Cream Cheese Recipe | How To Make Cream Cheese At Home - Cultures For Health (2024)

HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE

We'll show 2 cream cheese recipes to make at home where all you need to do is 1) culture the milk and then 2) strain the cheese curd. This means with just milk and acoagulant, you're ready to go!

Jump to a Cream Cheese Recipe Section:

• Why Make Homemade Cream Cheese?
• Cream CheeseRecipe

WHY MAKE HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE RECIPE?

Whether it's curiosity that brings you here or a desire to hone some culinary skills, there's no denying thatmaking it homemade makes all the difference. It's an easy, fun way to take your other recipes up a notch.

Is your cheesecake the desert everyone looks forward to? Imagine it with homemade cream cheese. Trying to wow everyone at the office with your cheeseball? Kick it into high gear with our homemade cream cheese recipe.

Cream cheese is fantastic spread on crackers and bread, or as a base for dips, cheesecake, or frosting. If you're just getting started making cheese at home, cream cheese is agreat option for beginners.Making homemade cream cheese also gives youcontrol over the ingredientsin the foods your family eats.

Download our easy-to-follow Cheesemaking Recipe book, which will show you how to make your homemade cream cheese in just a few simple steps.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED IN MAKING CREAM CHEESE RECIPE: CREAM CHEESE SUPPLIES & INGREDIENTS

Remember how we said cream cheeseis a great option for beginners? This is partly because you probablyalready have most of the supplies you needto make cream cheese at home.

HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE RECIPE

How To Make Cream Cheese Step One: Culture the Milk

Option 1: Using aCream Cheese Starter Culture

1. Heatthe milk, slowly, to86°F.
2. Removethe milk from the heat andthoroughly stirin the packet of cream cheese culture mixture.[Do not stir longer than 15 seconds.]
3. Cover the potandleavethe mixture to culture for12 hoursat approximately72° - 77°F.
4. After 12 hours,the cheese should look likeyogurt(solid if tipped but still relatively soft). You may see some whey separating from the cheese.The whey is a mostly clear liquid.

Option 2: Using aMesophilic Aromatic Culture + Rennet

1. Heatthe milk, slowly, to 75°F.
2. Remove the milkfrom the heat and allow the mesophilic culture todissolve on the surfaceof the milk for approximately2 to 3 minutes. Once the culture is dissolved,thoroughly incorporatethe starter culture into the milk.
3. Mixthe2 drops of rennet with 2 tablespoons of waterordissolve the rennet tablet in 1/4 cup of water.Addthe rennet mixture to the milk.Using up-and-down strokesrather than a stirring motion, incorporate the rennet into the milk.Do not over-mix.
4. Coverthe potandallowthe mixture to culture for14 to 16 hoursat70° to75°F.
5. After14 to 16 hours, the cheese should look likeyogurt(solid if tipped but still relatively soft). You may see some whey separating from the cheese.The whey is a mostly clear liquid.

How to Make Cream Cheese Step Two: Strain the Cheese

1. Placea piece of butter muslin (doubled) or a tea towel in a colander in a bowl.Gently spoonthe cultured milk into the butter muslin.Gather up the cornersof the muslin andtie knotsto secure.

2. Hangthe butter muslin filled with the cultured milk over a bowl so the whey can drain. An easy way to do this is to tie the butter muslin around a cupboard handle so the bowl to catch the whey can rest on the counter underneath.

3. Allow the cream cheese todrainfor6 to 12 hoursto reach the desired consistency.

4. Kneadsalt into the cheese to flavor.
5. Storein the refrigerator. Use within a week.

TIPS & TRICKS ON HOW TO MAKE CREAM CHEESE AT HOME

• Traditional cream cheese is made from 50% cream and 50% whole milk. Useall creamfor therichest tasting cream cheese.If you're looking to make alower fat cream cheese, we suggest using allwhole milk.
• Be carefulheating your cream or milk. Heating milktoo quicklymay cause itnot to set or taste unpleasant later.
• If you wish to makelarger batchesof cream cheese, useone gallonof milk (or acombination of milk and cream). Using a Cream Cheese Starter Culture, just follow the recipe above. Using option2, use 4 drops of liquid rennet with the 1/4 teaspoon of culture.

Want to start making your delicious cream cheese? Download our Cheesemaking Guide and Recipe book to make your cream cheese today!

We Make It Easy

At Cultures for Health, we believe that anyone--on any diet and at any skill level--can make and enjoy the benefits of traditional fermented foods. All it takes is the right supplies and a little know-how. Through our product offering, recipes, tutorials, and how-to videos, we'll give you the tools you need to nourish your family and live healthily.

You Can Do This.

Find everything you need to get started with ourDIY Cheese Making Kit.

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