Making Your Own Cream Cheese Couldn’t Be Easier
December 31, 2010 1:27 pm*Note: after many inquiries on this, let me clarify a couple things. I suppose, after research, this isn’t classic cream cheese. It’s a mix of yogurt cheese and cream cheese. So therefore, it tastes in between. It’s not as mild as cream cheese, but not as strong as plain yogurt. Sorry for the confusion. Secondly, I have no problem leaving my dairy out. I am, by no means, conservative when it comes to foods we eat. I like raw dairy, no pasteurization and all organic. So that gives you a little mindset on where I come from. I know some people are weary about leaving things out. Doing this just breads good probiotics and good bacteria that our bodies need. But if you are concerned I’m sure you can do it in the refrigerator. Here is my post on how to make yogurt in a yogurt maker if anyone’s interested. All that being said, it’s delicious!
Wow. Now THIS is a detour!! In my quest to try to make as much as much of our own food as we can at home, I came across this method for making organic cream cheese. What’s so great about it is it’s made from plain yogurt so you get all the probiotics and other lovely things that yogurt offers. Most of the store bought cream cheeses are heated so much it kills all these goof qualities. But not this way! It has a slightly stronger flavor then store bought cream cheese, which I love. I bet you could go into your kitchen and you’d have all you need to make this. Here’s how!
Get some yogurt. We make our own yogurt, but just use plain yogurt. It’s also better if it’s closer to room temperature. It drains quicker. Quantity isn’t really important. Just keep in mind that it will shrink down by about 60%.
Get a bowl and lay a strainer on it.
Then lay either a floursack or cheesecloth on it. This time I tried floursack but I preferred the cheese cloth. If you use cheese cloth layer use about 4 layers.
Pour your yogurt in.
Hang it up.
Find a way to hang it so the liquid whey drains out. Here’s how I jimmy-rig mine.
Now let it drain for about 7 hours. Just check the sack to see the consistency. When it gets cream cheese consistency you take it down and here’s what you’ll have. ( I know. Gross pictures. I don’t know how I could have made it prettier)
Scrape it out and put it in a jar and you’ve got cream cheese!
Now, there will be the whey leftover. Instead of throwing it out, save it and check out these great resources where it tells you how you can put it to great use. (found here and here.)
Hope you enjoy and I’ll be back soon with a couple simple sewing related tutorials!
Happy New Year!!
Tags: cream cheese, homemade cream cheese, how to make cream cheese
Posted in home, other | 66 Comments »
By samantha on Dec 31, 2010 | Reply
This is def going on my list of Things to do. I often have leftover homemade yogurt and it is a perfect way to use it up. I am all for easy.
By Beth on Dec 31, 2010 | Reply
this is great! definitely am going to try it! thanks for
the post.
By TexNan on Dec 31, 2010 | Reply
I’ve always called this yogurt cheese. Cream cheese sounds
much more…I dunno, approachable for those who turn up their noses
at yogurt (although the hub eats neither cream nor yogurt cheese).
I simply line a strainer with a coffee filter, place it over a bowl
and leave it in the fridge for a few days. It makes a wonderful low
fat base for dips, dressings, etc. Glad to see you posting it
here.
By Summer Wilda on Dec 31, 2010 | Reply
I posted about this on FB – what a great idea! We love
cream cheese. I can’t wait to try it and maybe add blueberries or
something to make a delish spread! Thank you for sharing.
By Admitted Fabricaholic on Dec 31, 2010 | Reply
what a great idea! I came across homemade butter the other day and was thrilled with that, and now this! YEAH!
Love to see how to make homemade products like this
By Maggie on Dec 31, 2010 | Reply
wow, that really is easy… I think I’ll actually give that a go, thanks.
By pamela on Dec 31, 2010 | Reply
wow, so easy! we just made our own bagels and our own butter this morning, and i totally thought cream cheese should be the next step. yummy.
