We tried 3 recipes for making cream cheese at home — the best only had 3 ingredients and took 20 minutes

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We tried 3 recipes for making cream cheese at home — the best only had 3 ingredients and took 20 minutes
  • In the wake of a cream cheese shortage in New York City, Insider reporters wanted to try making our own at home.
  • We made four variations of the spread using three recipes.
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A cream cheese shortage hit New York City's bagel shops and grocery stores especially hard.

A cream cheese shortage hit New York City's bagel shops and grocery stores especially hard.
New York City bagel shops faced a cream cheese shortage in December 2021.Spencer Platt/Getty Images

New York City is nearly synonymous with kettle-boiled bagels and delicious schmear, but in December, The New York Times reported a cream cheese shortage due to the supply chain crisis. According to the report, some local bagel shop owners crossed state lines for supplies while others hoarded their dwindling stockpiles.

Shoppers across the country have also noted that many grocery stores are low on cream cheese brands, with some online users saying the shortage has continued into the new year.

Insider reporters Rachel Askinasi and Lauren Edmonds live in New York City and felt the effects of the shortage first-hand. So they decided to test out three separate recipes for homemade cream cheese just in case they ever find themselves without the creamy spread again.

The recipe that took the longest also had the least enjoyable outcome, Rachel said.

The recipe that took the longest also had the least enjoyable outcome, Rachel said.
Rachel needed three tools (left) and three ingredients (right) for this recipe.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

Rachel found one recipe on Instagram from Carolina Gelen, a recipe developer, and food writer.

It looked easy enough, she thought, with just three ingredients required: whole milk (2 cups), heavy cream (2 ⅓ cups), and distilled vinegar (3 ½ tablespoons).

Rachel also needed a cheesecloth, mesh strainer, deep container, and a food processor to get the job done.

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There was a range of drain times laid out in the recipe, so Rachel made two batches. The first, she said, tasted like spoiled milk.

There was a range of drain times laid out in the recipe, so Rachel made two batches. The first, she said, tasted like spoiled milk.
This is what the milk solids looked like after six hours in the fridge (left) and after being whipped into cream cheese (right).Rachel Askinasi/Insider

The recipe laid out by Gelen on her Instagram page starts by boiling the milk and cream together on the stove and then stirring in the vinegar before draining and allowing the mixture to rest in the refrigerator.

Gelen recommends a refrigerated resting time of between six and 12 hours, so Rachel took out her first batch at the six-hour mark.

When she separated the milk solids in half, she saw it was dry on top, but still very wet on the bottom where the heavy dairy was resting on a strainer.

After whipping it in the food processor with a sprinkle of salt, Rachel said it had a texture more like crème fraîche than the processed cream cheese she's used to.

The more she whipped it, the thicker it got, but the flavor stayed the same and tasted like sour, spoiled milk.

Rachel checked on the draining dairy again after 12 hours, but not much had changed. She decided to wait 24 hours instead.

Rachel checked on the draining dairy again after 12 hours, but not much had changed. She decided to wait 24 hours instead.
The boiled dairy sat in a cheesecloth pouch while draining in the fridge.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

The curdled mixture sat in the fridge draining out the liquid whey. While the six-hour draining period left the dairy still wet closer to the strainer, Rachel said it wasn't much different after a total of 12 hours.

She decided to let it drain for an additional 12 hours — totaling 24 hours in the fridge — which made a huge difference.

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After 24 hours, the curdled milk had become completely solid and felt more like the cream cheese found at bagel shops, Rachel said.

After 24 hours, the curdled milk had become completely solid and felt more like the cream cheese found at bagel shops, Rachel said.
The drained, curdled milk (left) made for soft, whipped cream cheese (right).Rachel Askinasi/Insider

Rachel found that this batch tasted sweeter and more enjoyable, in her opinion than the six-hour batch.

It wasn't drippy at all in texture. In fact, she said, it held its own shape very well on a spatula. Though if left out on the counter for more than an hour, it turns into a wet and lumpy mixture that tasted more like the six-hour variety. Rachel learned this the hard way when she didn't put it directly back into the fridge.

If you're going with this recipe, Rachel recommends letting the curdled milk drain in the fridge for 24 hours, or until it has completely set into a solid. She said it will be reminiscent of the texture you get from a brick of cream cheese.

According to Gelen, this recipe keeps for up to one week in the refrigerator. Though it's important to use your senses — smell and taste — to determine whether it's still safe to eat, Rachel adds.

Our second cream cheese recipe had five ingredients and the finished texture resembled goat cheese, Lauren said.

Our second cream cheese recipe had five ingredients and the finished texture resembled goat cheese, Lauren said.
Bon Appetit's cream cheese recipe called for five ingredients.Lauren Edmonds/Insider

The first recipe Lauren tried was shared with Bon Appetit by Amy Rosen, a published cookbook author

Home cooks will need one cup of heavy cream, one cup of 2% milk, 1 ¼ cups of 2% plain yogurt, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and three tablespoons of white vinegar. She advised avoiding ultra-pasteurized milk or cream since the mixture would not curdle correctly.

