Walking down the dairy aisle at the grocery store, you’ll see a plethora of flavored cream cheeses. We love to add flavor to our day, and cream cheese is a creamy, delicious way to do so. But if you take a closer look, you’ll notice these are pricier than plain cream cheese and filled with added sugars or other less-than-ideal ingredients. But making your own flavored cream cheese at home couldn’t be easier. The ingredients are all fresh, and you control the sugar, salt (and all the other options). Plain bricks of cream cheese have a long shelf life and are super affordable, so it’s easy to keep some on hand at all times. This way, you can make exactly what you want, when you want it, without even changing out of your pajamas!
here’s what you’ll need
You can truly get away with just three ingredients here—your cream cheese and a flavor. Then add salt for savory options and a touch of sugar for sweet-flavored cream cheese, and boom—you’re done. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements; this is just an overview!
Cream Cheese: Take your pick! Whether you go for full-fat or low-fat, dairy cream cheese has a familiar tang we all love. Homemade cream cheese will also work. But don’t fret if you’re dairy intolerant or vegan – those options will work, too! Flavoring: We’ll dive into specifics below, but basically, anything is up for grabs!
making Flavored Cream Cheese is easy
Truly, the hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the cream cheese to soften! Remember to do that ahead of time. It’s essential to mix in your flavor options nicely and smoothly. This is just a brief overview, jump to the recipe card for the full printable instructions. Step 1: Prepare the Cream CheeseSet out your cream cheese ahead of time to soften to room temp. I find I need at least 30 minutes, depending on the temperature in my kitchen. It’s usually easiest to remove the brick from the foil wrapper while still cold so it isn’t sticky. Step 2: Puree the FillingsNext up, whip it good! I like to use the food processor here. If you don’t have one, you can try a fork or a whisk, however, cream cheese is pretty sturdy even when soft, so it might be a battle. It’s also no fun to clean out the whisk when you’re done. A hand mixer would work well and then you already have your whipped cheese in a bowl. Step 3: Pick Your FlavorWhether you are in the mood for sweet or savory, gather what you need from the recipe card and add your option to the mixing bowl. Stir well with a rubber spatula to make sure all the flavor is spread evenly throughout. Step 4: ServeAnd now that we have waited what seems like forever to soften the cream cheese, it goes back in the fridge! This allows the flavors to meld as well as get things back to a spreadable texture. You can certainly use it right away if you just. can’t. wait but trust me that the flavors will only get better with time!
Flavored Cream Cheese Options
From fruits to savory, you’ve got options when it comes to making your own flavored cream cheese!
Strawberry Cream Cheese
Add finely diced strawberries and powdered sugar to your softened cream cheese and mix well. Even though the fruit is sweet, the cream cheese’s tang needs just a touch of sugar to make sure it tastes sweet to the tongue.
Chipotle Pepper Cream Cheese
I started with three peppers, finely diced. You can always start with less and give it a taste, and also stir in a touch of the liquid from the can. A pinch of salt will bring everything together.
Passion Fruit Cream Cheese
Take a trip to the tropics by stirring in passion fruit puree or the fiber-packed pulp to your cream cheese. This beauty is definitely a bit more tart than strawberries, so definitely don’t forget the sugar. It’s up to you if you want to use the seeds or not; I think it adds a really fun texture.
Roasted Garlic Cream Cheese
Roasting garlic is just amazing. If you haven’t done this, you need to! The garlic pretty much turns into a paste after roasting, so it thoroughly infuses the cream cheese and has a mellow garlic flavor. I only add a pinch of salt and pepper here to really let it shine through.
Chive & Onion Cream Cheese
Yes, chive and onion are among the standards you can buy premade at the store. But I guarantee they aren’t using fresh chives! Chive cream cheese is great since you can just snip them from your windowsill garden and pop them in. Besides bagels, I might even dip some chips in here before setting it back in the fridge.
Recipe tips
Watch Out For Salt: Especially with the vegan varieties, double-check for any added salt before you add any more. Cut to the Chase: Dice all your additions quite small. This will release the flavor from the ingredients and ensure you get some flavor in every bite. You can even blend the ingredients all together to get an ultra-smooth flavored cream cheese (this would especially work well for the strawberry cream cheese flavor). Switch it Up: These are all just really basic ideas. No strawberries? Try raspberries! Instead of passionfruit, try a mango puree! The options are endless here. Go Halfsies: Is it just you in your kitchen? Want both sweet and savory? Go ahead and split your whipped cream cheese into two bowls and try two varieties at once.
Sweet and Savory Pairings
Cream cheese was destined for so much more than just bagels! Here are other fun ways to serve up your homemade flavored cream cheese.
Strawberry Grilled Cheese: Why not try this cream cheese on one slice of bread and avocado on the other? Talk about creamy and delicious! Greek Yogurt Cheese: Pair both of these cheeses on a board with crackers, veggies, and bagel chips! Homemade Bagels: Because, of course, this is the BEST way to eat your cream cheese.