By Kelly on Dec 31, 2010 | Reply
I”ll have to try this sometime soon, looks so easy! Thanks so much for the link. Lots of your readers came by to visit!
By lorchick @ ON{thelaundry}LINE on Dec 31, 2010 | Reply
Nice! I definitely have to give this a go. So simple! I got very excited to myself when you mentioned the other day that you might post this how-to.
By Lyn on Dec 31, 2010 | Reply
Did you know that this is actually called Labna? It’s a Lebanese yoghurt ‘cheese’. Just add a little salt and some lemon juice to the mixture. once you have made it, you can make it into little balls (say, the size of a rum ball), then roll in fresh chopped herbs like flat leaf parsley and mint. Store it in some olive oil in the fridge for a week or two. It’s delicious spread on flat bread. Yum!
By Tara on Jan 1, 2011 | Reply
I’m making this. My girls love cream cheese. We are trying to eat better this year. This will be a great start! Thanks!
By christie on Jan 1, 2011 | Reply
Thanks for the tip. New to your blog and i really like it!
By Beth on Jan 2, 2011 | Reply
Is there a difference between this and greek yogurt? The process looks identical. Let me know, sounds good!
-B
By Alexis on Jan 2, 2011 | Reply
I don’t know. Maybe you just drain this one more. Because it definitely tastes and has the consistency of cream cheese not Greek Yogurt.
By Alysa Whitlock on Jan 2, 2011 | Reply
This is great. Thank you. How do you make your homemade yogurt? I would love to know as the ones you purchase in the store have too many sugars in them. We purchase greek yogurt but it gets expensive. I would love to know. Please advise. Thanks.
By Heidi on Jan 3, 2011 | Reply
Wow, you weren’t kidding, this is so easy! I will definitely give it a try! Like tomorrow, I have homemade yogurt to use up. Thanks!
By Anna Rasmussen on Jan 4, 2011 | Reply
I always do this with greek yoghurt(usually over night)when I make tzatziki.
I normally put it in the the fridge tho.
By V on Jan 4, 2011 | Reply
Although this post is about cream cheese I was wondering if you iced the cake on the cake stand in the background? It is really truly amazing.
By Heidi on Jan 10, 2011 | Reply
I made this a few days ago and we have been eating it on homemade bagels. It is a little more sour than store-bought cream cheese but it tastes great topped with strawberry jam!
By shanna on Jan 17, 2011 | Reply
I always make this in the summer. it’s actually called
Hangop in the Netherlands (Hangup, yeah) and we eat it with lots of
fresh strawberries, or, in wintertime, with apple and cinnamon. It
is delicious!
By kim on Jan 17, 2011 | Reply
Where is the best place to buy cheesecloth? I asked for it at Target and everyone there thought it was something you ate.
By Alexis on Jan 17, 2011 | Reply
I buy mine at my health food store but Safeway and other normal grocery stores have it. I’m sure Target has it, too, they just may not know it!
By michele on Apr 7, 2011 | Reply
Wow, what a great idea! Have you tried this with flavored yogurts? I wonder how this would turn out with a vanilla or strawberry yogurt?
By Jamie Kalvestran on May 7, 2011 | Reply
Fabulous! I make my own yogurt. I will be trying this too! Thanks so much. jamie
By MacKenzie on May 18, 2011 | Reply
Doesn’t this just make Greek yogurt?
By C Dazey on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
I do this, and it works great, but I let mine drain in the fridge. I also don’t have flour sacks or cheese cloths, so I just use a thinner kitchen towel, and I hang mine in the fridge (using a chopstick and rubberbands! LOL!). Sounds odd, but works great!
By Peggy on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
WOW! That’s it? It’s that easy? I am lactose intolerant and I have been missing cream cheese in a lot of my mexican recipes. Not sure how it would work for a chocolate raspberry cheesecake, but, I’m sure up for the experimentation!
Thanks a bunch!
