What Is Cream cheese and How Can I Use It?

Here's everything worth knowing about cream cheese and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 2,054 recipes to cook tonight.

What is cream cheese?

Cream cheese (also called soft cheese ) is a sweet, soft, mild-tasting, white cheese, defined by the US Department of Agriculture as containing at least 33% milk fat (as marketed) with a moisture content of not more than 55%.

Cream cheese is not naturally matured and is meant to be consumed fresh, and so it differs from other soft cheeses such as Brie and Neufchâtel. It is more comparable in taste, texture, and production methods to Boursin and Mascarpone.

Cream cheese is typically used in savoury snacks of various types (for example, as a spread on bread, bagels, crackers, various types of raw vegetables, etc.), and can be used in cheesecakes and salads. It can also be used to make cheese sauces. It can be a base to some spreads, such as yogurt-cream cheese topping for graham crackers, (10 oz cream cheese, and 1 cup yogurt, whipped.).

Nutrition

Where found

Cream cheese is usually found in the dairy section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group

Cream cheese is a member of the Dairy and Egg Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

How much does cream cheese weigh?

Related

Dairy and Egg Products

Recipes using cream cheese

There are 2054 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Scrambled Eggs with Lox & Cream Cheese

A low-carb version of Lox (smoked salmon) and cream cheese that uses scrambled eggs to replace the classic bagel. Rich, creamy, and delicious, it is perfect for celebrating National Cream Cheese and Lox Day or anytime for an impressive Brunch or breakfast offering.

Banana Nut Bread (Quick Bread Mix)

Cream cheese banana nut bread doctors a quick bread mix with cream cheese for an extra-rich, dense loaf studded with pecans. A 6-ingredient shortcut that tastes anything but quick.

Graveyard Treat

Beneath a layer of ghostly whipped topping lies a chilling graveyard of cookie-crumb earth, with layers of creamy, eerie cheese filling and a tombstone of cookies marking the final resting place of your diet. Serve this spine-chilling dessert at your Halloween party, if you dare, and watch as your guests unearth the delicious secrets hidden within!

Simple Chocolate Truffles

Cream cheese chocolate truffles, no heavy cream needed. Melt unsweetened chocolate into a tangy powdered-sugar base, chill, roll in cocoa or nuts. Four ingredients, makes 30.

Smoked Salmon Hero Sandwich

Warm French bread loaded with cream cheese, thin-sliced smoked salmon, cucumber, red onion, black olives, and peppery watercress. A deli-style hero sandwich ready in 20 minutes.

Too-Easy Truffles

Foolproof chocolate truffles made with cream cheese, no tempering or ganache fuss. Just melt, mix, chill, and roll into balls coated in nuts or coconut. An easy, make-ahead candy for gifting or the holidays.

Cream Cheese Ice Cream

Cream cheese ice cream is an ultra-rich frozen dessert with the tangy cheesecake-like flavor of cream cheese, sweetened with sugar, eggs, vanilla, and a hit of lemon. Frozen cheesecake in scoopable form.

Amazing Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon poppy seed cake builds a tender tube cake with butter, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest, whipped egg whites, and poppy seeds, finished with a tart lemon glaze.

Mocha Brownies

Fudgy chocolate brownies amped with instant coffee for deep mocha flavor, studded with walnuts, and finished with optional creamy coffee-cream-cheese frosting.

Chocolate Cappucino Cheesecake

A rich and decadent cheesecake that combines the classic flavours of coffee and chocolate with a spiced chocolate crust.

Black Forest Cheese Cupcakes

Mini Black Forest chocolate cheesecakes topped with Cherry filling.

Cream Cheese Topping for Hot-Cross Buns

Learn how to make hot cross buns frosting with cream cheese, butter, and lemon zest. This frosting is a delightful and zesty twist on the traditional hot cross bun glaze.

White Chocolate Goat Cheese Frosting

If you enjoy a cream cheese frosting, you must try it with goat cheese! It adds a subtle tang to the frosting but complements the sweetness of the chocolate just perfectly!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Sandwich Cookies

Chocolate cream cheese sandwich cookies start with devil's food cake mix for soft, chewy chocolate rounds, then sandwich a tangy cream cheese frosting between them. An easy cookie you can tint for the holidays.

Favorite Carrot Cake

Favorite carrot cake loads a moist buttermilk batter with shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, coconut, and walnuts, finished with a hot buttermilk glaze and classic cream cheese frosting.

Norma Koob’s Appetizer with Chutney

Aqua Aerobics regular, Norma Koob, has submitted this delicious appetizer recipe!

Suzy's Lime Cheesecake

Suzy's lime cheesecake with a toasted coconut crust and a mousse-light filling set with gelatin, whipped cream, and beaten egg whites. Brighter and airier than a baked New York style.

Holley's Cheesecake

Holley's classic cheesecake with a graham crust, dense sour cream filling, tangy sour cream topping, and a Grand Marnier-spiked hot fudge sauce. The crowd-pleasing dessert that tastes like a celebration.

Mint-Chocolate Truffles (Lowfat)

If you love anything chocolate you will adore this simple recipe that makes treats that are simply decadent.

Pumpkin Cake Roll

Pumpkin cake roll spirals a spiced pumpkin sponge around a tangy cream cheese filling. Classic Thanksgiving showstopper that slices into striking pinwheels of orange and white.

Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

This is a very chocolate flavour cupcakes, if you do love the chocolate, try this recipe, very yummy!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies

Cream cheese brownies marbled with German sweet chocolate batter and a tangy cheesecake swirl. Fudgy, dense, and just slightly tangy thanks to the cream cheese running through every bite.

Carrot Cake with Lemon Frosting

Carrot cake with lemon cream cheese frosting, made ultra-moist with pureed carrots, crushed pineapple, and toasted walnuts. The bright citrus frosting cuts the sweetness on this towering three-layer cake.

Chocolate Cheesecake with Chocolate Nutmeg Crust

Chocolaty, creamy, smooth and rich. This chocolate cheesecake is an ultimate indulgence.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting bakes a single tender butter-based cake layer with grated carrots, walnuts, and cinnamon. Topped with classic tangy cream cheese icing and brown sugar nut crumble.

All 2,054 recipes