Those who want to try the recipe will also need a cheesecloth, a fine-mesh strainer, one large bowl, and plastic wrap. The overall process took around an hour and 15 minutes to make, not including the time it sat overnight in the refrigerator.

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Combine the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring them to a boil over medium heat.

Combine the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring them to a boil over medium heat.
Bring the ingredients to a boil before removing the pot from heat and letting it cool for an hour.Lauren Edmonds/Insider

To start, Rosen said to whisk together the heavy cream, milk, plain yogurt, and kosher salt together in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Bring the cream cheese mixture to a boil and constantly stir for about two minutes. Add the white vinegar into the pot, bring the liquids to a rolling boil for 30 seconds, and then allow it to simmer for three minutes on low heat. Finally, remove the mixture from heat and cool in the pot for one hour.

As the mixture boiled, Lauren was pleasantly surprised how quickly the subtle scent of cream cheese had already begun to fill her apartment. For a moment, Lauren was concerned that the mixture wouldn't firm up properly — destined to be another cooking fail — but it gradually began to firm up around the 30-minute mark.

Strain the mixture over a large bowl and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.

Strain the mixture over a large bowl and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.
The mixture strained over a large bowl (left) before it sat overnight in the fridge and firmed up into cream cheese (right).Lauren Edmonds/Insider

Once cooled, place a fine-mesh strainer atop a large bowl and cover the strainer with a cheesecloth. Rosen suggested four layers of cheesecloth or a cotton tea towel.

Grab the cooled mixture and carefully pour it into the lined strainer, taking extra care to avoid spills. Finally, cover the poured mixture with plastic wrap and place it into a refrigerator to firm overnight.

Lauren woke up to a fluffy cream cheese good for two weeks. The word she would use to describe it is neutral — the taste is subtle without any overbearing flavors.

However, the texture reminded Lauren of crumbly goat cheese rather than smooth Philadelphia cream cheese.

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The third recipe, also made by Lauren, had only three ingredients and had the shortest process.

The third recipe, also made by Lauren, had only three ingredients and had the shortest process.
Alpha Foodie's cream cheese recipe only has three ingredients.Lauren Edmonds/Insider

Next, Lauren tried the "Super Easy Homemade Cream Cheese" recipe by Samira Kazan, a food influencer under the name Alpha Foodie and winner of Netflix's "Crazy Delicious."

Off the bat, this recipe seemed ridiculously simple and perfect for people who crave homemade cream cheese but can't find the time. To make it, people will need 8 cups of whole milk, 1 lemon (about five tablespoons worth), and ½ teaspoon of salt.

This recipe also required a cheesecloth, a fine-mesh strainer, and a food processor/blender.

First, pour the milk into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium to high heat. As soon as the milk boils, Kazan said to add the lemon juice and then turn off the heat before setting the saucepan aside.

Lauren strained the mixture before adding it into a blender to finish the recipe.

Lauren strained the mixture before adding it into a blender to finish the recipe.
Drain the liquid whey before putting the cream cheese mixture in a blender.Lauren Edmonds/Insider

At that point, Kazan said that the milk would begin to curdle and home cooks would likely notice yellow-ish liquid being left behind as curds form.

Kazan also said that all the curds would be formed "within a few minutes," but Lauren found that Kazan didn't specify exactly how long to let the mixture sit. She settled for around 10 minutes.

Then, Lauren strained the mixture over a bowl and squeezed out the remaining whey. All that's left was to transfer the strained mixture into a food processor or blender, add salt, and mix for two minutes tops. The cream cheese will remain good for one week.

Compared to Rosen's recipe, Kazan's was quicker and packed more noticeable, slightly sharp flavors due to the lemon juice and salt. Lauren found that when paired with bread, the acid mellowed out and added a nice dose of flavor. The texture more closely resembled store-bought cream cheese.

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Both recipes get the job done, but one had a better flavor and texture, Lauren said.

Both recipes get the job done, but one had a better flavor and texture, Lauren said.
The five-ingredient recipe by Rosen yielded more cream cheese than the three-ingredient option.Lauren Edmonds/Insider

While Lauren enjoyed both cream cheese recipes, she's tempted to say that the flavor and texture in Kazan's recipe took the top prize.

Although a tad bit acidic, it had a gorgeous spread and took almost no time to make. Her only complaint is that there wasn't more! While Rosen's mixture filled an entire container, Kazan's only yielded around half of that, which seemed odd since the recipe called for nearly half a gallon of milk.

On the other hand, Rosen's is perfect for home cooks who want to add extra flavoring like fruit or poppy seed into the mix.

Whichever recipe you go with, the reporters' biggest warning is to keep a close eye on your stove, as Rachel's dairy boiled over quickly.

Whichever recipe you go with, the reporters' biggest warning is to keep a close eye on your stove, as Rachel's dairy boiled over quickly.
Rachel's milk and heavy cream mixture boiled over.Rachel Askinasi/Insider

Rachel said her pot of milk and heavy cream went from completely still to boiling over in just a few short minutes.

She recommends staying close by, watching your pot, and using your nose if you have to step away to smell for the heating dairy.

As someone who lives in a studio apartment where their kitchen is essentially in the bedroom, Rachel says you definitely don't want to live with the smell of burnt milk for a day.

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