By Jennifer on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
Hmm!!! Yum! Looks Great! I wonder if it will work great with Goat Yogurt for Cream Cheese… Gotta Try it! Many thanks for sharing!
By Britni on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
This looks so easy! I just made my own ricotta cheese a few weeks ago and it turned out great. This looks even easier, can’t wait to try it!
By Stacey on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
Ok- so what does happen if you use flavored yogurt? HOW do you make HOMEMADE yogurt? WHO made that cake in the background? I have SO MANY QUESTIONS! <3
By Sarah on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
Is it sweet like cream cheese or is it tangy like yogurt/greek yogurt?
By Marcy K. on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
Does your kitchen need to be a certain temperature and how long does this keep? Do you use full fat yogurt? We usually have lowfat on hand. Does it really taste like cream cheese? That cheesecloth looks really thick, the kind in our supermarket is very, very thin. Could you use a thin tea towel?
By Amanda P. on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
I’m just curious…how in the world does it not make you sick? I was always told that if yogurt or any other dairy was left out (especially for seven hours! LOL) it would spoil. I’m assuming that’s not the case??
By Adrienne on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
How long does this keep in the refrigerator for?
By Hannah Jennings on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
@Kim, cheesecloth is available at craft stores. I just got mine from Jo Ann’s.
@MacKenzie, yes and no. Greek yogurt is strained, but not allowed to sit and allow the bacteria to multiply, cream cheese is literally cheese. Cheese is just milk that is hardened by bacteria and time (yummm bacteria…)
By Debra on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
Hello,
This is actually called Labne…it’s a yogurt cheese very popular in the Middle East, especially Lebanon. It is also called Kefir cheese. I would not call it cream cheese, as cream cheese is made from cream & milk and has not been matured/ripened, or, “hardened.” =)
By Tonya on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
That is really cool but the only question I have is…isn’t dairy suppose to be refrigerated? 7 hours seems like a long time for it to sit out.
By Alexis on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
There are so mnay common misconceptions about this. We use raw dairy and it just fosters GOOD bacteria. You can read up on it.
By Alexis on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
I don’t know because ours is usually gone within a few days.
By Alexis on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
Someone else asked me this too! There are many common misconceptions on diary. This allows good bacteria to grow instead of killing it all like most commercial dairy products. We use raw organiz milk and leave it out like this. It just makes it better. You can read more info on it if you research it.
By Alexis on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
Just normal temp is good. We use full fat to get all the great nutritional qualities. This cheesecloth was a floursack because it’s all I had. It tastes more tart than cream cheese.
By Alexis on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
kind of inbetween tasting.
By Alexis on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
hahah! It’s a fake cake
I’m sure you could use flavored. I did a post on homemade yogurt you can check out, too.
By Alexis on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
I’ve been wanting to do a post on ricotta soon. We make it all the time, too. I’m going to try mozzerella next!
By Karen F. on Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
I did something similar to this years ago..it’s more in between cream cheese & sour cream (taste wise.) I had a lot of fun doing it…you’ve inspired me to do this again ! I love strawberry cream cheese on bagels…I think I’ll try this method on some flavored yogurt…..Thanks ! Homemade ricotta sounds great..would love a recipe !
By Julie on Jul 6, 2011 | Reply
I’ve tried homemade yogurt only a few times, but I’m not happy with the consistency. How do you get yours to be so thick?
By claire on Jul 6, 2011 | Reply
Does the temp of the room matter in doing this? It is really hot and humid here so I am not sure If I should leave it out or drain in the fridge? Thanks! I am looking forward to this? Do you have any exact mesurements or just use a big glop of yogurt? LOL
By Kerrie on Jul 6, 2011 | Reply
How long will this keep? I assume it has to be refrigerated after it’s made. Have you tried adding anything like fruit or honey and almonds?
