Cream Cheese Recipe

Heat the milk and cream

Combine whole milk and heavy cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Slowly heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 85°C (185°F) or until it just begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edge. Remove from heat.

Cool to inoculation temperature

Allow the heated milk+cream to cool to 22–26°C (72–79°F). Stir occasionally to speed cooling and prevent skin formation.

Add culture and rennet (optional)

Whisk in the mesophilic starter culture (or 2 tablespoons plain live-culture yogurt) thoroughly so it's evenly distributed. If using rennet, dilute the measured rennet in 1 tablespoon of cool, non-chlorinated water and stir gently into the milk. Cover and let sit undisturbed at room temperature (about 22–24°C / 72–75°F) for 6–12 hours, until mixture is thickened and slightly tangy. If you skip rennet, acidification alone will still work but may require longer resting and will set more slowly.

Acidify to separate curds

Once the cultured milk is thickened, gently reheat it to about 38–40°C (100–104°F) over low heat, stirring gently. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice or white vinegar a tablespoon at a time. Allow to sit 5–10 minutes; curds should begin to form and whey will appear (slightly yellowish liquid). If curds do not form, add up to another 1 tablespoon acid and wait a few minutes.

Drain the curds

Line a fine-mesh sieve or colander with several layers of cheesecloth (or a clean thin towel) placed over a bowl. Ladle the curds into the lined sieve and let drain at room temperature for 1–2 hours, until most whey has drained but curd remains moist. For a firmer, thicker cream cheese, allow up to 4 hours of draining in the refrigerator. Save whey for other uses if desired.

Salt and blend

Transfer the drained curds to a food processor or high-speed blender. Add the fine sea salt. Process until completely smooth and spreadable, about 1–3 minutes. Taste and add up to the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt if desired, blending again to combine.

Adjust texture

If the cream cheese is too thick, add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 2 tablespoons) and pulse to reach desired creaminess. If you prefer richer texture, fold in an additional 1–2 tablespoons of heavy cream by hand.

Add flavorings and chill

Fold in chopped chives or other herbs if using. Transfer cream cheese to an airtight container, press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to minimize skin, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) to firm and develop flavor. Keeps in the refrigerator for 7–10 days.