Description
A smooth, tangy, and fresh homemade cream cheese made from just whole milk, heavy cream, and lemon juice or vinegar, perfect for spreading, baking, and cooking without preservatives or additives.
Ingredients
4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
4 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar
Instructions
- In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine whole milk and heavy cream. Slowly heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches about 190°F (88°C) and just begins to simmer. Do not let it boil.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the lemon juice or vinegar. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 10-15 minutes to allow curds to form and separate from the whey.
- Line a large fine-mesh sieve or colander with a clean cheesecloth or thin kitchen towel and place it over a large bowl to catch the whey. Carefully pour the curdled mixture into the lined sieve.
- Let the curds drain for 1-2 hours at room temperature, or until they reach the desired consistency. For thicker cream cheese, drain longer or gently press the curds with the back of a spoon.
- Transfer the drained curds to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to taste if desired and blend again.
- Store the cream cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It keeps well for up to one week.
Notes
Use whole milk and heavy cream for the best texture and flavor.
White vinegar can be used as a substitute for lemon juice.
Add herbs like chives or dill during blending for flavored cream cheese.
Do not freeze homemade cream cheese to avoid grainy texture.
Reheat gently if using in cooking to prevent curdling.
The cream cheese lasts up to one week refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (heating only, no active cooking)
- Category: Dairy, Spread
- Method: Heating, Draining, Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