By Momma on Jul 6, 2011 | Reply
I used to use a coffee filter in my strainer (also sitting on a bowl or large measuring cup) to drain the yogurt. Then cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator overnight. We used it as a lower fat sour cream substitute for cooking or baked potatoes.
Momma
By Owen's Mom on Jul 6, 2011 | Reply
We also make this and call it yogurt “cheese”. It is wonderful with some fresh herbs mixed in.
Cream cheese is not hard to make either! Use cream, a mesothphilic starter, salt and anything you want to mix in. Cheese starters & DIY kits can easily be found online through Amazon or the New England Cheese Company. Have fun!
By adriann on Jul 6, 2011 | Reply
I make my own kefir and have made cream cheese out of the kefir the same way! It is great!
By Yvette on Jul 6, 2011 | Reply
How does the yogurt not go bad after being left out for so long? I’m just curious because I have some plain yogurt that I could use up this way but am also pregnant and don’t want to risk getting sick. Please advise. Thanks!
By anne-marie on Jul 6, 2011 | Reply
I would love for you to teach me how to make yoghurt the same way as you did with these pictures. Such a huge blessing!
THanks
By Angi on Jul 7, 2011 | Reply
I came over from MSM. Can I use kiefer to make this? We make kiefer – on our kitchen counter, and have never gotten sick from it – and we use it instead of yogurt in our smoothies. Just wondering if you have ever tried it with the kiefer.
By Alexis on Jul 7, 2011 | Reply
hmm… I”m sure you could. How do you make your keifer? I tried it once and it didn’t work. I’d love some tips!
By TofuGirl on Jul 12, 2011 | Reply
Sounds like an expensive way to make cream cheese! AND a messy way!
By Alexis on Jul 13, 2011 | Reply
Definitely not more expensive when you make your own yogurt. The nutritional content is so much higher and I’d rather eat something nutritious then cheap crap.
By Nicki on Jul 14, 2011 | Reply
ok- I tried this last night! I was so excited but I think I may have used too many layers of cheesecloth. I started with 4 but it stretched out and strained too quickly I think. SO I redid it using 4 (doubled)and left it overnight and it looked like it hadn’t strained everything it should have!! It is still kind of runny??!!!!
By Shaun Mullin on Jul 17, 2011 | Reply
A colander that fits in a solid bowl works just as well.
Line the colander with a paper towel (yes, this works brilliantly),
pour in yogurt. Place a berry bowl (or anything that will raise
colander up out of dripping whey) upside-down in the solid bowl.
Place yogurt filled colander on riser. Cover with plastic wrap
(save this plastic for later) and let drain for 7-24 hours in
fridge. Remove cheese and place in container (that has a lid) and
press that piece of plastic wrap onto surface. This helps inhibit
mold growth and cheese will last longer. Enjoy.
By Tina on Jan 17, 2012 | Reply
I’m going to definitely be making this! We make our own yogurt & buttermilk so I have no concerns about leaving it out but I would like to know how long it will keep in the fridge. Thanks!
By Jan on Jan 20, 2012 | Reply
Can’t wait to try this! I found cheesecloth in two difference size packages at Walmart in the domestics department.
By Melissa on Feb 4, 2012 | Reply
I have done this and love the taste which I think is a bit like sharp thick sour cream.
By Kelly on Feb 13, 2012 | Reply
Thanks for the link back!
By Rebekah Loper on Feb 21, 2012 | Reply
This is not cream cheese. This is greek yogurt.
By rebecca on Apr 23, 2012 | Reply
This is a great tutorial! I think i accidently made something similar to this once, when i opened a greek yogert in an individual container, realized i didnt have time to eat it and returned it to the fridge without covering it. Found it about 24 hours later, appeared a bit thicker in consistency (im guessing because the atmosphere in the fridge dehyrdrated it a bit) and decided to give it a try. Was delicious!! Thicker and creamier greek yogert!
By deb on Jan 28, 2013 | Reply
can you use this in place of store bought cream cheese, to make cheese cake??