole milk, or homogenized milk usually has a 3-3.25% butterfat content.
You can also use a combination of whole milk and creams of different butterfat contents. If you have nothing but a container of 10% cream, you can use that. Got a stockpile of whipping cream you don’t know what to do with? Make cream cheese. As long as there is sufficient butterfat in the milk or cream you are using, it will work for making your own cream cheese.
How Can I Flavor This Homemade Cream Cheese?
This homemade cream cheese is amazing on its own, spread on a bagel or on crackers. You can also customize your own flavors of cream cheese. Try adding some green onion and paprika for a cheese board. Or swirl in some cinnamon and brown sugar for a sweeter spread. Add poppyseeds, sesame seeds, dried onion, dried garlic and salt and you have everything cream cheese. The possibilities are endless!
Can I Bake With This Cream Cheese?
Yes you can! If fact, you might like baking with this homemade version better than the store bought stuff. Just let it come to room temperature like any other cream cheese and use as it is called for in the recipe. I used this batch in my Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies. The amount of cream cheese this recipe yields equals a standard 8 ounce package you get from the grocery store, so you’re all set!
How Long Does Homemade Cream Cheese Keep?
This cream cheese will keep in the refrigerator well covered for up to 1 week.
And that’s it! If you have lots of milk and/or cream sitting in your fridge right now that you don’t know what to do with, whip up yourself a batch of cream cheese. Whether you choose to eat it as is, make different flavors or to create your next indulgent masterpiece, you will be glad you did!
Homemade Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk, 10% cream or whipping cream or combination of all 3
- ¼ cup white vinegar or lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large heavy bottomed saucepan add milk or cream and heat over medium high. Stir occasionally until it comes to a steady boil. You do not want it to boil too vigorously but not too gently either.
- Stir in the white vinegar or lemon juice and lower the heat to medium. Continue stirring until the mixture begins to curdle. Depending on the cream and acid used, it may separate into big or small chunks. Allow to boil for another 3-5 minutes or until all the curds have separated from the whey. Remove from heat.
- Line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth or a nut milk bag. Place over a large bowl. Now strain the curdled mixture through the cheesecloth or nut milk bag, saving all the whey in the bowl. You can save this whey for marinades or baked goods. Allow the curds to drain for about 10 minutes or you can very gently squeeze out the access liquid. Do not squeeze too hard however or you can lose some of the curds.
- Transfer the solid curds into a food processor and add the salt. Pulse until it becomes creamy. At this point you can flavor the cream cheese however you like or simply transfer to a crock or a container with a tight fitting lid. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.