Why Homemade Cream Cheese Is Better—and How to Make It
Cream cheese is a pasteurized, unaged dairy product with at least a third milkfat, and up to 55% moisture. It should also have a pH ranging between 4.4 to 4.9, if you like to get technical. It is remarkably easy to make at home, and you’ll end up with a product that is cost-effective, entirely natural, and very delicious.
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon + 1 cup of whole milk (we recommend milk from grass-fed cows)
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
Tools:
- Colander
- Cheese Cloth
- Stock Pot
- Spoon or Spatula, for stirring
- Thermometer
- Food Processor
Instructions:
- Line colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and place in the sink.
- Heat 1 gallon of milk and salt in a stock pot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 185°F (85°C). If the mixture is not kept moving relatively regularly, it will scorch on the bottom.
- Remove the pot from heat, and slowly stir in apple cider vinegar. Stir for about 15 seconds, and the milk will begin to curdle. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 12 minutes.
- Gently pour the now-separated curds and whey into the prepared colander and allow whey to drain for 10 minutes.
- At this point, you will have a product that is similar in texture to ricotta, which can already be eaten. It will have a faint aroma of apple from the vinegar that was added during the curdling process. If you’d like to process this into cream cheese, move onto the next step.
- Transfer the moist curds into a food processor, and add a bit of milk. Process until smooth, adding milk until you reach your desired texture. The final product can remain fresh in the refrigerator for about a week.
Making your own fresh cream cheese requires minimal ingredients. The process primarily involves heating the milk and allowing its proteins and liquid to separate. After draining, you already have a simple, unaged cheese product, but we prefer to process it into a smooth cream. In our estimation, it is superior in texture and flavor to anything factory-made. Perfect for beginners, this recipe requires common kitchen tools and modest culinary skill.
While this particular iteration of cottage or cream cheese is our own, developed through trial and error, it is similar to what our ancestors have done for hundreds of years with their own fresh milk.