Can cream cheese be frozen?
In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “can cream cheese be frozen” with an in-depth analysis of whether or not you can freeze cream cheese. Moreover, we are going to discuss how to freeze cream cheese, how to thaw frozen cream cheese, the differences that you will notice in the thawed cream cheese, and the uses of thawed cream cheese.
So without much ado, let’s dive in and figure out more about it.
Can cream cheese be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze your cream cheese to preserve its flavor and freshness for a long time. But it is worth mentioning here that the frozen cream cheese will have a slight difference in the texture once it is thawed, which makes it unsuitable for its use as a spread (owing to the grainy structure that it develops after thawing). So what you can do is that you can easily use the frozen and thawed cream cheese in your baking goods, in making cheesecakes, frosting, as an addition to the dough, and many more recipes.
When cream cheese is stored in the freezer for a very long tie, then the solid and liquid parts of the cream cheese begin to separate and this is the very reason behind the crumbly cheese when it is thawed. But do not worry as such cream cheese is safe to use, all this separating process does is to change the texture of the cheeses, and once thawed your cheese will feel that it is less creamy as compared to the fresh cream cheese.
How to freeze cream cheese?
Unopened cream cheese
So in case you have the unopened newly bought package of the cream cheese then what you can do is simply pop it in the freezer. There is no need for any other extra plastic freezer wrap around it as the wrapping around the cream cheese and the cardboard itself provides enough protection to the cream cheese.
Opened cream cheese
On the other hand, if you have already opened the package of the cream cheese and now want to store the leftovers in the freezer then what you can do is to first divide the cream cheese into the required portion sizes and afterward put them in a plastic freezer bag. Eliminate excess air from the plastic freezer bag by lightly squeezing it. Afterward, put it in the freezer.
You can read about the benefits and nutritional profile of cream cheese here.
How to thaw cream cheese?
When it comes to thawing the cream cheese there a couple of ways that you can use it.
- You can thaw the frozen cream cheese by keeping it in the fridge overnight. The cream cheese thawed this way stays good for a couple of days when stored in the fridge.
- Another method that you can use to thaw your frozen cream cheese is to submerge the plastic zipper bag containing the cream cheese in a bowl of cold water. It is worth mentioning that you should use the cream cheese thawed this way right away.
- You can also thaw the cream cheese by keeping it out on the counter but you should use it immediately once it is thawed.
What are the differences that you can notice once cream cheese is thawed?
So once you have thawed the frozen cream cheese, no doubt it will still taste good but you will feel a difference in its texture and mouthfeel.
- The frozen cream cheeses once thawed will have a grainy mouthfeel
- It will be less creamy as compared to the fresh cream cheese (owing to the separation of the solid and liquid part of the cheese when stored in the freezer for a long time).
- Frozen cream cheese after thawing will become crumbly and that is why it is recommended not to use it in dishes where cream cheese otherwise has to stand out.
How to use thawed cream cheese?
You can use frozen cream cheese in a variety of ways. You can use it in a variety of baked goods cream cheesecake, potato casserole, or baked dip.
You should remember that you should use cream cheese where its texture won’t ruin the dish. On the other hand, if you are cooking a dish in which the cream cheese stands out then it is recommended to use fresh cream cheese instead of the frozen one in this case.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the question “can cream cheese be frozen” with an in-depth analysis of whether or not you can freeze cream cheese. Moreover, we discussed how to freeze cream cheese, how to thaw frozen cream cheese, the differences that you will notice in the thawed cream cheese, and the uses of thawed cream cheese.
Citations
https://www.canyoufreezethis.com/can-freeze-philadelphia-cream-cheese/
https://www.thespruceeats.com/can-you-freeze-cream-cheese-1388396
